Admission Requirements

Candidates must:

• meet all College of Graduate Studies admission requirements and have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0
• submit evidence of Massachusetts Elementary or Early Childhood Education Initial Teacher License; and
• submit official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate course work.

Early Admission Program

The Early Admission Program is for seniors at Bridgewater State University majoring in Elementary Education, Special Education Concentration, BSE, who wish to take one graduate course in Special Education for undergraduate credit, and thereby accelerate the completion of their M.Ed. in Special Education, Teacher of Students with Moderate Disabilities (PreK-8) (Initial Licensure) for Elementary and Early Childhood Teachers. Students can complete a BSE and M.Ed. in Special Education within five years if they choose to be a full-time student. The application fee for students seeking early admissions to the relevant graduate program will be waived.

If accepted, students will be granted special status to enroll in one graduate course in Special Education for undergraduate credit. The graduate course that will be taken for undergraduate credit is SPED 501: Professional Practices in Special Education (3 credits). Tuition for this course will be at the undergraduate course rate.

Admission requirements include: ·

• Be a Bridgewater State University senior, enrolled in the Elementary Education, Special Education Concentration, BSE;
• Be enrolled in Education Cluster III of their Elementary Education major;
• File an application for admission to the College of Graduate Studies, MEd in Special Education, Teacher of Students with Moderate Disabilities (PreK-8) (Initial Licensure) for Elementary and Early Childhood Teachers, to begin graduate coursework during the Practicum semester of the BSE program; and
• Have a GPA of 3.0.

Undergraduate students’ financial aid package will apply to the graduate course taken for undergraduate credit. The graduate course taken as an undergraduate will be counted as part of the requirements for the Elementary Education, Special Education Concentration, BSE. Once the student completes their BSE, the graduate course that they have completed will be transferred to their M.Ed. requirements if they receive a grade of B or better.

Program Requirements

Candidates must:

• complete SPED 510 - Teaching Exceptional Children in Schools  (or equivalent) with a minimum grade of “B”; and
• complete the appropriate course work listed below, prior to the student teaching experience.

Program of Study