The Master of Arts in Bilingual Special Education is a 45-credit-hour program designed to
prepare educators to address the changing demographics of classrooms. Graduates are eligible
for licensure in K–12 special education, K–12 ESOL/bilingual education, and bilingual special
education. Program course work and field experiences are designed to build competence in the
areas of assessment, programming, and teaching, with a focus on culturally and linguistically
diverse students. Graduates will be prepared to work with students who have disabilities and
those in the process of second language acquisition. Students complete field experiences
throughout the duration of the program. This program is designed for already licensed teachers
or other related service professionals.
Bilingual Special Education Master of Arts Program of Study
Required Courses (45 credits)
EDUC 6114 – Introduction to Quantitative Research
SPED 6258 – The Immigrant Experience: Diversity, Advocacy, and Education
SPED 6272 – Strategies for Inclusion: Addressing Needs of Special Populations
SPED 6275 – Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students with Disabilities
SPED 6276 – Academic and Psychosocial Assessment of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse
Students
SPED 6255 – Interdisciplinary and Interagency Services Coordination for Special Populations
SPED 6266 – The Development of Language in Young (Exceptional) Children
SPED 6268 – Development of Children with Disabilities
SPED 6110 – Special Studies
SPED 6277 – Teaching the Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Student with Special Needs
SPED 6997 – Internship: Educational Intervention for the Culturally and Linguistically Diverse
Student with Special Needs
CPED 6221 – Developmental Reading: Emergent Literacy
CPED 6627 – Teaching Reading and Writing in ESL
CPED 6551 – Second Language Instruction: ESL Methods
CPED 6556 – Linguistic Applications in Instruction for ESL/Diverse Populations
Course Descriptions
EDUC 6114: Introduction to Quantitative Research
The purpose of this course is to develop a conceptual understanding of research design and quantitative
analysis options for the consumer of research. Appropriate use of vocabulary and interpretation of
research findings, critique of research articles, and/or development of a small-scale proposal will be
required.
SPED/CPED 6258: The Immigrant Experience: Diversity, Advocacy, and Education
The purpose of this course is to provide participants with a variety of integrative and supportive
multicultural activities, demonstrations, discussions, and projects. Participation will facilitate building a
knowledge base of immigrant stories, issues of discrimination, issues of cultural variation, and factors
that affect diverse groups of students.
SPED/CPED 6272: Strategies for Inclusion: Addressing Needs of Special Populations
The purpose of this course is to train teachers and supervisors to identify and implement strategies by
which to successfully include second language learners in an inclusionary setting so that all teachers can
more effectively assume the responsibility to serve all children in our schools.
SPED 6275: The Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Student with Disabilities: Policy,
Research, and Trends
The purpose of this course is to introduce students to national and state policies, educational research,
and current trends that affect culturally and linguistically diverse students with disabilities, their
families, and the school systems that serve them. Emphasis will be placed on analyzing and applying this
information to the classroom and service delivery particularly in the areas of appropriate assessment
techniques, accessing community resources, and individualized programming to meet the needs of
language-minority students and their families.
SPED 6276: Academic and Psychosocial Assessment of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse
Students
This course focuses on the issues involved in assessment of the student who is a member of a minority
population group and/or an English Language Learner (ELL). Topics covered include defining
assessment, legislative mandates, and the process of determining literacy status, use of interpreters and
translators, impact of culture and community in the assessment process, and the use of standardized
and alternative assessments. Diagnostic issues will include those relevant to early childhood through
adult populations and will also include students with special needs.
SPED 6255: Interdisciplinary and Interagency Services Coordination for Special Populations
The purpose of this course is to provide an overview of the theories, models and strategies for
coordinating services across disciplines, within the school community and between school and
community agencies for special populations, with emphasis on culturally diverse students with and
without exceptionalities. Topics to be covered include the following: historical and philosophical roots
of service coordination, interdisciplinary/interagency team coordination, and facilitation of
communication between school and community.
SPED 6266: The Development of Language in Young (Exceptional) Children
The purpose of this course is to provide students with an introduction to the study of language
acquisition in typically developing young children as well as children who are exceptional.
SPED 6268: Development of Children with Disabilities
This course is designed to give students an understanding of children with a variety of disabilities by
contrasting typical and atypical development in children and young adults. Through a study of the work
of various behavioral, learning, and developmental theorists, students will acquire perspectives on
development that will help them plan and implement interdisciplinary practices to assist children in a
variety of special education settings. Current issues in special education such as cultural diversity and
inclusion will serve as points of reference.
SPED 6110: Special Studies
At the discretion of the program director, a different option (Content-Area Reading I and II, Assessment
in Reading, or other options needed for certification) can be substituted for a course listed above, based
on participants’ prior knowledge, experience, and coursework.
SPED 6277: Teaching the Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Student with Special Needs:
Methods, Materials and Classroom Management
The intent of this course is to present methods and materials for teaching and assessing students who
are culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) and/or who have exceptionalities. Participants will engage
in reflective practice as they analyze the language demands of classroom settings, as well as the
instructional practices and materials for the special needs of all students. Students will be exposed to
research in and theories of language acquisition, curriculum development, and classroom management
for use with culturally and linguistically diverse students with and without disabilities. Instructional
adaptations, and assessment designed to meet the cultural, linguistic, academic, socio-emotional needs
of students in the general education and pullout settings will be presented and discussed. Current
curricula and material for CLD and/or exceptional learners will be reviewed.
SPED 6997: Internship: Educational Intervention for the Culturally and Linguistically Diverse
Student with Special Needs
The intent of this course is to provide participants with supervised field experiences at the
elementary/middle school level with a focus on instructing CLD students with and without special needs.
Students will be able to use the information, knowledge and skills obtained from course experiences to
design instruction, develop materials, and assess all students in their class. Using research as a
foundation, they will engage in leadership activities through participation in staff development, peer
coaching, and activities for parents and community. They will spend at least 560 hours at a field based
demonstration site where they will tie theory to practice in an internship experience. For in-service
teachers, this experience can be accomplished in their general classroom settings; university supervision
and course work will allow them to have support as they accommodate and modify instruction for the
needs of diverse learners.
CPED 6221: Developmental Reading: Emergent Literacy
The purpose of this course is to integrate aspects of human development theory with emergent literacy
development by providing an in-depth knowledge base of linguistic, sociocultural, cognitive, and
affective dimensions of literacy acquisition, assessment, and instruction.
CPED 6627: Teaching Reading and Writing in ESL
The course is designed to give the student theoretical and practical knowledge of the development of
reading and writing skills in English for kindergarten through adult English Language Learners. It will
provide students with an understanding of literacy needs of ELL students, a theoretical background of
second language reading and writing processes, and practice with instructional approaches that assist
ELL students in becoming skilled an motivated readers and writers.
CPED 6551: Second Language Instruction: ESL Methods
The purpose of this course is to provide students with: (a) an understanding of the development of
second language teaching methodology and current best practices; (b) a theoretical background on
second language learning and teaching and how it applies to instruction; (c) practice with instructional
approaches that assist language learners in developing both social and academic communicative
competence; and (d) field experience in which to analyze teaching, curriculum, and learning in the
language classroom.
CPED 6556: Linguistic Applications in Instruction for ESL/Diverse Populations
The purpose of this course is to have students study the science of language (phonology, morphology,
syntax, semantics, and pragmatics) and how its different branches (descriptive, social, applied, etc.) may
be used for classroom instruction, material development, evaluation, and research and policy
development.