About the course

Make a real difference working in administration, developing curriculum or taking on leadership roles to help shape policies for students requiring special needs. The 62 credit hour program includes a wide range of electives in cognitive/learning disabilities, behavior disorders and early childhood special education coursework, preparing you to take on leadership roles that allow you to shape policies and improve the educational system. Scholarships - View all scholarships Internships

　　

Start dates and prices

Course fees are indicative and should be used as a guide. Speak to a counsellor to get an accurate price.

　　Duration: 6 Semester(s)Fees: Not available

Intake	Location
Spring (January), 2024	Vermillion
Summer (May), 2024	Vermillion
Fall (August), 2024	Vermillion
Spring (January), 2025	Vermillion
Summer (May), 2025	Vermillion
Fall (August), 2025	Vermillion
Spring (January), 2026	Vermillion
Summer (May), 2026	Vermillion

　　

How to apply

Entry requirements for University of South Dakota

Official transcript(s) verifying receipt of an undergraduate degree and previous graduate credit (in English or with translation) must accompany an application. Official transcripts of all academic work at the graduate level is required for all students. The USD Graduate School and/or academic units retain the right to require credential evaluations from organizations, such as Educational Credential Evaluators/World Education Services (ECE/WES), for a student if such an evaluation is deemed necessary.

　　Baccalaureate degree must be from an institution with full regional accreditation for that degree. A minimum undergraduate cumulative GPA of 2.7 on conferred degree and/or graduate cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better, based on a 4.0 scale, on all graduate coursework is required for full admission. Each graduate program may admit students on provisional status per university policy.

　　Applicants with degrees from countries other than the United States who have obtained an undergraduate or graduate degree from a regionally accredited American college or university are not required to submit an approved English proficiency exam score. For all other applicants, a minimum score of 79 on the Internet-Based TOEFL (iBT) or 550 on the Paper-Based TOEFL (PBT), a minimum IELTS score of 6.0, Applicants from or who have obtained an undergraduate or graduate degree from English-speaking countries are not required to submit an approved English proficiency exam score if their academic records after review indicate that English was the classroom language for their schoolwork.

　　Applicants are required to complete the Educational Leadership Writing Prompt.

　　Three (3) professional letters of recommendation are required.

　　Resume required documenting teaching and/or administrative experience.

　　Personal interview for the Ed.D. programs.

　　Applicants enrolling in the masters, specialist, or doctoral PK-12 administration programs (Curriculum Director, Director of Special Education, Pre-Kindergarten-12 Principal, or School District Superintendent) must have three (3) years of teaching experience in PK-12. Applicants enrolling in School District Superintendent program must also have three years of school leadership experience.

　　It is required that applicants seeking certification as a Director of Special Education have a Special Education Teacher endorsement (e.g., resource room, self-contained class) and have three years of teaching experience in PK-12 with one year teaching experience in the area of special education (or a year of working with special needs students in the role of speech and language clinician, school psychologist or other support personnel who possess an elementary or secondary teaching certificate and endorsement in special education).

　　

English language requirements

　　6.0

　　Overall IELTS band score

　　Book IELTS

　　About IELTS

　　Practice and prepare

　　TOEFL Internet based overall score: 79.0

　　

Application deadline:

This date isn’t available – speak to an IDP counsellor to get detailed information.

　　

Further information

Career outcomes

　　

Reviews and rankings

World ranking

　　1001st / 1250

　　THE World ranking

　　

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