Program Description

The BYU M.S. in Special Education program prepares special educators to provide collaborative leadership to foster the moral development and improve learning and social competence of exceptional children with challenging behaviors. 

The program is innovative both for faculty and students in Special Education, and for those in School Psychology. In order to prepare special educators to work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams in their schools, the masters program will model cooperative teaming and teaching with related disciplines.

The program is designed to serve currently employed special educators in cohorts of up to 15 students.  These students will be expected to take and complete a set program of study together. New cohorts are admitted every two years.

Requirements for acceptance to the program include:

• Complete admissions procedures and meet the entrance requirements of BYU Graduate Studies.

• Provide evidence of special education licensure, or be concurrently enrolled in a special education licensure program under special circumstances (e.g., international students).

• Provide evidence of successful experience as a contracted, special education licensed teacher for a minimum of 2 years (preferred, but not required).

• Have a grade point average of at least 3.0 for the last 60 semester hours of university coursework.

• Submit scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Miller’s Analogy Test (MAT).

• Participate in an interview with graduate faculty.

Minimum Program Requirements:

30 semester hours of coursework and 6 hours of thesis credit

The program is designed to be completed in two years, requiring 1 -2 classes per semester or term.

General Honor Code Statement

Brigham Young University exists to provide a university education in an atmosphere consistent with the ideals and principles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. That atmosphere is created and preserved through commitment to conduct that reflects those ideals and principles.

As a matter of personal commitment, students, staff, and faculty of Brigham Young University are expected to demonstrate in daily living on and off campus those moral virtues encompassed in the gospel of Jesus Christ, and will:
  Be honest
  Obey the law and all campus policies
  Live a chaste and virtuous life
  Use clean language
  Respect others
  Abstain from alcoholic beverages, tobacco, tea, coffee, and substance abuse
  Observe the BYU Dress and Grooming Standards
  Participate regularly in church services
  Support others in their commitment to comply with the BYU Honor Code.

Specific policies embodied in the Honor Code include: Academic Honesty, Dress and Grooming Standards, Residential Living Standards, and Continuing Student Ecclesiastical Endorsement.

In addition, BYU does not allow unlawful discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status, or disability. Assistance and grievance procedures are outlined in the Undergraduate Catalog (see BYU 2003-2004 Undergraduate Catalog, p. 22 or “Undergraduate Studies Catalog” at: http://ar.byu.edu/catalog/ugrad_catalog.html).

Program Course Schedule (semester hours in parentheses)

	Summer Term	Fall Semester	Winter Semester	Spring Term
Year 1	601: Current Issues & Research  (3) 604: Moral Dimensions (3) OR T ED 604:  Education for Democracy (3) Total: (6)	618: Legal Issues (3) 699R: Thesis Support I (1) Total: (4)	602:  Child Social/Emotional (3) T ED 625: Literacy Assessments & Interventions (3) Total: (6)	749:  Data Analysis (3) OR 673: Single Subject (3) 699R: Thesis Support II (1) Total: (4)
Year 2	615:  Problem Solving (3) 699R: Thesis Support III (1) Total: (4)	622: Learning and Cognition (3) 699R: Thesis Support IV (1) Total: (4)	610: Consultation (3) 699R: Thesis Support V (1) Total: (4)	655: Crisis Management (3) 699R: Thesis Support VI (1) Total: (4)

Note. Semester hours are in parentheses; Courses in italics are offered in collaboration with School Psychology or Teacher Education.

Core Courses (24 semester hours):

CPSE 602 - Child Social/Emotional Assessment & Intervention (3) 

CPSE 604 - Moral Dimensions in Education (3) OR T ED 604 Education for Democracy

CPSE 610 - Consultation within School and Family Systems (3)

CPSE 615 - Problem Solving for Social and Emotional Interventions (3)

CPSE 618 - Legal Issues in Special Education (3)

CPSE 622 - Theories of Learning and Cognition (3)

CPSE 655 - Crisis Intervention (3)

T ED  625 -  Literacy Assessments and Interventions (3)

 

Research Courses (12 semester hours):

CPSE 601 - Current Issues and Research in Special Education (3)

CPSE 699R - Master’s Thesis (6)

     Research Seminar I: Literature Review, writing style, IRB

     Research Seminar II: Design, data collection, methods, analysis

     Research Seminar III: Defend prospectus, submit IRB

     Research Seminar IV: Data collection

     Research Seminar V: Data analysis

     Research Seminar VI: Thesis Defense

CPSE 749 – Data Analysis (3) OR 673 Single Subject Research Design (3)

 

Application for Admissions

**Prior to applying to the MS program in Special Education, all applicants must complete the prerequisite post-baccalaureate licensure courses.**

The office of Graduate Studies has an online application available at:  www.byu.edu/gradstudies/admissions/onlineapp.php

Applicants are required to apply online. This method allows for a more expeditious processing of the application and allows applicants, in most cases, to check the status of their application. All application materials are submitted to the Graduate Admissions Office. Applicable portions are then forwarded to the Department. Students are admitted beginning summer term each year.

All applicants are also required to submit a department application in conjunction with the Graduate Studies application.  This can be done by downloading the application and submit it to the Graduate Coordinator (see contact information below). Applications are due March 1st.

SPED Department Application (DOC, PDF)

Graduate Record Examination (GRE)

The GRE is offered multiple times throughout the year.  The exam costs $115, and it usually takes 2-3 weeks to get your results.  A free study guide and practice questions can be found at http://www.studyguidezone.com/gretest.htm.  Prep exams can be taken at the Provo Kaplan Center (1774 N. University Parkway, Suite 12  Provo, UT  84604).  For the times and dates of prep exams please call (801) 375-9955.  All exams must be taken by the application deadline.  For more information on taking the GRE please call (801) 226-5544.  All exams are taken at the Thomson Prometric Test Center (315 N. State St. in Orem).

Miller's Analogy Test (MAT)

The MAT is a 60-minute timed exam containing 120 questions.  The exam costs $50, and it takes 4-6 weeks to get your results.  You can sign up for the exam by calling 422-6147.  The exam must be taken by the application deadline.   All exams are taken on campus in 265 of the Heber J. Grant Building (HGB).

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)

All international applicants must complete the TOEFL unless the applicant has received a bachelor's degree from a U.S. institution of higher education. The minimum TOEFL score requirements for the department of Counseling Psychology and Special Education are the same as the University minimum score requirements. For more information on the TOEFL, follow this link: http://www.byu.edu/gradstudies/FAQ/faq7.exams.php

Department Web site:   http://education.byu.edu/cpse/index.html

Office of Graduate Studies Web site:  www.byu.edu/gradstudies

For additional questions, contact:

Tina Taylor Dyches, Ed.D. Graduate Coordinator, SPED M.S. Program Brigham Young University 340-F  MCKB Provo, UT 84602-5093 Phone: (801) 422-5045 Fax: (801) 422-0198 Email:  Tina_dyches@byu.edu

Diane Hancock, Graduate Secretary Counseling Psychology and Special Education Department Brigham Young University 340 MCKB Provo, UT 84602-5093 Phone: (801) 422-3859 Fax: (801) 422-0198 E-mail: Diane_Hancock@byu.edu

Revised: 24 May 2006