The MAT in Special Education prepares graduates for a wide range of roles throughout the field of special education. Our progressive curriculum develops a broad skill set centered upon understanding all students identified as needing special education and other related services under IDEA. The program has been designed to place you in meaningful internship opportunities that will provide valuable experiences while helping you save on tuition costs via tuition remission.
Teaching students with special needs stands among the most fulfilling and rewarding careers within the field of education. With courses that explore the needs of students with autism and communication disorders, dyslexia and math disorders, reading disorders and more, our graduates will have a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by students with specific learning disabilities, behavioral disorders and emotional disorders. Throughout the program, graduates will master how to develop and implement individualized education programs and 504 plans, conduct functional behavioral assessments and design behavioral intervention programs — all in an effort to prepare them for success in many roles within the field of special education.
Designed for prospective teachers who have already earned their bachelor's degree, the MAT in Special Education program is a cost-effective 5-semester experience resulting in both a master's degree and initial teaching certification. Students will begin studying during the fall semester as full-time graduate students and spend the first two semesters interning in a nearby school while taking focused special education courses online or foundational education courses on-campus in the evenings.
The Quinnipiac School of Education Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program has been designed to provide you with internship opportunities that save you tuition costs for up to three-and-a-half semesters of your program.
Quinnipiac partners with over 20 school districts in Connecticut to place you in internships that significantly reduce tuition while giving you a depth of valuable classroom experience. Our experienced faculty will assist you in your internship placement, matching you with the school settings best for you.
The Tuition-Paid Internship Program places you on a path to an education degree and teacher certification — while removing much of the cost.
With the Tuition-Paid Internship Program, you will:
Save all tuition costs for your first two semesters.
Pay for your third semester summer term, along with books and fees for the entire program.
Have the additional opportunity to save all tuition costs for your fourth and half of your fifth semesters through an optional second internship.
Work with dedicated faculty who guide your internship placement.
If the optional second internship is not selected, students also pay tuition for the entire fourth and fifth semesters.
As an intern, you will:
Work closely with faculty and staff at your internship school.
Serve in a variety of roles including ten weeks as a student teacher, sharing responsibilities with an on-site teacher.
Assist in numerous school projects.
Mentor small groups of students.
Begin building a strong CV and professional network that will be invaluable to your future job search.
You will begin the fall semester as a full-time graduate student and spend your first two semesters interning in a local school while also attending evening courses on our North Haven Campus.
You will be off to a strong start — gaining experience in your internship school while also gaining perspective and support from your Quinnipiac faculty and classmates.
We have placed student-teachers in 49 schools across 20 local school districts, allowing students to earn classroom experiences in a variety of school settings prior to graduation.
100% of students from our program passed the Special Education: Core Knowledge Praxis Test during the 2021-2022 academic year.
Openings for special education teachers that are projected each year through 2030. Many of these openings result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or retire. (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
The MAT in Special Education is designed for students with a bachelor's degree that hope to teach special education in public or private schools. The School of Education is proud to offer additional programs of study for individuals interested in the field of special education.
Current teachers who have already earned an initial teaching certification will be better suited for our MS in Special Education leading to Cross-Endorsement program.
Students who are interested in performing research into the theory and practice of special education, but do not plan to teach, are a perfect fit for our MS in Special Education program.
Individuals from any program of study who want to continue to build foundational competencies may be interested in our Certificate of Completion.
All programs in the School of Education are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and by the Connecticut State Department of Education.
School of Education graduates earn exceptionally high scores on licensure examinations required for certification both within and outside the state of Connecticut, including the Praxis II tests for special educators and elementary and secondary teacher candidates; the Foundations of Reading Test; Spanish ACTFL Test; and the Connecticut Administrator Test (CAT), taken by the candidates in the Sixth-Year Diploma in Educational Leadership program.
Our graduate admissions representatives are here to answer any questions you may have and help you navigate the application process.