Online programs leading to certification require fieldwork, internship, and/or student teaching which must be completed onsite in Arizona.
Online programs leading to certification may require synchronous online learning activities. Students must have access to technology with audio and video capabilities.
This program is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
This program is nationally recognized by the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC).
If your aspiration is to teach young children with disabilities, ages birth to eight, this degree plan is for you. This plan will guide you toward certification in early childhood special education as an area of expertise, and upon successfully completing the program you will be eligible to receive an institutional recommendation. The Early Childhood Special Education certification means you will be prepared to work with young children ages 0-8 with disabilities. The demand for early childhood special educators currently outpaces the supply across the country. By earning this degree you'll be ready to enter a special education teaching position in either early intervention, preschool and kindergarten to third grade settings in private, human service, and public school settings.
To receive a master’s degree at Northern Arizona University, you must complete a planned group of courses from one or more subject areas, consisting of at least 30 units of graduate-level courses. Many master’s degree programs require more than 30 units.
You must additionally complete:
Read the full policy here.
In addition to University Requirements:
Candidates in this program are required to demonstrate content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge and skills, professional knowledge, and professional dispositions to be eligible to enter student teaching or internship placements.
Content, pedagogical, and professional knowledge or skills, professional dispositions are demonstrated through candidate performance on key assessments embedded in the following course(s):
| Minimum Units for Completion | 37 - 46 |
| Additional Admission Requirements | Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required. |
| Fieldwork Experience/Internship | Required |
| Arizona Endorsement | Prepares student for Arizona Endorsement. |
| Student Teaching/Supervised Teaching | Student Teaching/Supervised Teaching is required. |
| Some online/blended coursework | Required |
| Progression Plan Link | View Program of Study |
| Licensure | This program may lead to licensure. |
Purpose Statement
To prepare early educators and early interventionists to best serve children birth to eight years old with disabilities, and their families in diverse settings. Coursework provides students with professional preparation focused on the implementation of evidence-based and recommended practices in Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education for diverse children with disabilities, and their families. Students further refine their professional skills through embedded and applied learning experiences. This degree is designed for individuals who may or may not have previous early childhood experience who wish to pursue licensure in Early Childhood Special Education. Graduates of the program will be prepared to enter special education teaching positions in either early intervention, preschool, and kindergarten to third grade settings in private, human service, and public school settings.
Student Learning Outcomes
Outcomes align with Standards from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), and the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC).
Learner Development and Individual Differences: Beginning special education professionals understand how exceptionalities may interact with development and learning and use this knowledge to provide meaningful and challenging learning experiences for individuals with exceptionalities.
Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.
The NAU graduate online application is required for all programs. Admission to many graduate programs is on a competitive basis, and programs may have higher standards than those established by the Graduate College.
Admission requirements include the following:
Visit the NAU Graduate Admissions website for additional information about graduate school application deadlines, eligibility for study, and admissions policies.
Ready to apply? Begin your application now.
International applicants have additional admission requirements. Please see the International Graduate Admissions Policy.
This Master’s degree requires 37-46 units distributed as follows:
Take the following 37 - 46 units:
Block A (6-15 units):
Courses taken in Block A are required for those candidates entering the program without an education degree.
Candidates with an education degree will be evaluated by the department prior to admission. Upon transcript and prior completed coursework evaluation, requirements in Block A may be considered met and/or transfer credit may be applied. For candidates who meet all Block A requirements, additional elective courses (chosen in consultations with your advisor) may be required to earn the 37-46 units required for the degree.
Block B (31-37 units):
Please Note:
For the Structured English Immersion (SEI) endorsement, candidates who have full SEI endorsement at admission must provide proof of the full endorsement. If proof of the full SEI endorsement is not presented at admission, the candidate is required to take the BME course (i.e., BME 631) as part of their program of study.
Before being accepted to student teaching, candidate must successfully complete required state and university training modules.
In order to obtain an Arizona teaching certificate, you must also take the required Arizona Educator Exam:
Be aware that Arizona state teacher certification requirements leading to Institutional Recommendations may change at any time, and may impact program of study requirements.
Also, some districts/schools in Arizona may require additional NES exams if the position is responsible for instruction, evaluation and assigns grades for core academic subjects, such as a Special Education teacher in a self-contained classroom.
Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also successfully complete. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.