Special Education Graduate Certificate

Adam Jordan, Program Director
843.953.4900
jordanaw@cofc.edu

https://teachered.cofc.edu/grad-progs/edsp-cert.php

Program Description

The Graduate Certificate in Special Education meets the needs of the currently licensed educator who wishes to add one or more areas of special education to an existing teaching credential. This certificate would also provide a specialized concentration of coursework for teachers seeking bachelor’s plus 18 credentials.

The Graduate Certificate in Special Education is designed as a concentration of six courses typically required by the state of South Carolina for an add-on teaching credential in one or more areas of special education. The concentrations for this certificate include learning disabilities, emotional disabilities, and intellectual disabilities. General and special education teachers at all grade levels are eligible for admission to this certificate.

Each teacher’s course of study is determined by the special education faculty advisor using the written results of the “file evaluation for adding a certificate area” from the South Carolina Office of Educator Certification and the teacher’s professional goals.

Admission Requirements and Application Deadlines

Institutional Admissions Requirements

A completed application form with a nonrefundable application fee of $60.
Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate coursework. An earned bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university is required.
International applicants should refer to the International Students area within the “Admissions Information” section of the catalog for information on providing appropriate documentation with the application.

Program Admissions Requirements

The admission* and enrollment policy for the Graduate Certificate in Special Education requires the following:

Minimum Undergraduate GPA of 2.750
Active teaching certificate

* A separate degree-seeking application is required for admittance to a master’s degree program at the College of Charleston; Admission to the certificate program does not imply acceptance to a master’s program.

Application Deadlines

Fall: February 1, priority; July 1, final
Spring: October 1, priority; November 30, final
Summer: December 1, priority; April 1, final

Certification Requirements

Students may substitute graduate-level electives in consultation with certificate faculty advisor and with approval of the certificate director. Teachers who need a practicum course for add-on certification should enroll in EDFS 513 Field II: Assessment and Instruction of Students with Disabilities (3) (3 credit hours for 75 field hours).

The South Carolina Office of Educator Certification also requires specific Praxis II exams, but those are not required for completion of this course of study. Special Education faculty conduct regular review sessions for these exams.

Teachers must work directly with the Office of Educator Certification to facilitate their credential upgrades.

Transfer Credit Policy

Contingent upon course approval, up to six credit hours of transfer credit may be applied from CEC/NCATE accredited institutions.

Program Requirements

Special Education, Graduate Certificate

Program Learning Outcomes

Special Education Graduate Certificate (PDF)