Admission Requirements
Admission Requirements
Admission to the Feinstein School of Education and Human Development (FSEHD) master’s-level programs is determined by the quality of the total application. Applicants must submit the following to the FSEHD Office of Graduate Programs as a measure of their potential for success in graduate-level studies:
- Completed application form accompanied by a fifty-dollar nonrefundable fee.
- Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate course work.
- Professional license (elementary or secondary general education certificate) or passing test scores on the Elementary or Secondary Praxis Principles of Learning & Teaching (PLT).
- Bachelor’s degree with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in professional coursework.
- Three candidate reference forms accompanied by letters of recommendation related to education and experience in special education or related field.
- A performance-based evaluation that documents the candidate’s education and experience with individuals with exceptionalities if possible.
- Completion of foundational coursework in special education (SPED 531 or equivalent), and other pre-requisite requirements as determined by the Program Director.
- Professional goals essay that describes candidate’s commitment to the field of Elementary or Secondary Special Education, cultural awareness, collaboration, and life-long learning.
- An interview may be required.
Eligibility
- the M.Ed. in early childhood special education requires eligibility for Rhode Island certification in early childhood education.
- the M.Ed. in elementary or secondary special education requires Rhode Island certification in elementary or secondary education or concurrent enrollment.
- the M.Ed. in exceptional learning needs (strands: autism, specialized study in special education) requires Rhode Island certification in special education.
- the M.Ed. in severe intellectual disabilities requires Rhode Island certification in early childhood, elementary or secondary education or concurrent enrollment in these programs.
- the M.Ed. in urban multicultural special education requires Rhode Island certification in special education or concurrent enrollment in a special education certification program.