Information for Prospective Special Education Students

Teacher Education and Student Services

College of Education

The University of Iowa

Dear Prospective Student:

            Thank you for your inquiry concerning our graduate-level Special Education teacher training programs.  The purpose of this letter is to provide you with information typically requested by prospective students.  If you have questions that are not addressed in this letter, please contact the Department of Teaching and Learning Office for an appointment with a member of the Special Education Faculty. 

Certification Areas

            Special Education teacher training programs are available in the following areas:  Instructional Strategist I: Mild/Moderate (K-6), Instructional Strategist I: Mild/Moderate (7-12), and Instructional Strategist II:  BD/LD (K-12).  A complete listing of the requirements for each program is available from the Division of Curriculum and Instruction.  Upon completion of any certification program, you must ap­ply for a recommendation for the appropriate special education endorsement(s) in the Office of Student Services, N310 Lindquist Center.

Types of Admission

            Students may be admitted to a Special Education program under the graduate student classification of Certification Only or as an M.A. Degree candidate.  Admission requirements for these two classifications are the same.

            Students who wish to pursue an M.A. Degree in Special Education which does not include Special Education teacher certification will be considered on an individual basis. 

Admission Requirements

            The Graduate Admissions Committee must have a complete application file before an admission decision can be made.  A complete application file consists of:

1. A completed Graduate College application form;

2. Copies of official transcripts for all previous college course work;

3. An official report of your Graduate Record Examination (GRE) Aptitude Test scores (Verbal and Quantitative sections), with a combined score of at least 1,000 on these two sections preferred.  Contact the University of Iowa Exam Service, 300 Jefferson Building, for information about taking the GRE on this or other campuses;

4. Three current letters of recommendation (an up-to-date placement file is acceptable); and

5. An undergraduate total cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.00 and/or a graduate total cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.00 for at least 12 semester hours of graduate work (on a 4-point scale).