 By Emma Zaratian Professionals with a special education degree teach students with a wide variety of disabilities, including those who experience mild learning disabilities, as well as those who suffer from intellectual disabilities, autism and severe physical impairments. These educators possess a genuine sense of compassion, patience and responsibility for students with special needs. If you feel that you can meet these sensitivities through your teaching style, perhaps a career in special education is right for you. 
Special Education Degrees To teach in an elementary or secondary school setting, you'll need to complete the minimum of a bachelor's degree, as well as complete a teaching preparation program from an accredited institution. Quite a few states now require a master's degree in special education to teach in the field, which entails an additional year or more of courses geared toward special education. You can also earn a doctorate in special education, which may prepare you for administrative positions, field research or educator training at a collegiate level. Bachelor's Degrees Special education degree programs are offered through many universities and colleges throughout the country. The 4-year course curriculum covers subjects such as child development, educational psychology, special education policies and legalities, and the distinct skills and knowledge necessary for teaching students with disabilities. More and more special education degree programs require their students to complete a fifth year of courses designed to hone special ed teaching skills in one or more areas of specialization, including speech therapy, reading disabilities or nonverbal learning disabilities. With a bachelor's degree, you might find teaching or teacher assistant positions at the traditional elementary or secondary levels, but new legislation also now opens doors to teach at early childhood levels, including toddlers and preschoolers.
Master's (MA or MEd) Degrees Earning a special education degree at the master's level is an even more rigorous, field-based process. Most post-graduate programs focus on a specific type of special needs student. For example, a graduate degree program may focus on working with the visually impaired or legally blind. Whether you earn a Master of Arts (MA) or a Master of Education (MEd) often depends upon your intended specialty and the state in which you gain teacher certification. For example, many states including New York require those who wish to specialize in the education of deaf and hard of hearing to complete a 2-year, 60-point program that leads to dual certification in the education of both hearing-impaired and hearing students. A graduate of this program will earn an MEd with the possibility of also receiving an MA. Check with your state's Department of Education to find out which requirements you'll need to adhere to. Graduates with a master's degree in special ed typically earn more than those with bachelor's degrees and become special education teachers or school administrators at all levels of student learning. Educational Specialist (EdS) Degrees If you currently possess a master's degree in education and would like to develop special ed teaching skills without earning a doctorate, you might consider looking into an EdS program. An EdS roughly equates to a second master's degree and usually requires completion of 35 to 45 semester hours. Many EdS graduates become counselors, school psychologists or research and development specialists.
Doctoral (PhD or EdD) Degrees A PhD or EdD program in special education prepares post-master's students for positions in leadership as special educators in a school, college, university or research setting. Emphasis is placed on research and educator teaching through the completion of core requirements and individually designed studies in your area of intended expertise. Many doctorate special education degree programs incorporate real-life research that can make a difference in improving special education practices. Expectations for college-level teaching and supervision often include achieving competency in college teaching under faculty direction. A typical PhD in Special Education program consists of five or six semesters of supervised study, but is not complete until your dissertation and final oral comprehensive have been accepted by the program committee. Working in the field of special education isn't always easy. It often demands more patience and empathy than that expected of a traditional classroom teacher, but for those positive people with reserves of understanding and hope, special education offers an incredibly rewarding and humbling career. No matter how educated you become, as you teach your special ed students, you'll often find they are also teaching you. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics |
