Master's in Special Education with Initial Licensure

• Applicants may apply for admission to master’s degree programs at any time during the year.
• Applicants must have completed an undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited institution and maintained an overall grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.00 scale.

Students with transcripts from universities located outside of the United States or a waiver country listed here are required to take and pass English Proficiency testing.

Saint Mary’s accepts:

• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a minimum score of 72
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS) with a minimum score of 6.0
• International Test of English Proficiency (ITEP) with a minimum score of 4.0 or Pearson Test of English with a score of 51
• Duolingo with a minimum score of 100. Please see our academic catalog for a list of all approved waiver countries.

Applicants must submit the following:

1. Completed application form.
2. An official transcript(s) issued to Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota from the institution posting the applicant’s completed bachelor’s degree and other relevant transcripts documenting program prerequisites and potential transfer credits. (An official transcript is one that is sent to the university by the credit-granting institution.) 
   • Transcripts from countries other than the U.S. must be evaluated on a course by course basis by a university accepted evaluation service, such as World Education Services, Educational Credential Evaluators, Educational Perspectives, One Earth International Credential Evaluators or any approved member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES.org) and be deemed equivalent to accredited U.S. university standards.  
   • Saint Mary’s can order and cover the cost of transcripts from institutions that allow third-party requests for eligible degree-seeking applicants. Contact your enrollment counselor for more information.
3. A personal statement which includes:
   • brief description of the applicant’s background, training, and experience; and,
   • statement indicating the career goals of the applicant and his or her reasons for seeking admission to the program and,
   • personal information the applicant wishes to share.
4. Names of two people (including title, organization, email, phone number) who could serve as professional references, if needed, during the application review process. The best references are those who know you in a professional capacity, such as current or former supervisors.
5. A current résumé listing educational background and work experience.

• Spring 2025: February 3,2025
• Summer 2025: April 4, 2025

The priority application deadlines are listed but these are general as not all of our programs have a start every semester

• Fall September 3, 2024
• Spring: January 6, 2025
• Summer: May 6, 2025

You can expect to be notified about your acceptance approximately two weeks following your application completion date.

At Saint Mary’s, we want you to succeed, and we help you do so, inside and outside of the classroom:

Student Central: Your one stop for student services.

Library: Resources and services are available 24/7 to all students.

Writing Center: Offers virtual and face-to-face services to support students.

Career Services: Can help you develop your career-readiness skills at any point in your education.

Students can complete coursework to prepare to seek a Minnesota license in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD)s. A program pathway will be individually designed for you depending on your licensure preference. Please note that this program is designed to meet educational requirements for special education licensure in Minnesota and is not designed or intended to meet educational requirements for special education licensure in other jurisdictions.

EBD: Kindergarten-12th Grade Emotional or Behavioral Disorders

The K-12 EBD licensure concentration is designed for educators who work with students facing emotional or behavioral challenges. This concentration equips teachers with strategies to address behavioral issues, create a positive learning environment, and promote the social-emotional well-being of students.

ASD: Birth- Age 21 Autism Spectrum Disorders 

B-21 ASD licensure concentration is designed for educators specializing in working with students on the autism spectrum. This concentration prepares teachers to address the diverse needs of students with autism.

SLD: K-12 Specific Learning Disabilities 

This licensure concentration is tailored training for teachers working with students with specific learning disabilities. Please note: The SLD licensure track has limited offerings. Contact your enrollment counselor for more information.

Yes! We offer initial Minnesota licensure preparation for your first teaching license. The program begins with 18 credits of education foundation coursework, delivered online via Zoom or other remote meeting platforms at scheduled times, prior to diving into the special education courses.

To obtain licensure, you’ll complete observations and clinical field experiences in the required settings, Licensure recommendation is contingent upon successfully completing all Minnesota state licensure requirements.

If you stay on the recommended course schedule of two classes per consecutive semester, you’ll complete your coursework in three years. If you are seeking initial Minnesota licensure, the timeline for the program will be based on prerequisite coursework, field experience/student teaching, testing, and the number of licensure preparation areas you’re pursuing.

You may transfer a maximum of six-semester credits earned before admittance upon recommendation of the program director and with the approval of the dean. Transfer credits are subject to both graduate school and programmatic criteria.

The Master of Arts in Special Education is a fully online program. However, education foundation courses required for students seeking initial special education licensure will be delivered online with the required scheduled meeting times; students are expected to attend during these class hours.  These courses precede the special education online coursework, which does not require scheduled meeting times.

Yes, you must have access to classrooms to complete course activities. If you are seeking Minnesota licensure, you must also complete field experience/student teaching in a variety of school settings.

If you plan to complete the licensure preparation portion of this program, you’ll need to meet Minnesota licensing requirements which is 12-15 weeks of student teaching (for those seeking their first teaching license). Saint Mary’s has a field placement office that will identify and secure student teaching opportunities that fit your needs.