Special Education (Teacher Certification), MEd
edugte, teachers college
MLFTC is currently not accepting applications for the Intensive Support Needs-Moderate/Severe track. Advisors are available to discuss other options. Email GraduateEducation@asu.edu or call 602-543-6358.
Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College is changing their name, effective Fall 2025. The new name is Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation.
No matter where you're located, you can earn your master's degree. Prepare to educate learners in grades K--12 and support greater equity in education. Remote coursework paired with in-person internships and student teaching prepares you to obtain teacher certification and thrive in the high-demand field of special education.
The Master of Education program in special education with a concentration in teacher certification is for those who already have a bachelor's degree in any field and want to become licensed to teach special education or those who want to pursue dual certification in special education and elementary education. The program builds on connections between educational design and decision-making and is designed to foster strong professional growth and leadership development.
The special education single certification program of study is flexible, and students can complete it within five semesters with the appropriate internship and residency placements. The special education dual certification program can be completed in five or six semesters, depending on the semester start. Students can also enroll part time over additional semesters.
Two routes are offered that lead to Arizona teacher certification:
- Traditional certification route: Students can pursue single certification in special education for mild/moderate disabilities, or dual certification in special education for mild/moderate levels and elementary education. For single certification in special education for mild/moderate disabilities, students complete two internships and student teaching. For dual certification, students complete an elementary and special education internship during the first two semesters. They then complete two eight-week teaching student teaching experiences, one in a special education setting and one in an elementary school setting. Single special education certification graduates earn an institutional recommendation from ASU that is recognized by the Arizona Department of Education for teacher certification in Mild/Moderate Disabilities. Dual certification graduates earn an institutional recommendation from ASU that is recognized by the Arizona Department of Education for teacher certification in Mild/Moderate Disabilities, K--12, and Elementary Education, K--8.
- Alternative certification route: Individuals who are currently employed full time by a school as a teacher of record can pursue an alternative certification route. To qualify, individuals must secure a full-time teaching position in an approved special education setting. This route leads to single certification in special education for mild/moderate disabilities; students are not able to pursue dual certification.
Graduates earn an institutional recommendation from ASU that is recognized by ADE for teacher certification in Mild/Moderate Disabilities, K--12.
The coursework is the same for both certification routes and culminates in an applied project in which students apply what they have learned to address a problem of practice or topic related to education.
- College/school:
Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College
- Location: Online
- STEM-OPT extension eligible: No
34 credit hours including the required applied project course (SPE 593) - Mild-Moderate Alternative Certification Pathway, or
34 credit hours including the required applied project course (SPE 593) - Mild-Moderate Traditional Certification Pathway, or
40 credit hours including the required applied project course (SPE 593) - Mild-Moderate Traditional Certification Pathway - Dual Elementary Education, or
44 credit hours including the required applied project course (SPE 593) Intensive Support Needs - Moderate/Severe Alternative Certification Pathway, or
44 credit hours including the required applied project course (SPE 593) Intensive Support Needs - Moderate/Severe Traditional Certification Pathway
Required Core (5 credit hours)
TEL 510 Instructional Design, Planning and Assessment (2)
TEL 517 Creating Equitable Learning Environment: Decision Making and Action (3)
Concentration (6 or 8 credit hours)
Selected from the following according to certification option:
EED 557 Internship I (2)
EED 567 Internship II (2)
EED 582 Residency in Elementary Education for Dual Certification Semester Three Professional Experiences (2)
SPE 556 Internship I (2)
SPE 570 Internship II (2)
SPE 571 Apprentice Teaching I (2)
SPE 574 Apprentice Teaching II (2)
SPE 576 Internship III (2)
SPE 578 Residency/Student Teaching in Special Education (2)
SPE 579 Apprentice Teaching III (2)
SPE 581 Dual Certification Residency (2)
SPE 596 Residency/Student Teaching (2)
SEI Endorsement (3 credit hours)
Track (17, 21 or 27 credit hours)
Mild-Moderate Track (17 credit hours)
Mild-Moderate Traditional Certification Pathway - Dual Elementary Education (21 credit hours)
Intensive Support Needs - Moderate/Severe Track (27 credit hours)
Culminating Experience (3 credit hours)
SPE 593 Applied Project (3)
Additional Curriculum Information
For the single certification concentration requirements, students complete six credit hours of professional experiences. For traditional certification in special education, at least two credit hours must be SPE Internship, and at least two credit hours must be SPE student teaching. For alternative certification in special education, at least four credit hours must be in Apprentice Teaching. Students who switch from Alternative Certification may substitute Apprentice Teaching for Student Teaching with permission from the program. Students who wish to their switch certification option midprogram should reach out to the academic unit for appropriate advisement.
Students who are seeking dual certification in elementary and special education must complete two internships --- one in elementary and one in special education --- and both an EED and SPE student teaching placement; this extends the teaching certification requirement by two credit hours, for a total of eight credit hours. Students who switch from Alternative Certification may substitute Apprentice Teaching for Student Teaching with permission from the program.
General university admission requirements:
All students are required to meet general
university admission requirements.
U.S. applicants | International applicants | English proficiency
Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College.
Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree in any field from a regionally accredited institution.
Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program, or applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.
All applicants must submit:
- graduate admission application and application fee
- official transcripts
- three letters of recommendation
- personal statement
- resume
- proof of English proficiency
Additional Application Information
An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency.
The letters of recommendation should be from individuals who can speak to the applicant's potential for success in a graduate program.
The personal statement should describe the applicant's interests and reason for seeking this degree.
ASU offers this program in an online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. Applicants may view the program’s ASU Online page for program descriptions and to request more information.
Graduates of Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College are highly sought-out teachers in public, charter and private education institutions. Students gain skills in teaching, conducting research, using technology and collaborating in teams --- all of which prepare them to successfully work with diverse learners in grades K--12.
ASU programs that may lead to professional licensure or certification are intended to prepare students for potential licensure or certification in Arizona. Completion of an ASU program may not meet educational requirements for licensure or certification in another state. For more information, students should visit the ASU professional licensure webpage.
To teach in an Arizona public school, graduates must pass the appropriate Arizona educator subject knowledge exam, as well as the professional knowledge exam offered through the National Evaluation Series or Arizona Educator Proficiency Assessments.
Division of Teacher Preparation
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ED 118
GraduateEducation@asu.edu
480-965-5555
3 year programs
These programs allow students to fast-track their studies after admission and earn a bachelor's degree in three years or fewer while participating in the same high-quality educational experience of a 4-year option. Students should talk to their academic advisor to get started.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Acceptance to the graduate program requires a separate application. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master’s during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
