Admission to the master's degree program offered by the Department of Special Education at Illinois State University is competitive. Potential students are required to submit an admission portfolio including the following sent to the appropriate offices:
To the Admissions Office:
To the Department of Special Education Graduate Coordinator:
- a cover letter outlining professional goals
- a current resume
- photocopies of current teaching certificates (Students seeking admission who do not hold current teaching certificates may submit a letter of petition in lieu of this certificate.)
- a letter documenting a minimum of one year of successful teaching experience
- departmental recommendation forms completed by an employer or colleague which addresses disposition for advanced study in the special education profession (three recommendations)
- additional artifacts of the applicant's choosing (optional)
Send the portfolio to: Department of Special Education,
Graduate Coordinator,
Campus Box 5910,
Normal, IL 61790-5910. Applicants may be asked to provide further information or to participate in an interview process to determine a match
between their previous preparation and current goals and the focus of the plan of study.
Admission portfolios are reviewed and acted upon by the department graduate coordinator.
Admission Criteria
To be admitted to one or more graduate certificate programs in Special Education, a student must have the following:
- All University admission criteria met.
- Baccalaureate degree.
- Minimum GPA in the last 60 hours of graduate coursework of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or
Graduate Record Examination scores, with a minimum combined score of 1,000 on any two subtests.
- Current teaching certificate and one year of successful teaching experience or successful petition to the Department of Special Education Graduate Admission Committee.
- Successful completion of an introductory survey of special education course.
- Stated professional development goals can be expected to be facilitated by completion of this master's degree program.
- Evidence of disposition for advanced study in the special education profession.
