Learning Outcomes
After completing the Special Education Master’s Degree Program, students will:
1. Demonstrate an appropriate depth and breadth of understanding about the field of special education.
2. Demonstrate critical thinking and ability to evaluate, understand, and communicate ideas and research.
3. Demonstrate an understanding of and ability to synthesize and apply research to problems of practice through skillful inquiry.
4. Demonstrate a high level of competence in understanding and responding to disability status, cultural expression, linguistic diversity, ethnicity, race, and sexual orientation.
The following specific learning outcomes are based on the High-leverage practices in special education (HLP) (2017). Students will demonstrate skills in the following practices:
1. Collaboration
Collaborate with professionals and families to increase student success. Organize and facilitate effective meetings with professionals and families. Collaborate with families to support student learning and secure needed services.
2. Assessment
Use multiple sources of information to develop a comprehensive understanding of a student’s strengths and needs. Interpret and communicate assessment information with stakeholders to collaboratively design and implement educational programs. Use student assessment data, analyze instructional practices, and make necessary adjustments that improve student outcomes.
3. Social/Emotional/Behavioral
Establish a consistent, organized, and respectful learning environment. Provide positive and constructive feedback to guide students’ learning and behavior. Teach social behaviors. Conduct functional behavioral assessments to develop individual student behavior support plans.
4. Instruction
Identify and prioritize long- and short-term learning goals. Systematically design instruction toward a specific learning goal. Adapt curriculum tasks and materials for specific learning goals. Teach cognitive and metacognitive strategies to support learning and independence. Provide scaffolding, explicit instruction, flexible grouping, and strategies to promote active student engagement. Provide intensive instruction, use assistive and instructional technologies, and teach students to generalize skills.
Master’s Degree Requirements Include:
Course Sequence:
Courses are offered online asynchronously during the summer months and in the evening hours during the school year. Graduate students enrolled full time will take 4 courses the first summer of the program online (ED510, ED520, ED530, and ED600). In the fall they take two courses (ED540 & ED560) on ground while beginning their year-long internship. It is recommended that graduate students, enrolled part time take ED510 and ED520 as foundational courses before other courses. Thereafter, students may take 1-2 courses per semester. The internship will be individually arranged with students.
Advising
The Director of the Graduate Program serves as the academic advisor for all graduate students regardless of pathway. The advisor helps students identify and achieve their academic and professional goals (completion of pathway). The advisor may meet with their advisees individually or in group advising sessions. The academic advisor provides information regarding policies, procedures, and program requirements. All students meet with their advisor a minimum of once a year to review the course sequence, ensure they are taking appropriate courses, and that they are fulfilling requirements. All program requirements are delineated on the plan of study.
In addition to the Career Office, program faculty and the advisor may provide information to graduate students regarding resume development and employment opportunities. As part of the graduate program, the Director facilitates mock interviews in the spring. The purpose of the mock interviews is to provide an opportunity for our graduate students to interview with administrators from a variety of settings individually. Each administrator reviews students’ resumes and conducts interviews. At the end of each mock interview, administrators provide teacher candidates with concrete feedback on his/her resume and interview performance. It is an invaluable opportunity for our candidates to network and prepare for the job search.
Academic Standing
Full-time, Half-time, and Part-time status
Graduate students enrolled in 12 or more credits per semester are classified as full-time students; those enrolled in less than 12 credits per semester are classified as part-time and less than 6 credits are less than halftime.
Academic Dismissal Appeal Procedure
Matriculated students will be dismissed from their graduate program if, after one semester of being placed on Academic Probation they do not maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0. A student will need to repeat a course if their grade falls below a B-. Dismissal requires absence from the College for one semester, pending action on an appeal, if submitted.
If dismissed for academic deficiency, students may appeal for reinstatement. Appeals must be made in writing to the Graduate Director. The appeal must be submitted within two weeks following notification of dismissal. Students will be notified in writing of the decision of the Director within two weeks of appeal receipt. A student’s written appeal must include the student’s name and a discussion of the circumstances contributing to the academic deficiency.
The decision will then be discussed with the Academic Dean of the College, who will then need to approve the decision. If the appeal is approved, the student may need to wait until the following term to re-enroll in classes.
In the written response to the student, the Director will outline the conditions and rationale of its action:
- If the appeal is granted, the Director will outline conditions of reinstatement and a time frame for program continuation/completion;
- If the appeal is denied, the student is administratively withdrawn from the program and s/he/they may not re-apply to the same program;
- A second dismissal for academic deficiency is not subject to appeal.
Evaluation of academic standing will take place after each semester, beginning the summer session. The decision of the Director is final.
Appeals for Academic Dismissal should be emailed to:
Laura M. Wasielewski
Graduate Director
lwasiele@anselm.edu
Course Repeat Policy
Under specific terms and conditions, graduate students may repeat up to a total of two courses. Students wishing to repeat a course should consult with the Graduate Director and the course instructor, as necessary. Only the higher of the two grades is computed in the cumulative GPA. A course may be repeated only once. Both the old and the new grade will appear on the transcript. Students will not receive additional credit for repeating a course.
Matriculated vs. Non-Matriculated Status
A matriculated student has been accepted into and is enrolled in a degree program at the College.
Non-Matriculated status indicates that a student has registered for and is taking a course (or courses) at the College without being formally accepted into a program.
A graduate applicant may take courses before being accepted into a graduate degree program, but only 2 courses may apply toward the master’s degree.
Auditing a Graduate Course
Audit grades for graduate courses will satisfy the needs of the following students:
- Students who wish to test the likelihood of continuing in the Graduate Program
- Professionals interested in taking courses to learn the latest information in the field, and who are not interested in graduate credit or a graduate degree.
The following rules apply:
- The cost of an audited course will be the same as the cost of a credit-bearing course.
- Students will have to declare at registration that audit is their choice; they cannot switch to credit-bearing status after registration.
- Similarly, students cannot switch from credit-bearing to audit status after registration.
- Audit will not be possible in internship courses.
- Students who audit a course are governed by the same attendance policies that apply to the enrolled students in that course.
- Students may repeat any course for credit they have audited.
- To audit a course, a student must first obtain the consent of the Graduate Director and then the instructor of the course.
Auditors will receive a final grade of an AU. Audit courses do not satisfy any credit, coursework, or degree requirements.
At the discretion of the instructor, an auditor is not required to take examinations or submit class work.
Graduate Course Add/Drop/Withdrawal
Due to the nature of the program, students will be added by the Graduate Director to the required courses before the start of each term (summer, fall, & spring).
Students may drop a course before the end of the add-drop period. After the add-drop period is over, during the first four weeks of the module, a student may withdraw from a course without grade penalty by completing a withdrawal form with the Graduate Director. After the start of the fifth week, the student may withdraw from a course by completing a withdrawal form with the Graduate Director and the professor teaching the course from which the student is withdrawing advises the Dean of the College on whether a “W” or “WF” is appropriate. The “WF” is listed on the transcript as a failing grade and has a negative effect on the student’s GPA. A student may not withdraw from a course during the last two weeks of the module, e.g., the last two weeks of classes.
A course withdrawal results in a grade of “W” next to the course on the student’s transcript, which indicates that the course was attempted but not completed. A “W” has no impact on the student’s GPA. Students are strongly encouraged to discuss withdrawing from the course with the course instructor, Graduate Director, and with Financial Aid. Withdrawing from a course may have additional financial and academic implications. Students are considered the responsible party for any transactions processed against their academic records and are wholly accountable for determining to withdraw. Courses dropped may result in the student being unable to enroll in another course until the dropped course is completed. Courses are currently offered only once during the year for an academic cohort. This means that students might need to wait until the following year to not only complete the dropped course, but to continue with the program.
Withdrawal from the Graduate Program
Students may withdraw from the program by informing the Director of the Graduate Program in writing and submitting the Notice of Withdrawal form. Matriculated students who do not register for a course each term will be administratively withdrawn from the program.
Leave of Absence
Matriculated students may request a leave of absence by submitting a request in writing to the Graduate Director. If a student takes a leave of absence s/he/they will have three years from the point of the start of the program to resume studies. After this time, the student must reapply for acceptance into the program. In extenuating circumstances, at the discretion of the Dean of the College and the Graduate Director, a student may be granted an extension. The date of withdrawal is established on the day the College receives a notification. Courses are currently offered only once during an academic year. This means that students might need to wait until the following year to complete the withdrawn semester or course.
Graduate Grade Appeal Procedure
When a student wishes to appeal a final grade assigned by an instructor, the following procedure must be initiated within ten days after the beginning of the next module.
- The student will confer with the instructor who assigned the grade.
- If the discussion with the instructor proves unsatisfactory, the student will confer with the Graduate Director of the department.
- If the discussion with the Graduate Director proves unsatisfactory, the student will confer with the chairperson of the department of which the instructor is a member.
- If the discussion with the chairperson of the department proves unsatisfactory, the student may appeal the case to the Academic Dean of the College.
- If the appeal to the Academic Dean of the College proves unsatisfactory, the student, as a final appeal, will request the Dean to call a meeting of the instructor, the chairperson of the department and the Dean of the College. The student may present evidence supporting the request for a change in grade. Final decision of the issue will be made by the Dean of the College.
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