Expand your credentials and become a leader in the classroom with all of the necessary skills and knowledge to create a conducive learning environment for special education students.
Program Details
Next Start Date:
5/11/2026
Estimated Length:
18 Months
Credit Hours:
30
Cost Per Credit:
$319Program Benefits
- Accepts up to 12 transfer credits
- Expert faculty
- No GRE/GMAT required
- Practical coursework
- 100% online
- Two unique tracks
M.A. Special Edu. Teacher Leader Overview
With Campbellsville University’s online master’s in special education teacher leader degree, you will get the opportunity to expand your credentials and acquire the required knowledge to meet the unique challenges presented in special education. You will be able to create a strong learning environment for students who have emotional, behavioral and learning disorders. The program is taught by education faculty in collaboration with area school district personnel and aligns with the necessities of P-12 schools.
Through the online teacher leader master’s in special education, you will develop a teacher leader professional growth plan that is based on a self-assessment of your teacher leadership skills and input from school principals. You will also establish effective management and research skills for education.
The degree provides experiences in test administration and interpretation as it is applied to diverse learners and making eligibility, program and placement decisions for those students. You will also explore the effective strategies for improving the classroom behavior of students, as well as the fundamentals, assessment processes and strategies used to ensure that all students succeed in their studies. In addition, you’ll explore practical methods for developing and evaluating instruction in mathematics and reading.
A hands-on action research practicum is also required within the coursework. Through the practicum, you will identify a learning issue within a group of students, research mediation methods, implement the intervention and collect and analyze the resulting data. You will then present your findings to your colleagues or to someone within the district.
Expand your credentials: The Teacher Leader MASE degree leads to a certificate in Learning and Behavior Disorders (LBD) or Moderate and Severe Disabilities (MSD). The Teacher Leader MASE degree also leads to rank change in Kentucky.
Campbellsville University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Campbellsville’s education programs are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and are approved by the Education Professional Standards Board of Kentucky (EPSB) for teacher education and certification. The fully online degree offers the flexibility and convenience of completing coursework when it best fits your schedule and includes unique track options in both learning behavior disorders and moderate to severe disabilities. In addition, the program’s faculty have real-world experience in special education. We also offer an online Master of Arts in Special Education Initial Certification.
This program is not eligible for the Student Exchange and Visitor Program (SEVP) F-1 visa program.
“As a three-time graduate from Campbellsville University, having been both a traditional and online student, I can say the fully-online program was good and life-changing. I would highly recommend CU Online for anyone wanting to find their calling in life.”
– Joe Milazzo
Ranked in the top 50 Most Affordable Christian Colleges in the U.S.
Course Map
The online master’s in special education teacher leader program includes 30 credit hours and takes approximately two years to complete.
Take all of the following:
ED 655: Empowerment for Teacher Leadership
Candidates develop a Teacher Leader Professional Growth Plan, based on self-assessment of teacher leadership skills and input from principals. They will identify a topic for the Action Research Project to be implemented in their classroom.
ED 656: Effective Management Skills for Today’s Educators
This course will assist teachers in developing research-based strategies for creating and managing a classroom environment that maximizes student learning and prevents potential problems. Topics for in-depth study include: effective schools research; teacher behavior and management techniques; discipline theories; conferencing and referrals; observation, reporting and communication skills. Candidates will observe, record and analyze both teacher and student behaviors as they relate to the instructional program and learning environment during the required clinical hours. A research paper will require the candidate to examine classroom management models which will focus on all students.
ED 665: Research Methods
Candidates will determine research method(s) for their action research projects and identify the project participants (must be from their own classrooms).
ED 670: Action Research Practicum I
The action research project is the heart of the work in the Campbellsville University teacher leader masters program. Practicum I builds upon knowledge gained in ED 665 in which a variety of research methods are explored with a focus on action research. In this practicum, the action research project is refined and implemented. This form of self-reflective inquiry, directed by the teacher regarding their own practice, may require adjustments as planning is implemented. The practice of regular reflection via an action research journal and online discussion boards continue, feedback is provided and the reflective writing is analyzed. Research timelines are reviewed, updated, and adjusted. A plan for reporting results is developed and that is added to the research timeline. Appropriate tables, charts and graphs supporting the research study are constructed. Ethical considerations of these research projects are reviewed again and carefully assessed with regard to how they may be utilized in educational decision-making. The Teacher Leader Professional Growth Plan is reviewed upon with progress reported via collegial discussions and reflections.
ED 675: Action Research Practicum II
Candidates will continue refinement of action research projects and receive feedback on project implementation (professor, peers, professional learning communities in schools). Teacher Leader Professional Growth Plan is monitored and progress reported through collegial discussions and in a reflection paper.
ED 690: Supervision of Instruction
Candidates will learn effective mentoring techniques and be trained as resource
teachers for the KY Teacher Internship Program. They will be prepared to serve in the role of supervising both student teachers and interns. They will present to their peers, professional learning communities in their schools, and SBDM Councils the results of from implementing the Action Research Projects. Teacher Leader Professional Growth Plans will be assessed.Take all of the following:
SED 695: Advanced Assessment and Instructional Strategies for Diverse Learners
This course will provide appropriate pertinent experiences in test administration and interpretation applied to diverse learners and informed use of assessment data. The administrator of formal achievement testing and informal measures of assessment will be discussed. Emphasis will be on making eligibility, program, and placement decisions for diverse learners. With student learning being at the core of the School of Education’s conceptual framework, such advanced experiences related to assessment and using such assessments effectively to design appropriate responses to student work is crucial to classroom and student success.
SED 696: Effective Strategies for Improving Students’ Classroom Behavior
Candidates will refine their knowledge and understanding of behavioral assessment and intervention strategies that have been effective for individuals with a wide range of disabilities. They will design and implement comprehensive behavior management plan. This course is designed to provide students with knowledge and understanding of behavioral assessment and intervention strategies that have been effective for individuals with a wide range of disabilities including: EBD, LD, MMD, and ASD. Students will learn to (a) identify and assess problem behavior, (b) design and implement behavioral interventions, (c) design learning environments that will prevent problem behaviors, (d) apply behavioral procedures in educational settings, and (e) understand interconnections between biological, cognitive, social, and emotional dimensions of behavior.
SED 697: Learning Disabilities: Foundations, Assessment and Strategies for Success for All Students
All learners possess unique characteristics, interests, and abilities. Educators are responsible for connecting instructional planning to individual strengths and needs of learners with disabilities. This advanced course serves to deepen students’ understanding of all learners. Students will review the federal and state definitions of specific learning disabilities, eligibility criteria for support services, the regulations that govern such service, and the instructional responsibilities of all teachers of students with mild to moderate learning disorders. Theories, current issues such as cultural and linguistic diversity of students, inclusion, differentiating instruction for diverse learners, different assessment processes, early intervention strategies and the standards-based education reform movement are 108 broadly addressed. The course will provide strategies to make teaching and learning more effective in increasingly
diverse schools.SED 698: Designing and Assessing Effective Instruction in Mathematics
The primary focus of this course is an in-depth examination of the teaching of mathematics to children with learning and behavioral disorders. The overall context in which these researched-based best practices are considered are the national curricular reforms in mathematics. Clearly, this course primarily attends to domains of pedagogy, and its relationship to subject matter, curriculum, and pedagogical content knowledge. Specific attention is provided in this course to the teaching that responds to the reform recommendations identified by National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM). Candidates will demonstrate their understanding of best practice mathematics instruction for exceptional children through a case-study project.
SED 699: Reading Theories and Practice
This course focuses on effective reading instruction, building on teacher knowledge, assessment, effective practice, differentiated instruction and family/home connections. Teachers will learn evidence-based reading strategies to become highly effective reading teachers who understand how to use Response to Intervention (RTI) with all students and students with special needs. Field experiences provide opportunities for teachers to collaborate with public school practitioners to help a struggling reader.
SED 720: Curriculum & Instruction for Moderate Severe Disabilities (MSD) & Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
This course presents instructional models, strategies, and characteristics for students with moderate and severe disabilities. Curriculum content identification will be explored as it relates to general educational needs in the inclusive setting. Collaboration with stakeholders in the planning, implementation and management of instruction for students with moderate and severe disabilities is an integral part of the curriculum development process and will be studied throughout the course.
SED 730: Introduction to Autism Spectrum Disorder
This is an introductory course to autism spectrum disorder. Characteristics and prevalence will be discussed; history, along with current research on the causes of ASD, will be explored. Best practices for planning instruction as well as research-based strategies related to communication, social interactions, and sensory differences will be investigated.
SED 740: Assistive Technology & Communication Interventions for Students with MSD
This course will enable master teachers to understand interconnections between biological, cognitive, social, and emotional dimensions of moderate to severe disabilities. The interplay of race, gender, social class, and ethnicity with factors of family structure, peer relationships, and school experiences will be researched and reported through oral and written presentations. Students will gain a working knowledge of forms of assistive technology that will enable students with moderate to severe disabilities to communicate and participate physically in the classroom.
SED 750: Transition Services and Programs for Students with MSD
This course will provide teachers with background on services and community agencies involved with adolescents and young adults with moderate and severe disabilities and their parents. Content will address community-based instruction, transition planning, vocational and life-skills assessment, post-secondary options and supports, special health care needs and interagency collaboration.
SED 770: Assessment of Individuals with MSD
This course will enable master teachers to understand interconnections between biological, cognitive, social, and emotional dimensions of moderate to severe disabilities. It involves procedures for assessing moderate to severe disabilities, including task analysis, sequencing, behavioral skills, and designing individual instructional programs. Students will gain experience in conducting assessments, developing individual education plans, and using program evaluation techniques for individuals with moderate to severe disabilities.
Admissions Requirements
In order to apply to Campbellsville University’s accredited special education certificate online, prospective students must submit or complete the following:
- Complete the online application
- All official college transcripts from each college or university previously attended and currently attended
- 2.75 overall GPA from their undergraduate studies or a 3.0 in their last 30 hours
*The School of Education may require additional documentation prior to admission.
Costs & Financial Aid
The online master’s in special education costs $319 per credit hour. In order to help students afford their education, Campbellsville University’s staff is available to work with students to discover available financial aid options.
Students can fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to find out what scholarships, grants, loans and payment plans are available for them. There are numerous options available, and not all financial aid is based on need.
A maximum of 12 credit hours from a regionally accredited college or university can be transferred into this program.
Campbellsville University is a military-friendly school and a proud member of the Yellow Ribbon program. Students who are currently serving at home or abroad or are veterans can further their education in a conducive online environment.
Careers in Special Education
Upon graduation from our online master’s in special education teacher leader program, you can pursue a career as a special education teacher. Careers in special education offer competitive salaries and stability. The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that special education teachers earn a median salary of $64,270 per year as of February 2026. On average, about 37,800 job openings are projected each year through 2034.
Why Choose CU?
Campbellsville University Online seeks to provide an affordable faith-based education that fosters personal and professional growth for its students. Learning in small, 100% online classes, you'll have opportunities to connect one-on-one with expert professors who prioritize your success and value the experience you bring to the table. From day one, you'll also benefit from Campbellsville's student services, including a personal online academic advisor who will provide tailored assistance on your journey toward graduation. Access further support in the areas of mental health, career and finance, life management, technical resources and more. Finish strong with CU.
Learn MoreBenefits of Learning Online
Choosing to finish your degree 100% online means having the flexibility to study at the times and places that are most convenient for you. You'll learn from supportive, expert faculty members who are experienced in their fields and deliver the well-rounded education you need to take the next step in your career. Campbellsville is committed to the quality of its online courses and offers a dynamic selection of degree programs that are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Frequently Asked Questions
Still have questions? We’re here to help. Visit our Frequently Asked Questions page for more information.
- Yes, you can. CU honors your educational journey with a generous transfer credit policy that empowers you to make the most of your earned credits. Upon your admission to Campbellsville University, we'll complete a transfer credit evaluation to find out how many of your credits will apply toward your degree. For more information, visit our transfer students page.
- To determine your eligibility for any financial aid, your first step is to complete the FAFSA form. Our school code is 001959. Visit our financial aid page to learn more about your options, which include scholarships and grants.
- You can apply to our online degree programs through the online application form. Remember to submit official copies of your high school and/or college transcripts, along with any other required documentation that is specific to your degree program. You can visit the admissions process page to learn more about what to expect throughout the process.