Program Overview
What Our Online Ed.S. – Special Education Program Offers You
Help shape the future of children with exceptionalities by earning your Education Specialist in Teaching and Leading – Special Education degree online from NKU. Learn how to become a more effective educator for students with special needs while building toward Rank 1 teaching certification in Kentucky.
Deepen your expertise in working with exceptional children by assessing students with learning and behavior disorders, planning lessons that allow them to thrive, analyzing legal requirements and educational approaches, and learning applied behavior analysis techniques applicable to all children. The education curriculum includes clinical experiences and an embedded capstone project.
In this accredited Special Education program, you will:
- Learn how to apply methodology and management techniques toward educational programs for students with intellectual disabilities or orthopedic and/or health impairments
- Gain a working understanding of principles, instruments, and procedures to place and plan instruction for students with learning or behavior disorders
- Learn from the same experienced faculty who teach on campus
The educator preparation programs at Northern Kentucky University are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
Have questions or need more information about our online programs?
Online Education Programs Also Available:
Northern Kentucky University offers a variety of graduate education programs online. Check out our other quality online education programs.
Tuition
Discover the Value of Our Low-Cost Tuition
The Ed.S. – Teaching and Leading – Special Education online program offers the same affordable, pay-as-you-go tuition to in-state and out-of-state students.
Tuition breakdown:
| Program | Per Credit Hour | Required Fees | Total With Fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education Specialist in Teaching and Leading – Special Education | $400 | $480 | $12,480 |
NKU has been ranked among "America’s Top Colleges" for 11 consecutive years by Forbes magazine (2019)
Calendar
Read about Dates You Need to Know
The Ed.S. – Teaching and Leading – Special Education online program is convenient and flexible, featuring six start dates on an accelerated course schedule. View the calendar to find the best start date for you and be sure to note all corresponding deadlines.
Now Enrolling:
| Session | Program Start Date | Application Deadline | Document Deadline | Registration Deadline | Tuition Deadline | Last Class Day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer 1 | 05/16/2022 | 05/04/2022 | 05/09/2022 | 05/12/2022 | 05/16/2022 | 07/01/2022 |
| Summer 2 | 07/05/2022 | 06/22/2022 | 06/27/2022 | 06/30/2022 | 07/05/2022 | 08/19/2022 |
| Fall 1 | 08/22/2022 | 08/10/2022 | 08/15/2022 | 08/19/2022 | 08/22/2022 | 10/07/2022 |
| Fall 2 | 10/19/2022 | 10/06/2022 | 10/11/2022 | 10/14/2022 | 10/19/2022 | 12/09/2022 |
| Spring 1 | 01/09/2023 | 01/03/2023 | 01/05/2023 | 01/06/2023 | 01/09/2023 | 02/24/2023 |
| Spring 2 | 03/13/2023 | 03/01/2023 | 03/06/2023 | 03/09/2023 | 03/13/2023 | 04/28/2023 |
Ready to take the next step toward earning your degree online from Northern Kentucky University?
Admissions
Find Out about the Details of Our Admissions Criteria
The streamlined admission process for our Ed.S. – Teaching and Leading – Special Education online program helps you get started right away. Before you apply, please review the Program Map to determine eligibility of this program in your state. The admission requirements include:
View full admission requirements
Ed.S. – Teaching and Leading – Special Education Online Admission Requirements
- Complete online application for admission
- Pay $40 non-refundable application fee
- If you are an NKU alumni or active/veteran military member, your application fee will be waived
- Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate coursework from accredited institutions. One transcript must show successful completion of a master's degree in education or in the content area of the applicant's teaching certificate.
- Minimum 3.0 GPA in master's-level coursework
- Teaching Certificate: Submit a copy of current teaching certificate showing certification at the Rank 2 level or out-of-state equivalent. New teachers in Kentucky may submit a Kentucky Statement of Eligibility.
- Supplemental application
Official documents may be mailed or emailed to:
NKU Office of Graduate Education302 Lucas Administrative Center
Highland Heights, KY 41099
Have a question? Call us at 800-985-7215.
Courses
Examine the Degree Plan for Our Online Ed.S. – Special Education Program
For the Ed.S. – Teaching and Leading – Special Education online, students must complete 10 courses for a total of 30 credit hours.
Students must take the following courses. Note: EDG 702 and EDG 703 must each be taken twice.
EDG 667: Collaboration & Inclusive Practices
Duration: 7 weeks | Credit Hours: 3
Legislation and instructional practices relating to the education of students with exceptionalities. Course covers various methods of co-teaching as well as locating, adapting, and developing materials and methods for including students with disabilities in general elementary, middle, and secondary classrooms.
EDG 701: Supervision of Field & Clinical Experience
Duration: 7 weeks | Credit Hours: 3
This course examines the role of the cooperating teacher in developing and mentoring prospective teachers and interns and standards-based observation and feedback. This course includes a job-embedded requirement of supervising a student in field or clinical experience.
EDG 605: Introduction to Research Methods
Duration: 7 weeks | Credit Hours: 3
Introduction to education research enabling candidates to become effective consumers and users of research in education. It will improve candidates’ ability to apply research findings appropriately in school settings and will lay a foundation for an original action research project.
EDG 702: Research Based Teaching
Duration: 7 weeks | Credit Hours: 1.5
In this course students will conduct a comprehensive literature review on a topic that relates to a specific educational issue that impacts P-12 student learning and create a research-based design of an action research project that can be conducted and reported as their capstone project. Course will be taken twice.
EDG 703: Capstone in Action Research
Duration: 7 weeks | Credit Hours: 1.5
In this course students will conduct and report the results of an research project reflecting synthesis and application of knowledge acquired in prior coursework to address a specific educational issue leading to enhanced P-12 student learning, including data analysis, written summary of research findings, and poster presentation. Course will be taken twice.
EDG 660: Learning and Behavior Disorders
Duration: 7 weeks | Credit Hours: 3
Definitions, etiological factors, assessment, and remedial approaches for learning and behavior disorders.
EDG 663: Behavioral Analysis Procedures for Students with Exceptionalities
Duration: 7 weeks | Credit Hours: 3
Principles of behavior analysis applied to curriculum, methodology, and management of students with disabilities; behavioral teaching methods contrasted with alternative management techniques.
EDS 561: Intellectual and Orthopedic Disabilities
Duration: 7 weeks | Credit Hours: 3
Characteristics and educational programs for students who have intellectual disabilities or orthopedic and/or health impairments.
EDG 666: Introduction to Education of Students with Exceptionalities
Duration: 7 weeks | Credit Hours: 3
Nature and needs of students with exceptionalities; overview of legal requirements and educational approaches.
EDG 662: Educational Assessment of Learning and Behavior Disorders
Duration: 7 weeks | Credit Hours: 3
Principles, instruments, and procedures to place and plan instruction for students with learning or behavior disorders.
