Online Special Education, M.A.

• Online courses allow students to continue working full-time while pursuing their education and completing field work. 
• The program only requires 21 credits for completion of the TOSD certificate and 30 credits for completion of the Master of Arts in Special Education degree. This is the lowest credit requirement for an accredited graduate degree in the country. 
• You may qualify for a discount through our University partner program which includes The State of New Jersey.

Students complete field work for certification within each course and typically do so while teaching at their own schools.

Professors will share specific resources and school partner information to help students complete field assignments.

• The director of the program acts as an advisor for all students.
• Professors are always available outside of class time to provide additional support as needed. 
• Technology support is available via the Helpdesk. 
• A dedicated financial aid counselor and admissions counselor are available for graduate students.
• The Office of Certification is available to help students apply for multiple state licensure. 
• Orientation and student handbooks provide important information and expectations at the onset of the program. Review the SPED handbook (PDF).

Please review our state certification webpage for a list of State Departments of Education that currently have reciprocity with New Jersey.

The director and the assistant dean are available to support registration and will send announcements regularly. The SPED handbook (PDF) also provides information about courses and registration.

The master’s degree program consists of 30 credits (10 classes) and the TOSD certificate is 21 credits (7 classes). 

Yes, you can transfer credits but you will need a total of 30 credits at the graduate level to earn your M.A.

If you already have a TOSD certificate, within the 30 credits needed for the master’s you can earn a NJ Reading Specialist Certification*, a Life Coach Certificate or a Rider University Autism Spectrum Disorder Certificate. For those without the TOSD certificate, these certificates can be completed with an additional 1- 3 courses, depending on the certification program.

*Please note the New Jersey Department of Education has proposed changes to the Reading Specialist certification requirements. If these changes are approved, students in the Reading Specialist program may need to complete the program and apply to the NJ Department of Education for the Reading Specialist endorsement by August 31, 2025. If you have any questions, contact your academic advisor.

We accept individuals with a CEAS (Certificate of Eligibility with Advanced Standing)or Standard instructional certificate in an initial teaching area (secondary, elementary or early childhood education). We also accept individuals with both an instructional and TOSD CE (Certificate of Eligibility).