Built to provide you with a firm theoretical foundation and practical training, our master’s in special education supports your professional development and spurs new career growth. Whether you’re a special education teacher or a general educator, you receive comprehensive instruction in the many facets of special education so you can work with all types of students and improve the quality of education they receive.
- Undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited university.
- "Admission test score.
When applying to the M.Ed./MSEd in Special Education program, please submit the following:
- Online graduate application.
- Official transcripts of all previous undergraduate and graduate coursework sent directly from the college or university.
Please send electronic transcripts to xugrad@xavier.edu or hard copies to:
Xavier University
Admission Processing Center
3800 Victory Parkway
Cincinnati, Ohio 45207-5131
Our Admissions Committee processes and reviews your application immediately upon receiving all the necessary materials and considers all of the information in your application, including prior grades, test scores, and evidence of potential for success in graduate study.
Test Waiver Option
Xavier waives required test scores if you are:
- A state-licensed teacher.
- Pursuing an M.Ed. or MSEd without licensure (if undergrad GPA is 3.0 or higher).
- Pursuing a principal or administration license.
- Pursuing a second license or endorsement.
- Pursuing a Montessori teaching credential only.
International students may have additional application requirements. Review Xavier’s International Graduate Admissions for more information.
For questions regarding the application process, please email the Office of Graduate Services at xugrad@xavier.edu.
The curriculum addresses the unique challenges faced by special education professionals, emphasizing education history and philosophy, evidence-based practices, and innovative assessment and teaching strategies. With this high-level approach, you build a wealth of theoretical and practical knowledge that informs how you engage with students one-on-one, in small groups and with the educational system.
Through your seven elective credits, you can explore essential disciplines that inform your work as a special education teacher, including child development, special education law, classroom management, communication strategies and techniques, and much more.
Your chosen degree path determines the core classes you take. Your core education courses (totaling nine credit hours) include:
- EDFD 500: History and Philosophy of American Education................................. 3cr.
- EDFD 505: Organization of Educational Systems in the United States................. 3cr.
- EDFD 507: Educational Research........................................................................ 2cr.
- EDFD 508: Educational Research Paper.............................................................. 1cr.
You must take seven electives (21 semester hours) from the list below:
- EDSP 500: Identification and Issues in Special Education................................... 3cr.
- EDSP 501: Introduction to Emotionally Disturbed Children.................................. 3cr.
- EDSP 503: Special Education Communication and Collaboration........................ 3cr.
- EDSP 505: Foundations in Early Childhood Special Education............................. 3cr.
- EDFD 510: Advanced Human Development and Learning..................................... 3cr.
- EDSP 556: Resources in Transition Education and Services................................ 3cr.
- EDSP 560: Mild/Moderate Characteristics and Strategies................................... 3cr.
- EDSP 563: Special Education Assessment and Evaluation.................................. 3cr.
- EDSP 564: Special Education DAP Instructional Materials................................. 3cr.
- EDSP 567: Social Skills and Behavior Management............................................. 3cr.
- EDSP 570: Moderate Intensive Characteristics.................................................... 3cr.
- EDSP 572: Communication Strategies and Techniques....................................... 3cr.
- EDSP 573: Special Education Assessment and Evaluation MI............................. 3cr.
- EDSP 581: Play and its Role in Development and Learning.................................. 3cr.
- EDSP 580: Classroom Management.................................................................... 3cr.
- EDSP 583: Resource Materials and Techniques: Gifted/Talented........................ 3cr.
- EDSP 615: Special Education Law.................................................................... 3cr.
- EDSP 616: Philosophy and Cultural Diversity........................................................ 3cr.
- EDSP 617: Administrative Partnerships in Special Education.............................. 3cr.
Tuition
- MSEd, MEd and Non-degree Licensure/Endorsement Students..............$599
- MEd Catholic School Rate..............$378
- Off-Campus Credit Courses..............$509
Fees
- Graduate Student Association Fee, degree seeking full-time..............$15 (per semester)
- Graduate Student Association Fee, degree seeking part-time..............$10 (per semester)
The amounts listed are for the 2024-2025 academic year, and include classes from Summer 2024 through Spring 2025. Tuition cost is per credit hour unless otherwise stated.
For the full, official listing, please visit xavier.edu/costs.
Xavier University reserves the right to correct any computational or clerical errors.
Why Study Special Education at Xavier University?
While our MEd in Special Education garners a range of students each year, we maintain small class sizes and deliver a more personalized learning experience. We provide the educational theory and coursework needed to fully prepare licensed special education teachers so that children of every grade level get the education they need and deserve.
To ensure you receive quality education and up-to-date instruction, we design our programs to exceed high standards. Our M.Ed.in Special Education is accredited by the Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC). Additionally, our master’s programs have received approval from the Ohio Board of Regents, and our licensure programs are approved by the Ohio Department of Education.
At Xavier, we emphasize experiential learning as a critical aspect of your graduate program. As you seek licensure in special education, you participate in 15 weeks of student teaching in a supervised classroom to put your skills and knowledge into action. We have cultivated long-term partnerships with over 50 regional school districts where you are placed for field experiences and student teaching and have the exciting opportunity to begin investing in your local educational efforts.
Experience a curriculum that integrates faith, social justice and academic rigor, emphasizing ethical decision-making and a commitment to serving marginalized communities.
During your time in the special education graduate program, you can pursue optional licenses and endorsements to expand your academic focus and build your résumé. Licensure or endorsement concentrations are optional but require additional coursework.
Contact the Office of the Graduate School for a personalized tour of Xavier University's campus with an emphasis on the graduate program that interests you.
FAQ
Xavier's M.Ed. in Special Education program offers a comprehensive pathway to a rewarding career in teaching.
With growing student populations and closer attention paid to children’s unique academic, mental and emotional needs, skillful special education teachers play an essential role in our educational system. The Bureau of Labor Statistics anticipates more than 33,000 special education teacher positions to open each year through 2032, providing many opportunities for you to work with children who need more focused attention so they can excel academically and personally.
Additionally, special education teachers’ annual mean salary is around $74,000 but drastically ranges from $38,680 to $121,850. State of employment, school district, and level of education and experience, along with other factors, can all impact your earning potential as a special education teacher.
The Master of Education in Special Education program can be completed online or in-person.
Students can complete the program at a pace that works for them, including part-time.
Depending on your personal and professional goals, you can select an intervention specialist licensure in:
To specialize your pedagogical focus and hone your expertise, you can also pursue an endorsement in:
Special Education (MEd) Program at Xavier University
Pursue your M.Ed. in Special Education at Xavier University and build a wealth of educational expertise and acquire valuable hands-on experience to further your professional endeavors. Be a part of improving the educational system by providing exceptional instruction to students of all abilities. Take the next step toward obtaining your master’s degree at Xavier.
Xavier University's College of Professional Sciences prepares undergraduate and graduate students intellectually, morally and spiritually for careers and professions of service. CPS challenges students to strive for academic excellence and life-long learning through promoting collaboration and community partnerships, and incorporating research, scholarship and innovation.
Xavier University is a private university located in Cincinnati, Ohio, providing a liberal arts education in the Jesuit Catholic tradition. Founded in 1831, the University is the sixth-oldest Catholic university in the nation. It has been ranked among the top 10 master's-level universities in the Midwest by U.S. News & World Report for the past two decades. The Princeton Review names it one of the "Best 385 Colleges in America."