Special Education Graduate Certificates

Angela Crespo Cozart, Director
843.953.6353
cozarta@cofc.edu

Teresa McNerney, Program Coordinator
843.953.2008
mcnerneytw@cofc.edu

http://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 mental 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

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

Application to the Graduate School as a “Special Education Certificate” Graduate Student
Statement of professional goals
Copy of teaching certificate
Graduate transcripts (if any). Contingent upon course approval, up to six hours of transfer credit may be applied from CEC/NCATE accredited institutions

*Admission to the certificate course of study does not require or guarantee any admission to other master’s programs at the College of Charleston.

Application Deadlines

Fall: March 1, Priority; July 1, Final
Spring: November 1
Summer: March 1

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 748 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

No program specific guidelines. Please refer to the Graduate School’s transfer credit policy .

Program Requirements

Student Learning Outcomes

Special Education Certificate (PDF)