The M.Ed. in Special Education Intervention degree is a 30-credit, 100% online program offering courses leading to licensure in special education for currently licensed teachers. Course topics include culturally responsive best practices in academic and behavioral interventions within a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS). You’ll learn specialized skills in literacy and behavioral supports, assessment, individualized education program (IEP) planning and implementation, and educational research and data-based individualization (DBI).
Winthrop’s online M.Ed. in Special Education Intervention is unique in providing you the opportunity to:
Practice what you learn in your current classroom environment by implementing intervention projects as part of your coursework.
Learn a focused curriculum that equips you with the skills to coordinate and deliver evidence-supported interventions in the areas of behavior and literacy that address students where they are in their education through assessment.
Prepare for special education licensure to achieve the competitive career you want.
Graduate Program Director
Dr. April Mustian
803/323-4693
Practical
Practice what you learn through authentic research-based intervention projects in your current classroom environment. You’ll receive specific, valuable feedback from faculty who are experienced practitioners.
Specialized
Through a focused and collaborative problem-solving process, learn how to select appropriate and validated academic and behavioral interventions, assess student progress, engage in diagnostic data analysis, and adapt interventions to better meet students’ strengths and needs.
Equity-Centered
Become equipped to meet the growingly diverse needs of students in today’s schools. Apply specialized and differentiated supports to increase the success of all learners in your classroom.
An online M.Ed. in Special Education Intervention from Winthrop University prepares you with the expertise and skills you need to transform the future of your students through effective intervention selection and delivery.
Time to completion: 1.5 - 2 years
Total Credits: 30
Format: Online
Deadline TBD for fall admission only.
Applicants for admission to the M. Ed. in Special Education Intervention must hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and must meet the following requirements to be eligible for consideration:
The online Graduate Studies application with the non-refundable application fee.
Official transcript(s) from all institutions attended for undergraduate and graduate coursework.
Note: Transcripts must be sent directly to Winthrop's Graduate Studies office from the issuing institution(s). Transcripts can be sent to 211 Tillman Hall, Rock Hill, SC 29733 or gradstudies@winthrop.edu.
Submit a copy of your current South Carolina State Department of Education Class III Professional Certificate or the equivalent from another state.
Submit a verified copy of the Specialty Area test of the PRAXIS Examination for the current area of your certification or the South Carolina Teaching Area Examination.
Have an undergraduate grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale in the last 60 hours of the graduate candidate’s undergraduate course work OR submit an official GRE score of 150 on the verbal reasoning section and 142 on the quantitative reasoning section.
"As a special education teacher, this program has helped me develop relationships with other professionals to increase inclusion practices, as well as provide additional support to students in the general education classroom."
The M.Ed. program in Special Education Intervention prepares you for a variety of roles in K-12 education. In addition to becoming a more effective teacher, the degree will prepare you for positions that include:
Academic Interventionist
Behavioral Interventionist
Curriculum Specialist
Instructional Coach or Specialist
MTSS Coach or Coordinator
Special Educator
Key Facts About RTI and MTSS Inplementation:
More than 15 states have formal policies about MTSS or RTI.
46 states have language about RTI in their laws or guidelines.
49 states have an RTI commission, task force, or internal working group.
Research shows that RTI improves achievement and behavior.
IDEA, the federal SPED law, includes RTI and MTSS.
According to the CEEDAR Center, “as many as 70% of high school students need special, specific supports, even when they are not eligible for special education identification. MTSS addresses those needs with systemic improvements across classes, schools, and districts.”2
Helping students when they exhibit the earliest signs of educational or developmental difficulty is critical for preventing further delay as the child matures. In many cases, assessment and intervention efforts can significantly minimize the educational disruption children experience and thereby make a profound positive difference and truly change lives. Interventionists use their specialized training and unique personality traits to do this challenging but rewarding work.
Curriculum Note: Though this program will prepare anyone who has a current general education teaching license to be endorsed to teach special education in South Carolina, you must first check your specific state’s requirements before applying to the program to ensure applicability of these courses to your state’s add-on licensure requirements. For more information on the program learning outcomes visit our curriculum page.
Notice to International Applicants: Per U.S. Immigration Regulation, international students who study in the U.S. in F-1 status may enroll in one, 3-hour online course per semester to fulfill the full-time enrollment requirement. This program requires more than one online class per semester to meet full-time enrollment and would not be approved for F-1 status. More information about visa status is available from our International Center.
