Special Education

Department Head: Adelle Renzaglia
Correspondence and Admissions Information: Amy Rumsey, Secretary
288 Education Building
1310 South Sixth Street
Champaign, IL 61820
(217) 333-0260
Fax: (217)333-6555
speced@uiuc.edu

Master's Degree Programs

The Department of Special Education offers several master’s programs: Early Childhood Special Education, Learning and Behavior Specialist I (LBS-I), Learning and Behavior Specialist II (LBS-II), General Master's in Special Education, and Research Practitioner in Special Education. LBS-I is the master's program that prepares teachers for their initial teaching certificate. The other master's programs are available for praticing teachers and other professionals interested in graduate studies. Several of these programs can be completed on a a full or part-time basis. In most cases, full-time students take two years to complete their program of study.

Certificate of Advanced Study in Special Education

The department also offers a terminal degree called the Certificate of Advanced Study in Special Education. The advanced certificate program is intended for students who desire a planned course of study beyond the master's degree, but do not wish to pursue the type of scholarly work typically expected in a doctoral program.

A minimum of 32 hours beyond the master's degree is required for the degree. Sixteen graduate hours must be at the 500 level. A student who has not previously taken the foundations courses in educational psychology and educational policy studies required for the master's degrees must do so or pass proficiency examinations for these courses. The credit-no credit option may not be used to satisfy the minimum requirements for this degree.

Doctoral Programs

A course of study leading to the Doctor of Education Degree in Special Education (Ed.D.) is planned by each student with an adviser to provide advanced professional training and to develop further ability in the scholarly study of professional practice-centered problems. The College of Education requires Ed.D. candidates to complete a continuous residence of four consecutive terms (including summers) in an approved full-time combination of academic courses and professional experiences.

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree is tailored to the individual. Each candidate works closely with an adviser to develop an integrated course of study reflecting his or her goals in the area of special education. All doctoral students have the opportunity to be involved in research, university teaching, and service to the field of special education during their doctoral studies. Doctoral students typically complete the program in three to four years of full-time resident study. Please see the Department of Special Education website for more information about requirements and to view the Department of Special Education Doctoral Advisement Manual.

Certification

The Council on Teacher Education functions as the all-University governance system for certification. Graduate students who wish to qualify for the council's recommendation for a teaching or administrative certificate must complete the appropriate graduate program. The Department of Special Education offers graduate-level certification programs in Learning and Behavior Specialist I (LBS-I), Learning and Behavior Specialist II (LBS-II), and the Early Childhood Special Education. Approval in conjunction with the Early Childhood Education teacher education program in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. For specific information about certification requirements, call the Council on Teacher Education (217.333.7195) or go the the website.

Admission

Applicants must submit a complete application for admission. Please see the UIUC Graduate College Website. The applicant must submit three letters of reference and official transcripts of all previous undergraduate and graduate work. A 3.0 grade point average (A = 4.0) for the last 60 hours of the undergraduate program and for any previous graduate work is a minimum requirement for admission. The applicant must also submit a goal statement indicating his/her interests, experiences, and goals for pursuing graduate study in special education. In addition to the above items, international students must submit a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score (taken within two years of the start of the semester for which the student is requesting admission). The minimum TOEFL score requirement is 257 (computer version) or 613 (paper version). Master's applicants should also submit a Master's Degree Program Special Education Form (see the Special Education Department admissions website). Doctoral program applicants must submit a writing sample in addition to their goal statement.

Financial Aid

Students engaged in graduate study and research at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign find an environment where collaboration among faculty members and students is nurtured and rewarded and where the students' contributions are recognized and valued. In many cases, this recognition comes in the form of financial awards that enable students to devote concentrated attention to their studies. Virtually all doctoral candidates receive assistantships. Graduate traineeships are available for full-time students pursuing teacher certification. Other financial aid (e.g., fellowships and assistantships) is available to part-time and other master's degree students on a competitive basis. Students receiving traineeships, assistantships, and fellowships are exempt from payment of tuition and some fees.