Special education teachers are in high demand. With your Master’s degree in Special Education, you’ll graduate ready to meet Puerto Rico regulations for licensure of special education teachers in kindergarten through twelfth grade (K-12).
Modality
Master's Degree in Special Education Program Overview
Graduates of the Master of Education (MEd) in Special Education are career-ready, technologically savvy and culturally competent to advance social justice causes. They learn how to develop curricula, practice educational innovations and make a difference in the lives of special education students in kindergarten through twelfth grade (K-12).
This program is designed in conjunction with the Puerto Rico Department of Education guidelines and is offered in Puerto Rico. It is for recertification by the Puerto Rico Department of Education. Prior valid Puerto Rico teacher certification in another area is required.
Based in Puerto Rico, classes and coursework are on-campus and online (asynchronous).
Special Education Degree Program Highlights
With a special education teacher degree, you’ll:
- Understand how a moderate disability can affect the academic progress of students
- Get the knowledge, skills, and values you need to help students excel academically and socially
- Provide strategies for students to access the regular education curriculum
- Help students with disabilities develop life skills
Choose Cambridge College Puerto Rico for Your Master of Special Education
- Spanish-language: Classroom instruction and coursework are in Spanish.
- Great location: Our classroom location in Puerto Rico is close to public transportation and provides year-round free parking for students.
- Flexible, hybrid course options: Four classes per term are taught on-campus, typically on weekends; the rest of the classwork is completed online (asynchronously). This allows you to earn your master’s degree while balancing work and family time.
- Exceptional value: Cambridge College is committed to making higher education more accessible and providing a greater value for students.
Special Education Degree Tuition Information
*See curriculum sheet for a breakdown of credits and credit ranges.
Special Education Degree Course List
In this Cambridge College program, you’ll take engaging courses such as:
- Laws and Regulations Pertaining to Special Education
- Theories of Typical and Atypical Human Development
- Inclusion and Classroom Behavior Management
- Assistive Technology: Modifying the Curriculum for Diverse Learners
Prospective graduate degree students for programs in the School of Education & Counseling must satisfy the following requirements plus any program-specific requirements your program may have.
- Complete and sign the online application.
- Pay the application fee. Pay your $50 ($100 for international students) application fee by the term start date.
- Send official transcripts. Maildirectly to Cambridge College in a sealed, unopened envelope. Learn How to Send Transcripts. Required degrees must be from accredited colleges or universities.
- Master's and most graduate certificate programs require an earned bachelor's degree.
- Post-master's certificates and CAGS require an earned master's degree.
- International transcripts must be translated and evaluated by an approved agency. See all international student requirements
- Send your résumé and work experience. Send your resume that details your education and work experience, including how they pertain to your career goals. If your SEC program has a work experience requirement, it will be listed in the Program-Specific Requirements section below.
- Submit your personal statement. Write a 500-word, typed, double-spaced essay describing your professional experience, goals and objectives for graduate study. How do you expect your graduate studies to enhance your future career?
- Include two professional recommendations (not required for fully online programs). These should address your professional character and ability to perform graduate work. Download Applicant Recommendation Form
- Interview (required for some programs). If your program requires an interview, it will be listed in the Program-Specific Requirements section below.
- Satisfy Health Insurance & Immunization requirements. (Massachusetts only). These are required only for graduate students taking six or more credits per term in Massachusetts through on-campus or hybrid classes. Health insurance may be waived.
Teacher Licensure Program Requirements
In addition to the requirements listed above, our Teacher Licensure Programs have these additional requirements:
- Earned bachelor's degree with 3.0 or higher GPA.
- MA Educator Documentation from the Massachusetts Dept. of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) website. Keep copies of all documents submitted and, upon admission, post in your electronic portfolio:
- Massachusetts Educator Personnel ID (MEPID number)
- MTEL Communication & Literacy Test, successfully completed.
Required if completed:
- Massachusetts preliminary license, if held
- Sheltered English Instruction requirement
- Fingerprinting and Criminal Offender Record Information
Applicants who do not initially meet all requirements (e.g. GPA of 3.0 or MTEL) for admission into their chosen licensure program must enroll in the corresponding non-licensure degree option. Students who achieve a 3.0 GPA upon completion of the first three SEC courses, pass the MTELs, and now meet all requirements, may request a change of program.
Disclosures: For all Licensure Programs
- Licensure requirements are subject to change per Massachusetts regulations. All Cambridge College licensure programs are based on current regulations.
- All candidates admitted for licensure programs must successfully complete the program in its entirety.
- All requirements at the time of program completion must be finalized prior to seeking Massachusetts endorsement for licensure purposes.
- If you have any licensure questions, please speak to your program chair.
Program-Specific Admission Requirements
Special Education Teacher Salary
The median annual special education teacher salary in the United States was $62,950 in May 2022, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.* In Puerto Rico, the mean yearly wage was $28,580.**
$62,950
Median annual wage for special education teachers in the U.S., May 2022*
$28,580
Mean annual salary for special education teachers in Puerto Rico, May 2022**
*Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Special Education Teachers, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/special-education-teachers.htm (visited November 20, 2023).
**Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Special Education Teachers, All Other, https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes252059.htm#st (visited November 20, 2023).
Jobs in Special Education
After graduating with a Master's degree in Special Education, you could go on to become a:
- Special education teacher
- Special education administrator
- Disabilities service coordinator
- Educational diagnostician
- Special education consultant
Graduates are also eligible to obtain the certificate to teach from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade as full-time classroom teachers, consulting teachers or resource room teachers.