Degree Spotlight: Master’s Degree in Special Education

Teachers strive to help all students achieve academic success. It is crucial that children in special education programs receive the nurturing care and instruction they need. Grand Canyon University offers a master’s degree in special education, intended for educators who desire to provide positive academic support to those with special needs.

Improve the Lives of Students

For children with exceptional needs, it is important for them to be granted the chance to learn and grow academically. Having an effective and dedicated teacher adds value to their education, giving students assurance that they are being cared for and treated with the same amount of respect as any other student. A teacher with a degree in special education can help students with exceptional needs appreciate school, as well as show them that they are more than capable of pursuing and achieving anything they set their minds to. Choosing to educate students with exceptional needs can help them become contributing members of society.

By taking on a teaching career in special education, you give yourself the opportunity to see the world through the eyes of the student, helping them achieve their academic goals step by step. Assisting students with exceptional needs can be enlightening, allowing you as a teacher to find happiness in different outlets, such as the success of someone who may not have had the opportunity otherwise. Teaching can have a personal fulfillment aspect to it, benefiting not only the education of the student, but the education and well-being of the teacher, too.

Advance Your Career

Obtaining a master’s degree in special education is an excellent step in advancing your professional career. With a master’s degree, you open the door to new work opportunities within your field of expertise. For an educator, this can mean a higher salary, a higher teaching position or even positions outside of your current school environment. With a master’s degree in special education, you may choose to teach in a special education classroom, or work as a school resource instructor, special needs counselor or consultant.

Earn Your Master’s Degree at GCU

At GCU, we offer a Master of Education in Special Education that can lead to initial teacher licensure. Gain hands-on experience with required practicum hours in classrooms that serve students with mild to moderate special needs, and learn about the professional, ethical and legal practices and policies in special education. You will also study collaborations and communications in special education, and learning environments for students with special needs. Other areas of focus within the degree include:

• Classroom engagement and management
• Child growth and development
• Methods of teaching to students with special needs
• Effective strategies for language development
• Lesson planning for the engagement of diverse learners

This program is offered both online and in evening classes. To learn more about the education degrees through the College of Education, visit the GCU website.

Written by Jessalyn Johnson, a freshman majoring in English literature at GCU.