If you’re considering applying to a master’s in special education program, you might want to know what your career prospects will be after graduation. Here we explore just a few of the many professional advantages you can experience with a master’s degree in special education.

Enjoy a Rewarding Career That Enhances Lives—Including Your Own

Few careers are as important to a prosperous society as that of a teacher. Fewer still are as crucial as teachers who help set students with disabilities and disorders up for productive, fulfilling lives. You can become one of those critical educators.

Choose From a Variety of Roles

A master’s degree in special education can lead to a career as a teacher or advocate for special education students, an early intervention specialist, or an educational diagnostician, among other roles.

Become an Education Leader

If your professional goal is to one day move into education administration, earning a master’s degree will fulfill one of the typical requirements for the job: having a graduate credential.

Earn More

According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data originally published in May 2020, master’s degree holders typically earn about 20% more than individuals who hold a bachelor’s degree alone.

Enjoy a Higher Employment Rate

Having a master’s degree on your resume can make a wider range of jobs available to you. The BLS reports a direct connection between achieving a higher level of education and increasing one’s probability of staying employed, with those having a graduate degree enjoying “the lowest unemployment rates and highest earnings” in the United States.

A master’s degree in special education clearly presents a tremendous opportunity for you to experience greater professional and personal satisfaction. Being able to choose from a variety of online degree programs enables you to enjoy even more benefits.

What Kinds of Special Education Master’s Programs Are Available?

The University of Texas Permian Basin offers three online special education master’s degree programs, enabling you to choose the path that most closely aligns with your career passion and goals. Our programs include one general master’s degree and two specialized tracks:

Master of Arts in Special Education

We created this program for those wishing to empower students living with developmental and learning disabilities to enjoy more fulfilling, self-reliant lives. Our master’s degree in special education explores the central role technology and innovation play in today’s special education classroom and gives educators the tools they need to overcome some of the most pressing issues today, such as resource limitations, fostering a diverse, inclusive learning environment, and identifying the specific needs of each student.

As a student of this program, you can:

  • Bypass the GRE.
    • Finish in as little as one year.
    • Pay for your master’s degree with a TEACH grant, if eligible.

Master of Arts in Special Education, Autism Spectrum Disorders track

We developed this program for those who aspire to help students on the autism spectrum. Our MA in special education, autism spectrum disorders track examines the physical and cognitive development of individuals on the autism spectrum throughout their lifespan, and the importance of technology, innovation, and inclusion in the modern special education setting.

As a student of this program, you can:

  • Bypass the GRE.
    • Finish in as little as one year.
    • Pay for your master’s degree with a TEACH grant, if eligible.

Master of Arts in Special Education, Educational Diagnostician track

We designed this program for those who want to excel in recognizing and evaluating the learning needs of individual students. Our MA in special education, educational diagnostician track considers the place of technology and innovation in the contemporary special education environment and provides comprehensive instruction in standardized and curriculum-based methods for identifying learning or developmental impediments in students.

As a student of this program, you can:

  • Bypass the GRE.
    • Finish in as little as one year.
    • Pay for your master’s degree with a TEACH grant, if eligible.
    • Achieve eligibility for Texas Educational Diagnostician Certification.

Why Earn an Online Master’s Degree in Special Education?

UT Permian Basin’s online special education master’s degree programs offer many distinctive benefits. Each program is delivered in a 100% online, asynchronous format that enables you to complete coursework at your own pace from any location with internet access. No campus visits are required. When you have ongoing professional and personal responsibilities, this flexibility makes finishing a graduate degree much easier to manage.

This tremendous convenience is matched by the quality of our online programs. All courses are taught by the same distinguished faculty who teach on campus and are drawn from the same robust curriculum. Semesters are just eight weeks long—seven weeks during summer sessions—allowing you to gain new knowledge and skills at a steady pace and collect your degree in about a year.

Discover what a special education master’s degree from UT Permian Basin can do for your career!

Sources:
https://www.usnews.com/education/best-graduate-schools/articles/2012/06/29/6-reasons-why-graduate-school-pays-off
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/benefits-of-earning-a-masters-degree  
https://www.noodle.com/articles/why-get-a-masters-in-special-education-top-10-reasons-jobs-salary