• Special and general education teachers
• Educational professionals wishing to gain knowledge and skills in inclusive and special education practices
• Individuals working in nonprofit and for-profit agencies serving individuals with disabilities

Note: The MEd SPED program does NOT lead to initial teacher licensure. If you are licensed in a different field, then refer to our Special Education Add-a-Teaching-Field coursework option. However, if you are not currently a licensed teacher in any field and are interested in pursuing a program to become a licensed special education teacher, please visit: https://coe.hawaii.edu/sped-teaching/

• Special education teacher
• Special education teacher mentor
• General education inclusion teacher
• Special Education Department Head or Grade-Level Chair
• Student Service Coordinator (SSC)
• District Education Specialist (DES)
• District or Complex Area Resource Teacher
• Individuals working in nonprofit and for-profit agencies serving individuals with disabilities (e.g., Board Certified Behavior Analysts)

Eligibility Criteria

• Bachelor’s degree: must be from a UHM recognized, accredited, four-year institution of higher education
• GPA: 3.0 or higher

Note: International students are unable to pursue our online or hybrid programs due to visa requirements, including those who wish to pursue online courses from their home country. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Application Requirements

• Official transcripts from each post-secondary institution attended
• Video Recorded Responses and Essay
• Statement of Objectives
• Resumé/Curriculum Vitae
• Three (3) Letters of Recommendation
  • It is recommended that at least one letter of recommendation comes from a supervisor or administrator educational institution and/or community agency to begin this program, as applicable.

Note: Priority consideration will be given to applicants who have at least 2 years of experience in the field (e.g., schools, clinics, community settings)

Acceptance Criteria:

• All candidates will be expected to complete field-based activities during the program, which includes having access to working with students with disabilities. Therefore,
  • All candidates must secure formal administrative support from an educational institution and/or community agency before the start of this program (forms will be provided upon conditional acceptance to the program).
• A laptop/desk-top computer is required before the start of this program
• All candidates must attend an online orientation before the start of the program

To begin an application, please refer to the “Apply Now” page.

ONLINE PROGRAM (online, synchronous)

All courses in the MEd SPED program are offered online and include synchronous online class sessions in the early evenings, typically 4:30pm-7:00pm HST*.

There is a mandatory online candidate orientation at the beginning of the program. Each candidate will be assigned a faculty advisor who will individualize and accommodate candidates’ experiences, educational background, and professional aspirations to select one additional elective that aligns with each candidate’s interests. Delivery of elective/emphasis courses may be available in other formats and will vary according to the department in which they are housed.

*Candidates residing outside of Hawaii must consider differences in timezone before committing to this program.

The MEd in Special Education is a 31-credit* graduate program comprised of three required core courses (9 credits), a capstone project (1 credit), and seven courses depending on chosen specialization track* (21 credits).

MEd SPED Core Coursework (10 credits), for all specializations:

• SPED 641b: Seminar on Issues in Special Education (3)
• SPED 602: Special Education Law and Compliance (3)
• SPED 642: Seminar on Applied Research in Special Education (3)
• SPED 695**: Master’s Project (1)

*The ABA-Track program includes additional credits (4-12) required for completing fieldwork supervision requirements

**Candidates can choose to replace the Master’s Project (1 credit) with a Thesis (6 credits), extending their total program credits to 36.

MEd in Special Education Tuition Rates:

• $650/credit*, approximately $19,110 for 31 credits (RESIDENT & NONRESIDENT)
• See: https://www.outreach.hawaii.edu/admissions-and-aid/tuition-and-fees/

*Based on 2024-2025 tuition rates

MERIT-BASED STIPENDS*: Possible stipends, based on available departmental funds. Stipends are competitive and applicants can receive up to $8,000 total, based on merit as evaluated by GPA and faculty recommendation. Funding and application packet is available after successful completion of first-semester coursework. Priority will be given to students who are not receiving external grant funding.

FINANCIAL AID: All applicants are encouraged to complete the FAFSA for financial aid eligibility and should refer to UH Mānoa’s financial aid website. The MEd in Special Education program is a part-time program, with candidates enrolling in two courses per semester (6 credits). For financial aid purposes, this would be classified as a part-time graduate student. If you want to be a full-time student, you would need to enroll in 8 credits or more each Fall and Spring semester. Inform the advisor of your need to be enrolled as a full-time student as you collaboratively plan your course of study with them.  Your advisor will determine which courses are appropriate to be added to your program to bring you to full-time status. Pursuing full-time status would extend your program to being more than 31 credits.

The following additional loan forgiveness options are available to candidates who qualify for and receive financial aid:

• Federal Teacher Loan Forgiveness: Full-time special education teachers at Title I schools can qualify for up to $17,500.00 in loan forgiveness after five years of service.
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness: Full-time teachers employed in public schools may be eligible for loan forgiveness after making 120 qualifying monthly payments (10 years+) on Direct Loans.

SCHOLARSHIPS: To view a listing of all UH Scholarships available, please visit http://www.star.hawaii.edu/scholarship

Specific scholarships to education and/or special education include:

• Faith C. Ai Memorial Scholarship: Certified educators who are pursuing graduate degrees in any subject may receive up to $5,000, as long as they intend to teach after graduation.
• College of Education Scholarships: Visit our College of Education funding website to see a listing of available funding opportunities specific to those pursuing degrees and programs in education.