Learning Disabilities MA

Fairleigh Dickinson University's program is accredited by Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).

Special Education

FDU offers programs for licensed general education teachers seeking to develop expertise in working with students with disabilities in grades K-12.

FDU’s accessible pathways include entirely online course work, embedded field experiences, and an emphasis on evidenced-based, neurodiversity-affirming practices informed by research.

Candidates can choose to pursue:

Certification Only: A 21-credit, fully online, non-degree program leading to the New Jersey Teacher of Students with Disabilities Certification (TSD)
MA in Special Education: A 36 credit MA program leading to the 21-credit New Jersey TSD Certification AND a master’s degree by choosing from three additional 15-credit certification tracks:
1. Orton Gillingham, leading to the FDU Orton Gillingham Teacher Certificate
2. English as a Second Language (ESL), leading to NJ Certification in ESL
3. Educational Leadership, leading to the NJ Supervisor’s Certificate

Candidates who successfully complete these programs are eligible for New Jersey’s Department of Education certification as Teacher of Students with Disabilities. This license is required for teaching students with disabilities in settings such as inclusive classrooms, resource centers, or self-contained classrooms. Program completers are certified to teach students with disabilities in general education classrooms and/or resource centers/special class programs in the subject area(s) for which they earned their general education certification(s). In all programs, a faculty advisor will work closely with candidates to monitor their program and course selections.

Fairleigh Dickinson University’s program is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educators Preparation (CAEP).

Admission Requirements

All candidates who want to be considered for admission must meet the following criteria:

Evidence of Certification of Eligibility with Advanced Standing (CEAS) or standard teaching license (A Certificate of Eligibility will not be considered unless the candidate also holds a CEAS or Standard Certificate in another area)
Transcripts with a minimum 3.25 GPA
Two (2) letters of recommendation
Evidence of successful completion of Praxis Exam in another content area (Currently, there is no Praxis for TSD in New Jersey)

Student Outcomes

Candidates who complete the Special Education graduate program at FDU will be able effectively and reflectively apply their knowledge of disability and development, special education structures, inclusive and culturally responsive pedagogy, and content area methods to design and implement student-centered assessment, instruction, and intervention within both inclusive and special education settings.

Degree Plan

Teacher of Students with Disabilities Certification (21 credits)

The courses listed below are required for the New Jersey TSD Certification, offered fully online.

EDUC6740* Introduction to Students with Disabilities Including Autism Spectrum Disorders
EDUC6626* Neurophysiology of Learning
EDUC6745 Principles & Practices of Collaboration and Inclusion
EDUC6746 Learning Environment and Effective Management of Teaching & Learning
EDUC6792 Assistive Technology for the Inclusive Classroom
Choose one literacy course:
- EDUC6747 Multisensory Reading Instruction for Students with Reading Disabilities
- EDUC6855 Language and Literacy Development in Early Childhood: Instruction, Assessment, and Intervention
Choose one content area methods course:
- EDUC6797 Multisensory Mathematics Instruction for Students with Disabilities
- EDUC6790** Methods for Students with Disabilities in the Secondary Classroom

*Note: 6740 or 6626 are prerequisites or corequisites for all other TSD courses.

**for students with secondary content area licensure

MA in Special Education (36 credits)

Students may opt to conclude their studies after earning the TSD certificate or decide to further their professional development by pursuing the MA in Special Education. MA students complete the 21-credit course sequence above and choose one of the three concentrations below to finish their master’s degree.

Orton Gillingham Teacher Track (15 credits)

Completion of the first four courses leads to FDU’s Orton Gillingham Teacher Certificate.

EDUC6813 Structured Literacy: Students with Reading Difficulties 1
EDUC6814 Structured Literacy: Students with Reading Difficulties 2
EDUC7633 Structured Literacy: Students with Reading Difficulties 3
EDUC7644 Structured Literacy: Students with Reading Difficulties 4
EDUC7674 Master’s Seminar

After completion, students have the option to take additional credits to complete the Dyslexia Specialist Graduate Certificate.

*students who replace 6747 for 6813 can take EDUC6616 Language Acquisitions and Language Disorders or another approved course

English as a Second Language Track (15 credits)

EDUC6599 Second Language Acquisition: Methodology and Curriculum
EDUC6631 Assessment in the Second-language Classroom
EDUC6574 Applied Linguistics for Language Teachers
EDUC6654 Literacy Development for Second Language Learners
EDUC7674 Master’s Seminar

To obtain the New Jersey Certification in ESL, candidates can take one addition course:

EDUC6650 Behavioral Science for Teachers: LangEDuage and Culture

After completion, students can take one additional course to obtain New Jersey Bilingual Certification.

Educational Leadership Supervisor’s Certification Track (15 credits)

The first four courses allow students completing the MA with 3+ years of successful teaching experience to obtain the New Jersey Supervisor’s Certificate.

EDUC6702 Curriculum and Instruction: Theory and Practice
EDUC6703 Supervision of Instruction and Personnel Evaluation
EDUC6757 Leading Inclusive Schools
EDUC6758 Data-informed Leadership
EDUC7674 Master’s Seminar

Students with 5+ years of successful teaching can additionally complete a field-based internship and seminar to obtain the New Jersey School Administrator Certificate.