Special Education (MAT) - General Curriculum
Program of Study
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Students who began in summer 2023 or fall 2023, please see the foonote below about your program of study. 1 | ||
| Area 1 Program Content | ||
| EDUF 6116 | Educational Research Methods | 3 |
| SPED 6189 | Nature and Characteristics of Students with Mild and Moderate Disabilities | 3 |
| SPED 6265 | Advanced Assessment of Exceptional Children and Youth | 3 |
| SPED 6295 | Teaching Students with Mild and Moderate Disabilities | 3 |
| EDRG 6148 | Psychology of Reading: Understanding Readers and the Reading Process | 3 |
| EDRG 6118 | Methods and Materials for Teaching Literacy P-5 | 3 |
| or EDRG 6116 | Integrating Literacy Strategies in Middle Grades and Secondary | |
| Area 1 Total | 18 | |
| Area 2 Concentration | ||
| Select one of the concentration areas below: | 9 | |
| Autism Concentration (Includes Autism Endorsement) | ||
| History and Characteristics of Individuals with Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities | ||
| Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports in School Settings | ||
| Assessment and Diagnosis of Individuals with Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities | ||
| Dyslexia Concentration (Includes Dyslexia Endorsement) | ||
| Managing Students with Behavioral Problems | ||
| History and Characteristics of Individuals with Dyslexia and Other Learning Disabilities | ||
| Assessment and intervention of Individuals with Dyslexia and Other Learning Disabilities | ||
| General Curriculum Concentration | ||
| Managing Students with Behavioral Problems | ||
| Based on your grade band and content focus, select 6 hours from the following: | ||
| Developing Mathematical Thinking in the Elementary Classroom | ||
| Developing Scientific Thinking in Young Children | ||
| Exploring the World with Young Learners | ||
| Teaching Composition in Grades 4-12 | ||
| Teaching English Language Arts in Grades 4-12 | ||
| Teaching Social Studies in Grades 4-12 | ||
| Methods in Teaching Middle and Secondary Mathematics | ||
| Methods of Teaching Middle and Secondary Science | ||
| Area 2 Total | 9 | |
| Area 3 The Practice of Education | ||
| EDUC 6699 | Teaching Residency and Classroom Management | 3 |
| Area 3 Total | 3 | |
| Other Requirement | ||
| EDUF 6000 | M.Ed. Exit Examination | 0 |
| Other Requirement Total | 0 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 30 | |
- 1
Readers of CSU’s 2023-2024 catalog might have noticed some fluctuations in this program of study since the catalog draft appeared online in Spring 2023. The faculty proposed a 30-hour program of study for what has been approved as a 48-52 hour program. The 30-hour program of study should first be approved by our institutional accreditor, the Southern Associated of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), for an anticipated implementation in January 2024.
Due to an administrative error, the program of study in the 2023-2024 catalog was temporarily changed to 30 credit hours and some students were prematurely placed on the 30-hour program of study in DegreeWorks. The catalog has been corrected to reflect the approved program of study, but CSU will honor the 30-hour program of study in DegreeWorks for the affected students. Students admitted to the program for Spring 2024 will need to follow the official, approved program of study as it appears in the catalog. If we receive the anticipated approval from SACSCOC, the 2023-2024 catalog program of study will be updated to reflect the 30-hour requirement.
We expect to receive SACSCOC’s decision by mid-December 2023 and anticipate being able to implement the 30-hour program of study in January 2024. We’re optimistic that the request will be approved since the program of study accounts for policies at the institutional and university system levels and meets GaPSC requirements for teaching certification and SACSCOC accreditation standards.
Please contact the program coordinator, Dr. Kalynn Pistorio, by email at pistorio_kalynn@columbusstate.edu or phone at 706-565-1426 with any questions you have.
Program Admission Requirements
- A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.75 (regular admission) or 2.50 (provisional admission) on all undergraduate work at an accredited United States institution in fulfillment of the requirements for a baccalaureate degree.
- Statement of Professional Interest and Goals
- Resume
Teacher Education Admission Requirements
- Candidates must apply for Teacher Education during their first semester, after being admitted and starting classes.
- Admission to Teacher Education is completed through TK20. Candidates must have been admitted into the university and registered for courses at least two weeks before purchasing TK20. Information on Tk20 is located at: https://www.columbusstate.edu/education-and-health-professions/tk20.php
- Candidates must meet all requirements for admission to Teacher Education during their first semester of enrollment in the MAT program. For a list of requirements visit https://cqtl.columbusstate.edu/teacher-education.php
Additional Program Requirements
- Students must earn a 3.0 GPA calculated on all graduate work attempted. "Academic Forgiveness" policy does not apply to graduate studies
- Students cannot graduate with a grade of "C" in more than two (2) courses
- Courses earned with grades of "D" may not be used toward a graduate degree or certificate, but will be calculated in the overall grade point average.
- A minimum of 20 hours of the hours required for the degree must be earned in residence (⅔ of the required hours). Asynchronous (online) and distance learning courses administered through Columbus State University constitute courses taken in residence
- Transfer courses must be approved by the students’ advisor and program coordinator. Courses with earned grades of "C" or below cannot be transferred.
- All degree requirements must be completed within seven (7) years of first enrollment.