Master of Arts in Education (M.A.Ed.)
Moderate and Severe
Disabilities
for Initial Certification
Program Highlights & Benefits
100% online cohort
2.5 year completion time, including holiday breaks
No GRE required for some programs
No weekend classes
For
The Master of Arts degree with certification in Moderate & Severe Disabilities (P-12) is an initial certification program for candidates without a teaching certificate who wish to teach students with moderate to severe learning and behavior disabilities (MSD).
What You Learn
Kentucky needs P-12 teachers who are committed to providing high-quality learning experiences and services to students with moderate to severe learning and behavior disabilities (MSD). Georgetown College’s Moderate & Severe Disabilities Master of Arts in Education helps to fill the ongoing need for teachers in this area.
Program Options
Students may choose from two tracks: Traditional Initial Certification or Alternative Initial Certification – Due to a lack of certified MSD teachers in specific areas, some schools are willing to hire candidates under a temporary-provisional certification who have a bachelor’s degree and are enrolled in an alternative MSD certification program.
How You Learn
This is a fully online cohort. Most courses will be offered in a 7 and a half week format, though some 15 week courses may be included. (In which you will take two courses at a time). You will log into the online classroom using our online learning management system to participate in online activities which may include assignments, webinars or chats, materials, discussion threads, assessments and/or group activities done electronically. Following this schedule, you will complete the program in approximately 2 1/2 years.
Career Outcomes
Upon completion of this program students will have earned a Master of Arts in Education degree and initial P-12 Certification in Moderate and Severe Disabilities. A passing score on the Praxis exam will be required to earn your MSD Certification.
Degree Requirements
| Course | Title | Hours |
| ECE 500 | Educational Evaluation | 3 |
| ECE 502 | Introduction to Students with Disabilities | 3 |
| ECE 508 | Introduction to Autism Spectrum Disorders | 3 |
| ECE 542 | Using Technology to Remove Barriers for Students with Disabilities | 3 |
| ECE 565 | Typical and Atypical Behavior | 3 |
| ECE 600 | Introduction to Teaching Students with Moderate to Severe Disabilities | 3 |
| ECE 610 | Supporting Challenging Behaviors | 3 |
| ECE 602 | Curriculum & Instruction for Students with Moderate to Severe Disabilitie | 3 |
| ECE 604 | Teaching Individuals with Physical and Multiple Disabilities | 3 |
| ECE 612 | Language Development and Literacy Instruction | 3 |
| ECE 606 | Transition Services for Students with Disabilities | 3 |
| ECE 614 | Social Skills Development and Community Access | 3 |
| ECE 616 | Field Component in MSD | 6 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 42 |
Please Note:
NOTE: This is only an introduction to the program. Coursework may be taken in a different order.
Students are required to meet all admission criteria (including passing the Core Academic Skills for Educators or Graduate Record Exam and meeting the minimum GPA requirement of 2.75 GPA (3.0 on last 30 hours of coursework), in order to be fully admitted to the program. In order to be considered for an alternative-certification position, you must meet all admissions criteria before you may interview for a position.
The state requires 200 hours of pre-clinical field hours and a full-time, 14 week student teaching experience, which must be completed while not being in a paid position. This does not apply if you are in an alternative certification status.
