Special Education, Educational Diagnostician Track Program Overview
Our CAEP-accredited online Master of Arts in Special Education, Educational Diagnostician track, is designed for individuals who want to diagnose and assess the learning needs of students. This program provides in-depth training on using standardized and curriculum-based assessments to diagnose learning and developmental disabilities in students.
This affordable 36-credit online program can be completed in as little as two years and will equip you with the specialized skills and knowledge you need to:
- assess and perform cognitive and achievement testing on students who may have learning difficulties;
- diagnose learning difficulties, prescribe IEPs to teachers and parents, and implement interventions; and
- intervene and mitigate learning and developmental disabilities by providing recommendations for therapies, classroom interventions, behavior plans, and conduct reevaluations.
The Master of Arts in Special Education, Educational Diagnostician track includes a practicum capstone requirement in which students gain hands-on experience by working one-on-one with an on-site supervisor for 160 contact hours over a 16-week period.
Educational Diagnostician Certification
State of Texas Students
Our master’s degree in special education, educational diagnostician track leads to Educational Diagnostician Certification in the state of Texas. Eligibility requirements for Texas are below:
- Completion of an approved EPP for the Educational Diagnostician Certification
- Master’s degree from an accredited institution
- Three years of classroom teaching experience in a public or accredited private school
- Valid teaching certificate
- Completion of the required test
Out of State Students
If you are outside of Texas, visit your state’s certification agency to see if our program will make you eligible for certification in your state. You may also contact Dr. Rosenblatt with questions about certification outside of the state of Texas.
TEACH Grant
The Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant provides up to $4,000 per year to students who are completing coursework needed to begin a career in a high-need teaching field. UT Permian Basin participates in the TEACH Grant program.
To be eligible to receive a TEACH Grant, you must meet basic eligibility criteria for federal student aid programs, complete the FAFSA, be enrolled at a school that participates in the TEACH Grant program, maintain a minimum GPA of 3.25, receive TEACH Grant counseling for each year you receive the grant, and sign a TEACH Grant agreement. For more information about the TEACH Grant and its service requirements post-graduation, please click here.
Accreditation and Awards
- Nationally accredited by the prestigious Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
- Texas Education Agency - State approved/accredited Accountability System for Educator Preparation (TEA/ASEP)
Career Options
The University of Texas Permian Basin's online Master of Arts in Special Education, Educational Diagnostican Track provides a solid foundation for you to excel as a teacher in a variety of roles, including:
6 Credits
18 Credits
12 Credits
Admission Requirements
Regular Admission Requirements
- A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
- Upper-division GPA of at least 3.0
- Essay that answers the following prompt:
- What personal characteristics, experiences, and educational background influenced your decision and helped prepare you for this role as a diagnostician?
- Two years of teaching experience
- Teacher certification (if in Texas)
- Official transcripts
Conditional Admission Requirements
If you do not meet the GPA requirements for this program, you may qualify for conditional admission with the following requirements:
- A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
- Upper-division GPA between 2.5 and 3.0
- Essay that answers the following prompt:
- What personal characteristics, experiences, and educational background influenced your decision and helped prepare you for this role as a diagnostician?
- Two years of teaching experience
- Teacher certification (if in Texas)
- Two of the following:
- GRE score of 282 (verbal and quantitative combined)
- Statement related to the circumstances surrounding your lower GPA and why you believe you are ready for this graduate program.
- Two professional letters of recommendation from school administrators who have supervised your work in the classroom.
- If you can only secure one from such a person, the second must be a professional letter from someone who can speak to your capacity to be a special education teacher.
- Official transcripts
Official Transcripts
Official copies of transcripts must come directly from the school in a sealed envelope and should be mailed to:
UT Permian Basin
Graduate Studies Office
4901 E. University Blvd.
Odessa, TX 79762
Official transcripts in electronic format can be sent to gradstudies@utpb.edu.
Supporting Documents
All supporting documents related to a graduate program, such as letters of recommendation, essays, statements of interest, resumes, professional work experience, and awards should be sent to the Graduate Studies Office:
UT Permian Basin
Graduate Studies
4901 E. University Blvd.
Odessa, TX 79762-0001
Electronic versions of supporting documents may be emailed to gradstudies@utpb.edu.
Application Fee
The application fee is $40.
Veterans and Active Duty Military: Your application fee is waived for this program. Get details now.
If you have any questions regarding the admission requirements, please email special.education@utpb.edu.
Faculty Bios
We’re pleased to offer program admission on a rolling basis.
Rolling admission refers to our process of accepting and evaluating applications as we receive them and moving any applications that miss the deadline to the next semester. However, if you want to enroll in courses for a specific semester, you will need to make note of the application deadlines found below. If you don’t complete your application and submit the required materials by the deadline, your application will be rolled over to the next semester.