The M.S. Ed. in special education is designed to serve the needs of both experienced and beginning special education teachers who have baccalaureate degrees or are seeking career changes at the master’s level. In addition to an on-campus program, the department offers off-campus Masters’ degree courses, information on which can be obtained from the department.
For students who already hold a special education certificate, the faculty of special education offers individualized programs of study. Interested students should contact the department for further information.
Students seeking certification must successfully complete the Illinois State Certification Testing System Test of Basic Skills prior to admission to the Teacher Education Program in special education. Students must provide a photocopy of the test results to the following address:
Graduate Secretary
Department of Teaching and Learning
Northern Illinois University
DeKalb, IL 60115
Students must also complete the test required by their certification field prior to student teaching. Completion of all program requirements satisfies the requirements for Illinois teacher certification as Learning Behavior Specialist I.
From among the applicants satisfying the requirements for admission to the Graduate School, the faculty select the most qualified, utilizing the General Test of the GRE and ordinarily requiring a GPA of higher than 3.00 for the last two years of undergraduate work.
Each student must complete a specialization consisting of a minimum of 36 semester hours of study which include a research course approved by the adviser (3). Elective courses are selected with the approval of the student’s adviser. A student wishing to write a thesis may, with the approval of the adviser, include 3-6 semester hours of credit in TLSE 599 in the elective portion of the program.
For a student whose undergraduate major was in special education course work in other appropriate fields may be substituted for a portion of the special education course work, with the approval of the student’s adviser. However, in all cases, at least 50 percent of the semester hours required for the degree must be in special education. For students whose undergraduate major was not special education or who have limited background in their chosen specialization, deficiency requirements may be established by the department. Deficiency course hours will not be counted toward the minimum 36 semester hours of the master’s degree program.
Graduate students applying for an M.S.Ed in special education should be proficient with fundamental operations and concepts of computer technologies to facilitate learning in today's P-12 classrooms. This proficiency should include both concept and applications of the following topics: basic computing skills (including file management), word processing, presentation software, spreadsheet applications, and internet skills. Students lacking these skills may obtain them at their local community college or take any number of instructional technology courses offered at NIU.
Prerequisites can be waived for students who have completed the appropriate prerequisites at another institution. If you believe you have completed the appropriate course elsewhere you should discuss this with your adviser. Students will not be admitted to courses without the appropriate prerequisite or equivalent.
It is the responsibility of students to know and observe all regulations and procedures relating to the program they are pursuing, as well as those of the university and Graduate School. In no case will a regulation be waived or an exception granted because students plead ignorance of, or contend that they were not informed of, the regulations or procedures. Questions on regulations and their interpretation pertaining to studies at the graduate level should be addressed to the office of the dean of the Graduate School.
Students planning to graduate should familiarize themselves with the dates relating to application for graduation and other pertinent deadlines (see the Graduate School Calendar). It is necessary to apply for graduation by the specified deadline in order to graduate in a particular term, whether or not the student plans to attend the commencement ceremonies.
Students must satisfy the degree requirements of the catalog in force during the term for which they have been admitted to and begin course work in a degree program; or they may, with the consent of their advisers, meet graduation requirements by complying with the provisions of a later catalog. Students readmitted to a degree program must meet degree requirements of the catalog in force at the time of the later admission (or of a subsequent catalog, as provided above). Aside from degree requirements, all students are subject to the regulations and policies stated in the catalog currently in force. Exceptions to regulations contained in the Graduate Catalog require the written approval of the office of the dean of the Graduate School, unless otherwise stated in the catalog.
Graduate students and students-at-large should notify the Graduate School immediately of any change in address so that receipt of mail will not be delayed.
If you are ready to start classes prior to being admitted to the Graduate School you can start taking classes as a Student-at-Large (SAL). To start classes as an SAL you can submit an SAL application electronically on the Graduate School web site and after four working days you will be able to enroll in courses.
As a student-at-large you can take both undergraduate and graduate courses. These courses are offered at the DeKalb, Naperville, and Hoffman Estates campuses in the evenings. See the online schedule of classes for course offerings or the Graduate School for information about tuition and fees.
For planned special education course rotation please see the projected rotation of courses. For information on course work to take as a student-at-large please contact Leslie Hecht.
Students taking more than one class at the DeKalb campus may have a health hold put on their records if their immunizations are not up-to-date. This may delay registration for classes. Please check with University Health Services to determine if your immunization record is up to date. For additional information please visit the UHS web site.
If you want to substitute life experience for clinical hours discuss this option with your advisor during your first advising meeting. Your advisor will determine whether and to what extent life experience can be substituted for initial clinical, internship and/or student teaching experiences. Students wishing to waive TLSE 587A (the LBS I graduate student teaching experience) must follow a specific set of guidelines and can submit materials during the Spring and Fall semesters.
Cancellation/Postponement of Clinical Experience
When graduate students apply for student teaching, they must notify the clinical office in writing of the slightest possibility of substituting a life experience for either their elementary or secondary experience or both. Please send all requests to Darla Massier, Coordinator of Special Education Placements, Department of Teaching and Learning, Northern Illinois University , DeKalb , IL 60115 . Once a student notifies the clinical office, it is with the understanding that that the process of finding placements for their secondary and elementary placements will not begin until the decision of substituting a life experience has been made. After a decision has been made, the clinical office will begin the process of finding a placement for the student. Students need to understand that at this point a placement may not be necessarily guaranteed. If the process begins, however, before the semester prior to student teaching is to begin, the chances for finding a placement is much greater than if the process begins during the semester before student teaching. Students also need to understand that placements will not necessarily be based on student preference or location if the process begins the semester before student teaching.
A grade of unsatisfactory will be given to all students (graduate and undergraduate) who do not demonstrate competency in the classroom; do not complete expectations, assignments, or requirements; or whose teaching, personal, and/or professional abilities indicate that they would be a liability to the teaching profession. Students will also be subject to remediation components such as writing contracts to address specific concerns and student performance reviews.
In addition, all graduate students applying for student teaching must be admitted into the graduate program before they turn in their paperwork to the clinical office.
To access WebConnect, a student is required to logon onto the service using their Z-ID and password OR their Social Security Number and Personal Identification Number.
You can take advantage of the following services using WebConnect: application status, change of address, class schedule, course availability, financial account information, encumbrances/holds, registration permits, semester grade reports, schedule changes, student directory informatin, TRACS registration timeslot, and registration for classes.
Additional information about Z-IDs is available online.
Students with a baccalaureate degree who wish to take teacher certification at the undergraduate level should apply as a postgraduate. These students should complete the undergraduate application form and indicate they are applying as postgraduate. For more information about the undergraduate teacher certification program in special education, please contact Sharon Wyland (815-753-8359).
NIU now offers housing for graduate students and those with families at the Northern View Community.
There are numerous awards and scholarships that are available for students, some specifically for teacher education. Other aid may be based on financial need, talent, or to members of particular groups. Some web sites that are available at NIU are the College of Education's Scholarship Page, the Scholarship Office, and the Financial Aid Office.
The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) has a program for individuals who are seeking their initial teacher certification in special education. This is a tuition waiver program for undergraduate or graduate students who are willing to teach in Illinois for two years after their initial certification.
The core standards for special educators, the standards for the Learning Behavior Special I, and additional special education information is available from the Illinois State Board of Education.
If you have any additional questions, please e-mail Leslie Hecht or call her at (815) 753-8457.