Our Dual-Degree Master of Arts in Teaching in Special Education (4+1) prepares graduates for a wide range of roles throughout the field of special education. Graduates from the program will master the skills necessary to foster a learning environment that caters to students as they navigate learning disabilities and behavioral or emotional disorders. As a 4+1 MAT student, your internship experience in a school during your graduate year will provide significant savings on tuition through the tuition remission program.
Your Experience
This dual-degree program allows you to complete your bachelor‘s degree in any major, along with a master‘s degree in teaching and your special education teaching certificate within 5 years. Completing your master‘s degree immediately after earning your bachelor‘s degree allows you to continue your teaching career uninterrupted, as maintaining your professional license to teach in most states requires the completion of a master‘s degree during the first 6-8 years of teaching.
With courses that explore the needs of students with autism and communication disorders, dyslexia and math disorders, reading disorders and more, graduates of this dual-degree program will have a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by students with specific learning disabilities, behavioral disorders and emotional disorders. Throughout the program, future leaders in the field of special education will master how to develop and implement individualized education programs and 504 plans, conduct functional behavioral assessments and design behavioral intervention programs — all in an effort to prepare them for success in many roles within the field.
Teaching certification and licensure is regulated by each state. Connecticut participates in the NASDTEC Interstate Compact. States that participate in this compact agree to accept the planned program of study of graduates in any of the states that are part of that compact. Therefore, whether you are an in-state or out-of-state applicant, you can become a certified teacher wherever you want to teach.
