Overview
Azusa Pacific University recognizes the need to provide quality academic programs for graduate students with divergent professional goals and differing educational needs. The Master of Arts in Education: Special Education (non-credential) is designed for individuals eager to pursue a Master of Arts with emphases in classroom interventions, bilingual special education strategies, emotional disturbance (behavior analysis), autisum spectrum disorders, or resource specialist. This program does not lead to a California teaching credential.
The program suits the working professional seeking job opportunities in the areas of disabilities advocacy, private school administration, community college instruction, or as a prerequisite for admission to a doctoral program in special education.
Furthermore, attorneys who wish to specialize in special education law or desire to become a due process hearing officer may enroll in this program. Federal, state, and local government SELPAs employ professionals with this degree to monitor and enforce special education procedures and programs.
Program Highlights
- Flexible program schedules allow students to take classes just one night a week while earning their degree.
- Expert faculty offer quality instruction grounded in a Christian worldview, creating a relevant program that enables students to make a difference in their classrooms.
- Small class sizes create a rich learning community as students progress through the program with a cohort of peers.
Learn more about the program and our faculty.
School of Education Accreditation
Azusa Pacific University receives accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). In addition, the School of Education receives accreditation from the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), making APU one of only three private schools in California with this distinction. Further, our credential programs are accredited by California’s Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC). Our Master of Arts in Education: Educational Psychology Program is also accredited by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). These notable accreditations set APU graduates apart from other candidates and ensure your degree will be recognized throughout the United States and internationally.
University Reputation
Azusa Pacific University held its place for the fourth year in the most prestigious category of U.S.News & World Report’s America’s Best Colleges 2012 rankings, placing in Tier One at No. 170 in the National Universities category. APU was also ranked No. 16 in the Up-and-Coming Schools Category by U.S.News. In addition, The Princeton Review named APU as 1 of 121 institutions in the 2012 Best Colleges in the West for the sixth consecutive year, and Forbes named APU No. 322 on a list of 650 colleges that represent the top 20 percent of all undergraduate institutions.
