Special Education Program Admission Procedures

Admission to the Undergraduate Teacher Education Programs

University of Maryland Undergraduate Admissions information is available at: http://www.uga.umd.edu/

Admission information to the University of Maryland Special Education Undergraduate Teacher Preparations Program is available at:

https://education.umd.edu/academics/programs/undergraduate?program_type…
For more information regarding the Undergraduate Program in Special Education, contact:

Office of Student Services
College of Education
1204 Benjamin Building
University of Maryland
College Park, Maryland 20742
Phone: 301.405.2364 or E-mail: ed-advising@umd.edu
Monday through Friday - 8:30am to 4:30pm

Admission to MA, MEd, or AGS Special Education Programs

Fall Application Deadlines:

MEd/Certification Deadlines:
*Fall Domestic: March 1

MEd Deadlines
*Fall Domestic: June 15
*Fall International: March 1

MA/PhD Deadlines:
*Fall Domestic/International (Preferred): December 4
*Fall Domestic/International: (Final) February 5

AGS Deadlines:
*Fall Domestic: June 15

Admission Procedures

  1. Review the EDSP admission requirements for MA, MEd, and AGS graduate students in the Special Education Master's Degree Programs Handbook.
  2. Contact faculty members associated with concentration area if you have specific questions or wish to discuss an area in more detail
  3. Complete admission application Online (Please select ALL Areas of Interests to ensure your application will be directed to the appropriate program for review). In your goal statement, specify your research interests and professional goals. You may request a specific faculty advisor if appropriate.
  4. All application materials must be received before the Special Education Program's Graduate Admission Committee Reviews the applicant's materials. This includes your Basic Test scores for MEd degree or GRE/MAT scores for MA degree.
  5. The Graduate Admission Committee recommends admit or reject. The final decision is made by the graduate school. Provisional acceptance may be recommended for a limited number of applicants.

Admission Requirements

Complete the online Graduate School Application.

  1. A grade point average of 3.0 or better (based on a 4.0 system) from an accredited undergraduate institution;
  2. A grade point average of 3.5 or better in any previous graduate work from an accredited institution;
  3. All students applying to MEd degree or AGS program must take and pass the Basic Skills examination and meet the State of Maryland passing criteria. Information about the praxis can be found at http://www.marylandpublicschools.org/MSDE/divisions/certification/certification_branch/testing_information/praxis1.html
  4. Those applying to MA degree program must have a score on the Graduate Record Exam or MAT at or above the 40th percentile rank;
  5. Three (3) letters of recommendation from individuals with direct knowledge of the applicant's academic capabilities, work experience, and professional characteristics;
  6. A statement of career goals including:
    • relevant background information, professional experiences, certification status;
    • if not certified, whether you wish to be certified in special education;
    • intended area of study if seeking the Master’s Specialty Program (e.g., Learning Disabilities, Behavior Disorders, Early Childhood, Severe Disabilities; Transition); and
    • other information the candidate feels is pertinent to the decision of the admissions committee; and
  7. Evidence of writing skills via the statement of career goals and educational interests
  8. Students applying for teacher certification will be contacted for an in-person or phone interview
  9. For international applicants, minimum TOEFL scores of 100 are required.

Admission to Ph.D. Special Education Programs

Deadlines for receipt of Ph.D. application materials are as follows:

Application materials for fall admission into the Ph.D. program are due December 1 when reviews will begin.

No applications will be reviewed after February 15th.

*The program does not admit students in spring semester.

For further information regarding admissions please review the Special Education Doctoral Program Handbook

Admission Requirements

Minimum requirements for admission to the doctoral program include:

  1. A Master's degree or equivalent academic coursework in Special Education or a related area from an accredited institution;
  2. A grade point average of 3.0 or better (based on a 4.0 system) from an accredited undergraduate institution;
  3. A grade point of 3.5 or better in previous graduate coursework;
  4. Two (2) years of research or work experience with exceptional populations;
  5. Three (3) letters of recommendation from individuals who have direct knowledge of the applicant's academic capabilities, work experience, and professional characteristics;
  6. A statement of academic and research goals including a description of the applicant's previous background, preparation, intended area of study, research interests, and plans for future employment;
  7. Evidence of writing skills via the statement of academic and research goals.
  8. For international applicants, minimum TOEFL scores of 100 are required.