MS Special Education
Master of Science Special Education (K-12)
Degree Overview
WGU Texas’ online master’s in special education will prepare you to fill a crucial teaching position. The M.S. in Special Education (K-12) will enhance your teaching talents and enable you to teach students with mild to moderate cross-categorical disabilities. You will become a special education teacher with the instructional design skills to make a difference.
Who the program is for:
- Licensed teachers with bachelor’s degrees who are interested in moving into Special Education instruction.
- Individuals who can typically spend 15 or more hours per week on their studies.
Note: As part of Western Governors University, WGU Texas is NCATE accredited.
Your Program of Study
In WGU Texas’ online special education master’s degree, you’ll learn the essential skills and knowledge needed to become a highly qualified special education teacher. This program includes six domains of study and completion of a capstone project.
Assessment, Evaluation and Management Practices, Part I
Assessment, Evaluation and Management Practices, Part II
Foundations of Special Education
Instructional Design Domain
Research Fundamentals
Professional Planning, Design, and Development
Total Program: 40 Competency Units (credit equivalents)
More details about your challenging course of study
Tuition and Fees
Basic Tuition: $2,890 per six-month term
Resource Fee: $145 per six-month term (non-refundable)
Application Fee: $65 (one time)
Learn more about Tuition and Fees
At WGU Texas, tuition is charged at a flat rate once every six months. Your tuition covers the minimum "full-time load" of competency units (the equivalent to credit hours)—8 CUs is the minimum for graduate students—as well as all coursework attempted in that time. For the most part, there is no limit on the number of competency units you can attempt in a 6-month term. Whether you complete more or fewer units, you are charged the same flat rate.
Tuition compares favorably to the rates of Texas state universities. Our tuition is also typically half what other online universities charge. At WGU Texas, you enjoy the cost savings of a nonprofit university.
Federal financial aid is available to those who qualify. Learn more about financial aid
The WGU Texas Advantage
As part of our partnership with the state of Texas, WGU Texas leverages Western Governors University’s unique, competency-based approach to education. This approach measures learning, not credit hours. Your progress is based on your demonstration of essential skills and knowledge in special education.
As a WGU Texas student, you’ll receive a top-notch education through a curriculum, learning resources, mentoring, and student services provided by Western Governors University. This means you’ll enjoy the advantages of:
- Superior learning resources. You'll have access to all of WGU’s courses of study, learning modules, e-textbooks, tutorials, and simulations as you complete your program.
- Personal support from a dedicated mentor. You'll have the support of a mentor who will be your guide throughout your WGU Texas program.
- Online communities from Texas and WGU's national student community. You’ll be able to take advantage of WGU’s robust student community and interact with students from both within Texas and from all over the country.
- Flexible online degrees that fit your lifestyle. Learning can occur anywhere and at any time. You'll be able to establish the pace at which you complete your rigorous program and create a schedule that works for you.
One of the best values in Texas higher education, at WGU Texas you can expect to earn a relevant degree on your schedule and within your budget.
Time to Completion
How long it takes for you to complete your program will vary. Because WGU Texas is competency-based, the pace at which you complete your program depends on how quickly you are able to take and pass the required assessments. Many students are able to proceed faster than the normal pace (described below) designed into each program. But doing so isn’t easy.
Standard Time to Completion: 2 to 2½ years.
Speak to an Enrollment Counselor for a personalized estimate of your time to completion.
WGU Texas Admission Process
To enroll into this WGU Texas program, you must:
- Possess and provide proof of earning a bachelor’s degree (B.A. or B.S.) from a regionally accredited institution.
- Possess a current, valid teaching license.
- Complete Western Governors University's three-part online Readiness Assessment. This test helps determine your likelihood for success in a WGU Texas degree program.
Speak to an Enrollment Counselor who can help you understand what is required of you.
"My mentors were fabulous and they were very supportive. Going back to school having a family and being an older student, there are always obstacles that can knock you off track. My mentors played a very pivotal role in getting me to graduation."
— Phyllis Boone
B.A. Interdisciplinary Studies (K-8) Graduate
"The education [at WGU] focuses on relevant education. As you progress through the coursework, you are actually gaining work experience. You’re fully prepared to go out and start working from day one."
— Jay Patel
M.S. Information Security & Assurance Graduate
"I spent years trying to finish a degree, but WGU took away all the obstacles—I love the nonprofit status, tuition is reasonable, and being competency-based I could use my experience without having anything to slow me down."
— Melissa Richards
B.S. Business Management Graduate
