Master of Science in Special Education

Have an impact on the lives of special children.

The Master of Science in Special Education at Mercyhurst College will enhance your teaching talents and give you the skills and knowledge to transform the lives of students with mild to moderate disabilities.

This program provides new advances in a research-to-practice model coupled with an intensive field-based component. It’s designed to provide opportunities for certified teachers and non-certified individuals to refine their critical thinking and analysis skills and to develop applied research competencies necessary to create innovations in education.

All levels of teachers, from novice to expert, are required to continue their education beyond a bachelor’s degree and attain a master’s degree within the first five years of teaching. Mercyhurst continues to be a leader in the education field by offering programs to both meet your needs and the Pennsylvania certification requirements. By completing the master’s degree program in special education, you are attaining the most diverse certification area possible because you’ll be prepared to teach every student successfully in a wide range of potential settings.

Several different certifications are available, including opportunities for a graduate certificate in applied behavior analysis, which is designed to meet the educational requirements for certification by the Behavior Analysis Certification Board. The applied behavior analysis program focuses on integrating research, basic principles, and specialized coursework with fieldwork in the areas of mental retardation and/or developmental disabilities, autism, as well as practical applications for general education.

At Mercyhurst, the quality of the graduate education is high, but the tuition remains one of the lowest among colleges and universities in the Erie and northwest Pennsylvania areas. In addition, a limited number of graduate assistantships are available to eligible students, and many schools and employers offer tuition reimbursement.

Classes are conveniently held in the evenings, allowing participants to continue working while enrolled in the program. Courses are offered year round, allowing customization for individual students upon consultation with the program director.

Talk to us about the master of science in special education program.

Concentration areas

Special Needs
Bilingual/Bicultural Education
Applied Behavior Analysis

Minors

Bilingual special education
Educational leadership

Optional certifications

Special education
Special/early childhood education

Contacts

Candace Schiffer , academic coordinator
office of adult education and graduate programs
Phone: (814) 824-3384
E-mail: cschiffer@mercyhurst.edu

Dr. Phillip Belfiore , professor of special education and director of the applied behavior analysis program
Phone: (814) 824-2267
E-mail: pbelfiore@mercyhurst.edu