Special Education and Literacy Studies

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Special Education and Literacy Studies
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5258 USA | (269) 387-5935

Master of Arts in Special Education Clinical Teacher (Accelerated)

 

The Accelerated Graduate Degree Program (AGDP) in Special Education Clinical Teacher allows qualifying students to begin accumulating credits toward completion of a Master of Arts degree in Special Education Clinical Teacher while still enrolled as undergraduates in the Early Childhood General and Special Education: Birth through Kindergarten program. Undergraduate students admitted to the AGDP may take up to 12 credit hours of designated 5000 and 6000-level classes for graduate credit. These designated courses may be used in completion of both the bachelor’s degree and the master’s degree.

Students will pay undergraduate tuition for the designated AGDP 5000 and 6000-level courses as undergraduates, and the courses will be included in the flat tuition rate. On completion of the undergraduate degree, the student will be re-classified as a graduate student and then will pay graduate tuition rates for additional courses leading to the M.A. Students who previously have received their baccalaureate degrees will be ineligible to apply for this program and retroactively claim credits toward the M.A. Special Education Clinical Teacher degree.

Completion of this program makes student eligible to take the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC) to earn the Autism Spectrum Disorder endorsement.

Why WMU?

Dual enrollment – Save time and funds by completing up to 12 credit hours that count towards both your undergraduate and graduate degrees (must be an undergraduate majoring in Early Childhood General and Special Education: Birth through Kindergarten.)

Admission procedure

1. As early as possible in the academic junior year, the student contacts the Early Childhood General and Special Education: Birth through Kindergarten program coordinator to discuss this AGDP option and review the requirements, timelines, and application procedures.

2. The student completes the online graduate application.

3. Upon acceptance into the AGDP, the student meets with the Early Childhood General and Special Education: Birth through Kindergarten program coordinator and an undergraduate academic advisor to prepare an appropriate program of study that meets the requirements.

4. The AGDP Course Approval Form that lists the graduate courses to be counted in both degrees will be sent to the student and to the registrar. A copy of this form will also be included in the student’s graduate file.

Additional information

  1. Students must be accepted into the professional level of the undergraduate Early Childhood General and Special Education: Birth through Kindergarten program, and have a minimum accumulated grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 (based on at least 45 earned credit hours, 15 of which shall be earned at Western Michigan University).
  2. The student completes the online graduate application (wmich.edu/apply) and within the application selects the application type “Accelerated degree seeking - only available to current WMU undergraduate student.”
  3. International students must clarify their visa status with the Office of International Student and Scholar Services before submitting an application for AGDP.
  4. For international students, minimum iBT TOEFL score of 89 with a minimum subscore of 20 for writing or a minimum IELTS score of 7 with a minimum subscore of 6 for writing. Provisional admission would require a minimum iBT TOEFL score of 71 and a minimum IELTS score of 6.
  1. A minimum of 30 semester hours of graduate coursework with a minimum GPA of 3.00. Students must complete the requirements for the M.A. degree within 24 months from the completion of the bachelor’s degree. Students unable to meet these requirements must apply for an extension with the Early Childhood General and Special Education: Birth through Kindergarten program coordinator in the Department of Special Education and Literacy Studies.
  2. To progress automatically into the graduate program, students must achieve a grade of “B” or better in each of the graduate courses being counted for the undergraduate degree, as well as maintain a 3.0 GPA overall in their major. Students will be admitted as graduate students (with the relevant graduate credit) in the next semester or session after receiving the bachelor’s degree. Students who do not meet these requirements will have the earned grade applied to their undergraduate degree only and must apply for readmission into the graduate program.
  3. Students in the AGDP must follow the program of study developed with their Early Childhood General and Special Education: Birth through Kindergarten graduate advisor and their undergraduate advisor. Failure to follow this program of study may result in ineligibility for the AGDP.
  4. Both undergraduate and graduate transcripts will show that the student completed the AGDP.

A student may withdraw from an approved AGDP at any time by informing the Early Childhood General and Special Education: Birth through Kindergarten program coordinator in writing. A copy of this withdrawal statement will be forwarded to the Graduate College and the Registrar’s Office.

The Accelerated Master's in Special Education Clinical Teacher (AGDP) is for current undergraduate students at Western Michigan University who major in Early Childhood General and Special Education: Birth through Kindergarten. Once accepted, students may take up to 12 credit hours of graduate course work and apply it towards both degrees. 

Questions?

Dr. Emily Curiel

Dr. Emily Curiel

Co-Program Coordinator and Assistant Professor
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Rena VanDerwall

Dr. Rena VanDerwall

Co-Program Coordinator and Assistant Professor
Contact