M.A.T. Exceptional Student Education (ESOL and Reading Endorsements) at University of South Florida

Programme overview

The M.A.T. in Exceptional Student Education is for people teaching with temporary certification or holding an undergraduate degree outside special education. It leads to Exceptional Student Education certification and Reading and ESOL endorsements, with sequenced core classes and one-on-one mentoring by master teachers in the district.

Faculty: College of Education | Department: Language, Literacy, Exceptional Education, and Physical Education | Duration: 36 credit hours; accelerated format completable in one summer, two academic semesters and a May intersession | Intake: Students can be admitted in any semester; the special education core sequence begins in the summer | Study mode: full-time | Location: Tampa, FL, United States

What you will study

6 shared core credits, 21 required credits (positive learning environments, IEP development, emergent and intermediate literacy, elementary maths, composition, practicum in reading), 6 ESOL credits and a 3-credit internship with an action research project. Students must pass the Florida Teacher Certification Professional Education and ESE Subject Area tests before graduation.

Career pathways

Special education teacher.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Applicants must also meet USF graduate admission and English proficiency requirements. Letter of application explaining the desire to pursue a master's in special education; at least one letter of recommendation from a person who has observed the candidate teach or work with children and youth.

Tuition is charged per credit, so the total depends on the modules you register for each year. Current fees are listed in the official fee schedule.

Master's and Educational Specialist admission is offered for Fall, Spring and Summer semesters.

Final university deadlines for master's and Educational Specialist programmes: June 1 for Fall, October 15 for Spring, February 15 for Summer. Programme-specific priority deadlines apply for funding and consideration; priority applications receive maximum consideration and later applications are considered on a space-available basis.

The nonrefundable graduate degree-seeking application fee is $30, paid through the Online Graduate Application site; international applicants may pay by electronic fund transfer from international banks. Test scores (GRE, GMAT, TOEFL, etc.) are required only if the programme requires them.

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