The Department of Special Education offers a program of study leading to a M.A. degree in clinical teaching of children who are exceptional in three areas: emotional handicaps, learning disabilities, and mental handicaps and is designed for teachers and auxiliary personnel responsible for services to exceptional children and youth. The course work provides the student with a knowledge of assessment and educational evaluation, behavior management, and remedial and/or compensatory educational activities relative to children with mental handicaps, specific learning disabilities, and emotional handicaps. Lectures, research projects, and practicum experiences are utilized.

A master's program in military career transition (MCTP) is an innovative program that has been designed as a field-experience intensive, fast-track into one of three areas of special education: learning disabilities, emotional handicaps, or mental handicaps. The program takes into consideration military teaching and leadership experiences and is condensed into 42 semester hours. The student must select one area for specialization and should understand that this is not a platform program on which to add other special education certificates. Students enrolled in this program will be in a cohort group with specially designed courses that are open only to MCTP candidates.

A master's program in habilitative science is available for students who want to work in non-school settings with persons who are handicapped. In the program, students learn skills to help the person who is handicapped with legal, vocational, occupational, and independent-living problems.

In addition to meeting the minimum University standards for admission to graduate studies, contact the Office of Teacher Education for information on admission to professional education programs.

CLINICAL TEACHING OF EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
In addition to general University requirements found on p. 53, students seeking the M.A. in clinical teaching must complete a minimum of 36 semester hours of approved course work including the COE core plus additional courses prescribed by the student's committee. A research project or action research and a comprehensive examination are required for graduation.

Guidelines for the preparation of the personal portfolio are available in the MCTP Office found in the Special, Primary, and Vocational Education Department.

HABILITATIVE SCIENCE
In addition to general University requirements found on p. 53, students seeking the M.A. in habilitative science must meet the following requirements:

1. departmental approval for admission;
2. minimum of 36 semester hours in an approved program;
3. completion of additional courses prescribed by students committee.

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