EdM in Special Education

Boston University

The Master of Education (EdM) in Special Education at BU Wheelock College of Education & Human Development supports students in developing strong skills in instruction, collaboration, and advocacy through thoughtfully designed coursework and frequent, ongoing opportunities for critical reflection and feedback. Upon acceptance into the program, students will become part of a supportive learning community of faculty, practitioners, and peers in the program and the college. All students will be assigned a Special Education faculty member as an advisor. Advisors provide individualized advising throughout students’ experience at BU Wheelock.The EdM in Special Education offers 11 distinct tracks in order to meet a wide range of personal and professional interests and goals, including, but not limited to, teacher licensure. Students who are not seeking an initial or add-on teaching license will take the course sequence described in the general track and can tailor a large portion of their program of study with the guidance of their faculty advisor. These students also have the option of pursuing the dual degree track in Special Education and Social Work.Nine of the tracks include coursework that leads to a recommendation to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) for an initial or add-on teaching license in Moderate Disabilities (grades preK–2, preK–8, or 5–12) or Severe Disabilities (All Levels or grades preK–2). Students in the licensure-granting tracks of the EdM complete scaffolded fieldwork in diverse school and instructional contexts within the greater Boston area throughout their program. These experiences culminate in a term-long student teaching experience. All field placements are supervised by Wheelock Special Education faculty and program supervisors, who work in partnership with carefully selected supervising practitioners in a variety of instructional settings.Learning OutcomesEffective instruction: Use high-leverage and culturally relevant practices to design, deliver, and evaluate instruction and instructional materials that promote academic and social-emotional success. (Licensure Tracks).Intentional collaboration: Engage with students, families, and the broader school community to collaboratively build culturally relevant systems and supports that meet the needs of all students.Proactive advocacy: Recognize and challenge educational systems that maintain ableism, racism, and other systems of oppression in order to promote accessible and inclusive schools where high expectations, self-determination, and a presumption of competence are fostered for all students with disabilities.Reflective practice: Engage regularly in goal-setting and critical self-reflection processes for continuous professional growth and development.

Wheelock College of Education and Human Development