Developmental Disabilities K-12 License

Overview

Special Education Programs: M.A., License

The purpose of the M.A. in Special Education, and Special Education License programs, is to equip, educate, empower, and engage special education teachers for the 21^st century across the entire state of Minnesota and beyond. The M.A. and License programs in Special Education emphasize the practical application of the theoretical and research bases of the discipline, special education foundations, data-based decision making, as well as ethical/spiritual issues related to the profession. Students will learn from current researchers in the field along with current practitioners in Minnesota K-12 public schools. Students will have the option to choose from four different license tracks: Academic Behavioral Strategist, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Developmental Cognitive Disabilities, and/or Emotional Behavioral Disorders.

Graduate-Level License Requirements

To be recommended for a license students must:

Maintain academic success, which is defined as completion of each teacher licensure and each content area course with a passing grade: S, C, or higher.
Maintain character, ethics, and relational skills consistent with the role and responsibility of the professional educator. Any student failing to meet this expectation may be asked to discuss with the program director other viable options for professional development.
License standards are subject to change at any time by the Professional Education Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB: formerly called Minnesota Board of Teaching) or the Minnesota Board of School Administrators (BOSA).
Candidates for licensure must meet the BOSA or PELSB license standards in place at the time of program completion.

Admission Requirements

The Developmental Disabilities K-12 License program will consider applicants who:

Meet the general requirements for admission to the Graduate School.
Submit an official transcript (U.S. schools) or NACES or AICE evaluation (international schools) showing an earned baccalaureate degree and official transcripts or NACES or AICE evaluations from all undergraduate and graduate schools attended. Applicants must also submit an official transcript or NACES or AICE evaluation from any school that shows completion of required program prerequisites, if any.
Have earned a baccalaureate degree or higher from a regionally accredited (or internationally recognized as equivalent) institution.
Have earned a GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale on the highest degree completed.
Submit two professional Admission References.
Submit a written Statement of Purpose.
Interview with the program director or enrollment counselor.
Submit a copy of current or most recent state or internationally recognized teaching license at the elementary, secondary, or K–12 (or equivalent) level. Applicants without a current teaching license will be considered for admission to the special education program.
NOTE: Students who become licensed in ABS K–12, ASD B–21, DD K-12 or EBD K–12 but do not have a regular teaching license prior to entering the program will only be eligible to teach in those areas of special education license, not as regular education teachers. Students are recommended to become Highly Qualified (HQ) according to the Minnesota Board of Teaching expectations, but are not required to be HQ in order to obtain a license.
Have a plan for completion of prerequisite Standards of Effective Practice (SEP) course sequence. Submission of Minnesota teaching license is sufficient documentation of completion of equivalent SEPcoursework.
Submit a current resume.

Accepted students will be eligible to begin the program once they have zero liberal arts requirements, as determined by a transcript evaluation at Bethel.

Students who have not achieved the minimum GPA, grade standards, or other assessment criteria may still apply to be considered for provisional acceptance. See Admission Categories.

Degree Requirements