• Special education teachers
• Special education teacher mentors
• General education teachers wishing to gain knowledge in inclusive practices or as an add-a-field in special education
• Special Education Department Heads or Grade-Level Chairs
• Student Service Coordinators (SSC)
• District Education Specialists (DES)
• District or Complex Area Resource Teachers
• 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 this program may qualify as an add-a-field- through HTSB. 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
• Administrator
• Special Education Department Head or Grade-Level Chair
• Student Service Coordinator (SSC)
• District Education Specialist (DES)
• District or Complex Area Resource Teacher
• Individual working in nonprofit and for-profit agencies serving individuals with disabilities

Eligibility Criteria

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

All candidates must attend an online orientation prior to the start of the program.

Application Requirements

• Official transcripts from each post-secondary institution attended
• Video Recorded Responses and Essay
• Statement of Objectives
• Resumé
• Three (3) Letters of Recommendation

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.

Complete the “Request More Info” form to be notified of next admissions period and program updates.

For more details related to the application process, please refer to the “How to Apply” 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.

MEd in Special Education (31 credits):

• Approximately $19,110 (RESIDENT & NONRESIDENT)
• See: https://www.outreach.hawaii.edu/admissions-and-aid/tuition-and-fees/

MERIT-BASED STIPENDS*: Possible departmental stipends, based on available funds. Receive up to $8,000 total, based on merit as evaluated by transcripts, GPA, letters of recommendation, and full-time enrollment. Application is provided upon acceptance into program.

*Due to the current pandemic and UH budget concerns, merit-based funds are not currently available. UH Mānoa CARES funding may be available (up to $2,000) for classified degree-seeking students who are in need of financial assistance due to impacts from the coronavirus. Refer to FAQs and eligibility requirements or submit a CARES funding application. 

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.

The MEd in Special Education is a 31-credit graduate program comprised of four required courses (12 credits), six elective courses (18 credits), and a capstone Plan B project (1 credit).

MEd SPED Core Coursework (13 credits), for all specializations:

• SPED 602: Special Education Law and Compliance (3)
• SPED 641b: Seminar on Issues in Special Education (3)
• SPED 642: Seminar on Applied Research in Special Education (3)
• SPED 695*: Plan B Project (1)
• SPED 699: Directed Research (Presentation of Plan A/B) (3)

*Candidates can choose to replace the Plan B Project (1) with a Plan A Thesis (6), extending their total program credits to 36.

Interdisciplinary, Leadership & Research Coursework (18 credits)

Five courses (3 credits each) are suggested/recommended and candidates will work with their advisor to select one additional elective* (3 credits) that align to each candidate’s interests.

• SPED 641d: Seminar in Issues in Special Education (Foundations)
• SPED 641f: Seminar in Issues in Special Education (Cultural & Linguistic Diversity)
• SPED 641g: Seminar in Issues in Special Education (Evidence-based Practices)
• SPED 643: Seminar in Special Education Leadership
• SPED 688: Research Practicum in Special Education
• Elective*

*Candidates who graduated from the UHM College of Education Post-Baccalaureate Certificate program in Special Education, may be eligible to double count one course (3 credits) to replace this elective. The candidate must be admitted to the MEd SPED program within 5 years of their Post-Bac program completion and the coursework must align with the candidate’s MEd program of study (as determined by the candidate’s advisor and graduate chair).