Master of Education in Moderate Disabilities Online
Become a better teacher advocate for students with special needs.
Program Overview
Insight into our online master's in moderate disabilities program
The Master of Education in Moderate Disabilities online program at Worcester State enhances your ability to work with a diverse group of students with moderate disabilities in all grade levels and beyond. Taught by distinguished, engaged faculty who set high standards of academic rigor and care about your goals and achievements, this TEACH Grant-eligible* program is designed for working professionals who are interested in special education.
You will learn to cultivate the literacy development and communication skills of those with exceptionalities, helping them to live enriched, successful lives. Your value as an educator will increase with your ability to integrate theoretical frameworks and develop special education services and outcomes for individuals with exceptionalities and their families.
With an initial teaching license in Massachusetts, you may use this online education degree in the field of special education to self-petition for professional licensure in Massachusetts. Neither a teaching degree nor teaching experience is required if you are not planning to petition for licensure. Students entering this program, however, should have some work experience in formal or informal learning environments. This master's degree is also helpful for parents and community health workers engaged with special education.
Worcester State University is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education.
In this M.Ed. in Moderate Disabilities online program, you will learn how to:
- Articulate special education terminology and develop the progression of children with special needs
- Apply special education law and regulation
- Evaluate, design, and implement current assistive technologies and communication systems in the classroom, school, community, and system levels
- Create, modify, and integrate instructional strategies to enhance the learning experience of individuals with exceptionalities
- Build and distinguish strategies to enhance literacy development and communication skills of a diverse group of students
- Create an educational research design to evaluate professional practice and enhance continuous instructional improvement
- Evaluate the ethical practices and legal implications of the profession as related to current and emerging issues in the special education field
- Integrate theoretical frameworks regarding collaboration and conflict resolution models to enhance special education services and outcomes for individuals with exceptionalities and their families
- Articulate special education terminology and develop the progression of children with special needs
- Apply special education law and regulation
- Evaluate, design, and implement current assistive technologies and communication systems in the classroom, school, community, and system levels
- Create, modify, and integrate instructional strategies to enhance the learning experience of individuals with exceptionalities
- Build and distinguish strategies to enhance literacy development and communication skills of a diverse group of students
- Create an educational research design to evaluate professional practice and enhance continuous instructional improvement
- Evaluate the ethical practices and legal implications of the profession as related to current and emerging issues in the special education field
- Integrate theoretical frameworks regarding collaboration and conflict resolution models to enhance special education services and outcomes for individuals with exceptionalities and their families
Moderate disabilities career outcomes:
- Special Education Teacher in a private setting
- Intervention specialist
- Inclusion teacher
- Career and transition teacher
- Special Education Teacher in a private setting
- Intervention specialist
- Inclusion teacher
- Career and transition teacher
In this M.Ed. in Moderate Disabilities online program, you will learn how to:
- Articulate special education terminology and develop the progression of children with special needs
- Apply special education law and regulation
- Evaluate, design, and implement current assistive technologies and communication systems in the classroom, school, community, and system levels
- Create, modify, and integrate instructional strategies to enhance the learning experience of individuals with exceptionalities
- Build and distinguish strategies to enhance literacy development and communication skills of a diverse group of students
- Create an educational research design to evaluate professional practice and enhance continuous instructional improvement
- Evaluate the ethical practices and legal implications of the profession as related to current and emerging issues in the special education field
- Integrate theoretical frameworks regarding collaboration and conflict resolution models to enhance special education services and outcomes for individuals with exceptionalities and their families
- Articulate special education terminology and develop the progression of children with special needs
- Apply special education law and regulation
- Evaluate, design, and implement current assistive technologies and communication systems in the classroom, school, community, and system levels
- Create, modify, and integrate instructional strategies to enhance the learning experience of individuals with exceptionalities
- Build and distinguish strategies to enhance literacy development and communication skills of a diverse group of students
- Create an educational research design to evaluate professional practice and enhance continuous instructional improvement
- Evaluate the ethical practices and legal implications of the profession as related to current and emerging issues in the special education field
- Integrate theoretical frameworks regarding collaboration and conflict resolution models to enhance special education services and outcomes for individuals with exceptionalities and their families
Moderate disabilities career outcomes:
- Special Education Teacher in a private setting
- Intervention specialist
- Inclusion teacher
- Career and transition teacher
- Special Education Teacher in a private setting
- Intervention specialist
- Inclusion teacher
- Career and transition teacher
Online M.Ed. degrees also available:
Worcester State University offers a variety of quality education degree programs online. Explore all our online education programs.
Tuition
Discover the value of our low-cost tuition
Worcester State tuition is extremely affordable. Plus, you can pay by the course—making it easy to budget. Worcester State is committed to offering a high-quality education that is accessible to students at all levels of financial need. The M.Ed. in Moderate Disabilities online program is TEACH Grant eligible.*
*The maximum grant amount can vary by year. TEACH Grants are available to qualified applicants who enroll in a TEACH-Grant eligible program and require approved recipients to sign a service agreement for certain teaching service obligations. If you do not meet the requirements of your service obligation, the grant will turn into a loan that must be repaid, with interest. For more information, please visit: https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/grants/teach or contact the Worcester State University Financial Aid Office.
| Program | Per Credit Hour | Per Program |
|---|---|---|
| M.Ed. in Moderate Disabilities | $409 | $15,133 |
Additional Fees
Application: $50
**Tuition and fees as of Fall 2024. Worcester State reserves the right to change tuition and fees at any time. Accelerated online programs are not eligible for tuition remission benefits, waivers and vouchers.
Financial Aid
The Financial Aid Office at Worcester State is here to assist you with the guidelines and process of financing your education. We will work with you to ensure that you have a clear understanding of your financial aid options while attending Worcester State.
Worcester State online programs are eligible for financial aid, which is available for those who apply and qualify. The first step in applying for financial aid is to file your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Worcester State's Federal School Code is 002190.
Contact the financial aid office at:
Financial Aid Office
Shaughnessy Administration Building
Academic Mall, 1st floor
Office 150
508-929-8056
508-929-8194 (fax)
[email protected]
Calendar
Explore important dates for our online students
It’s always a good time to earn your degree from Worcester State University online. We offer six start dates during the year so you can begin your program when it’s most convenient. Check out the chart below for important dates.
Now enrolling:
| Session | Start Date | Application Deadline | Registration Deadline | Document Deadline | Tuition Deadline | Last Class Day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring I | 1/27/25 | 1/10/25 | 1/22/25 | 1/17/25 | 1/22/25 | 3/16/25 |
| Spring 2 | 3/24/25 | 3/7/25 | 3/19/25 | 3/14/25 | 3/19/25 | 5/11/25 |
| Summer 1 | 5/18/25 | 5/2/25 | 5/14/25 | 5/9/25 | 5/14/25 | 7/6/25 |
| Summer 2 | 7/14/25 | 6/27/25 | 7/9/25 | 7/4/25 | 7/9/25 | 8/31/25 |
Admissions
Find your fit for our online education program
The admission process is the first step toward earning your degree at Worcester State! Please read the admission guidelines to ensure you qualify.
- Complete online application for admission
- Pay $50 application fee
- Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited (or equivalent) institution with a minimum 2.75 overall GPA
- Submit official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate coursework from regionally accredited institutions
- Some work experience in formal or informal learning environments (submit two academic or professional references)
- If applicants do not have an undergraduate degree or minor in
Education, it is recommended that students have the following coursework
completed on the undergraduate level:
- a course in Child Growth and Development (or a CLEP Human Growth and Development score of 50 or higher)
- a Curriculum course in Early Childhood Education or Elementary Childhood
- Education course in Reading Foundations
Official transcripts may be mailed or emailed directly from the granting institution(s) to:
Mailing Address:
Graduate Admissions Office
Worcester State University
486 Chandler Street
Worcester, MA 01602
Email: [email protected]
Courses
See the topics you'll study in our online moderate disabilities classes
For this moderate disabilities online program, you are required to take 12 three-credit courses and a one-credit portfolio course for a total of 37 credit hours.
Course rotation:
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