UMass Boston

Special Education Certificate

Teach students with a range of learning needs.

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About the Program

Take on more in your current role or move into new opportunities in special education with UMass Boston’s Special Education Certificate. Focusing on practical strategies you can apply right away, this program provides guidance from faculty recognized for leadership at both the local and national level. The flexible hybrid format includes mostly online courses, select in-person sessions, and once-a-week evening classes, so you can keep working while you put what you learn into practice.

Here’s your chance to:

  • Work toward licensure with Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure (MTEL) test prep resources and support from the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) Office of Student Success.
  • Improve your writing with feedback from the UMass Boston Writing Center, available on campus and online, weekdays and weekends.
  • Gain real classroom experience every week through our partner schools in Boston Public Schools.

 

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UMass Boston is the #1 provider of teachers to the Boston Public Schools
University Survey, 2026
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UMass Boston is the #1 provider of teachers and administrators of color in MA
University Survey, 2026
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UMass Boston is the #1 public college of education in MA for two years in a row
U.S. News and World Report, 2024 & 2025

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Career Possibilities

The Academic and Career Engagement and Success (ACES) Center offers career resources, advising, and annual career expos to help you explore opportunities and take action. You’ll gain hands-on experience in special education settings, culminating in a full-time student teaching practicum. You’ll also have a dedicated faculty advisor to guide you through your coursework and help you plan what comes next, along with additional resources from the CEHD Office of Student Success.

Here’s where this degree can take you:

  • Special Education Teacher
  • Inclusion Teacher
  • Resource Room Teacher
  • Co-Teacher
  • Individualized Education Program (IEP) Case Manager
  • Special Education Coordinator or Team Chair
  • Transition Specialist
Example Employers of Program Graduates
UMass Boston Special Education Certificate alumni launch careers as teachers, coordinators, specialists, and more in the Greater Boston Area and across Massachusetts, including:
Lexington Public Schools logo
quincy public schools logo
Boston Public Schools logo
Newton Public Schools logo
Cambridge Public Schools logo
Rising Tide Charter Public Schools logo
Wellesley Public Schools logo

Plan Your Education

How to Apply

Deadlines: June 15 for fall, or November 1 for spring

Application Fee: The nonrefundable application fee is $75. UMass Boston alumni and current students that plan to complete degree requirements prior to graduate enrollment can submit the application without paying the application fee.

Applicants must meet general graduate admission requirements in addition to the following program-specific requirements:

Apply as a Graduate Student

Financing Your Education

Estimate Your Program Cost: Get a feel for your expected program costs using the Graduate Program Cost Calculator.

Program Cost Information: Significant on-campus tuition discounts are available to residents of Massachusetts, the other New England states, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. For more detailed information on costs, visit the Bursar's website to learn more about Regular Session Tuition & Fees for in person courses and Special Price Tuition & Fees for online courses. Please refer to Financial Aid for more information.

Graduate Student Financial Aid

Graduate Scholarships

Program Details

Special Education Certificate Application Requirements

In addition to the criteria below, applicants must meet general graduate admission requirements.

  • Statement of Purpose: This statement of purpose is your opportunity to show the graduate admissions committee why you wish to pursue graduate study, as well as your specific interests and goals.
  • A distinguished undergraduate transcript, with a minimum grade point average of 3.0.
  • Two letters of recommendation submitted by individuals who are knowledgeable about teaching students with disabilities, who have worked closely with the applicant, and who have direct knowledge of the applicant’s teaching skills and academic performance.
  • A writing sample indicating the applicant’s ability to write in a clear, concise, and professional manner. This sample may be in the form of a recent term paper or research paper. The writing sample should NOT be an Individualized Education Program (IEP), an evaluation report, and a lesson/unit plan. The College of Education and Human Development has as its basic goal that the students who graduate are thoughtful and responsive educators, committed to change for social justice. NOTE: This writing sample is in addition to the statement of intent requirement for the Special Education Program.
  • Optional: MTEL Communication and Literacy (Reading and Writing) Score Reports (PreK-8 Certificate)

Curriculum

Required Courses (15 Credits) 

  • EDC G 650 - Rethinking Equity and Teaching for English Language Learners 3 Credit(s)
  • SPE G 607 - Behavioral and Classroom Management 3 Credit(s)
  • SPE G 621 - Introduction to Disabilities for Educational Professionals 3 Credit(s)
  • SPE G 624 - Standardized Assessments for Students with Moderate Disabilities, PreK-12 3 Credit(s)
  • SPE G 633 - Legal and Political Issues in Special Education 3 Credit(s)

Track Courses (6 Credits): Complete two courses from one of the tracks below.

PreK to 8 Track:

  • SPE G 625 - Reading and Writing Assessment and Instruction for Students with Moderate Disabilities, Pre K-8 3 Credit(s)
  • SPE G 626 - Math, Science, and Social Science Assessment and Instruction for Students with Moderate Disabilities 3 Credit(s)

5 to 12 Track:

  • SPE G 631 - Clinical Teaching: Secondary 3 Credit(s)
  • SPE G 632 - Alternative Strategies 3 Credit(s)

Practicum Course (6 Credits)

  • SPE G 698 - Moderate Practicum 3-6 Credit(s)

For more information on curriculum, including course descriptions and degree requirements, visit the Academic Catalog.

Learning Outcomes

  • Apply pedagogical concepts in educational settings to meet the diverse needs of students with disabilities. 
  • Learn to use a variety of formal and informal assessments to identify the strengths and needs of students with disabilities and determine appropriate placement and services that meet their individualized needs. 
  • Implement evidence-based instructional and behavioral strategies to meet the individualized needs of students with disabilities. 
  • Develop skills to form effective collaborative partnerships with families, especially those who are from low socio-economic status and culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, educators, service providers, and the school community. 
  • Adopt a strengths-based problem-solving perspective when supporting and assisting families to identify their priorities, resources, and concerns for their children with disabilities. 
  • Earn a graduate certificate in Education, an initial license in moderate disabilities, and coursework to advan

Graduation Criteria

Complete 27 credits from eight courses including five required courses, two track courses, and one practicum course.

Tracks: Students must select a track in PreK to 8 or 5 to 12.
Field experience: Complete 75 hours of monitored pre-practicum field-based experience, and a minimum semester-long supervised practicum (including hours in an inclusive setting).

Candidates for the Graduate Certificate Leading to Initial Licensure in Moderate Disabilities will experience a subset of the coursework for the MEd and can continue on to complete the additional four courses, leading to the MEd fulfilling the academic requirements for Professional Licensure in Moderate Disabilities.

Statute of limitations: Three years.

Contact

Graduate Program Director Kristin Murphy
kristin.murphy@umb.edu
(617) 287-4516

Accreditation

UMass Boston is a Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education approved educator licensure preparation program provider for:

  • Teacher, Moderate Disabilities, PreK-8, Initial, Post-Baccalaureate
  • Teacher, Moderate Disabilities, 5-12, Initial, Post-Baccalaureate
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education logo (DESE)

 

A multi-ethnic group of young school children are indoors in their classroom. Their teacher is reading a storybook to them.

Build real classroom experience from the start.

Get real experience in a school every week. Licensure-track students spend at least six hours in the field, with placement support through partner schools in Boston Public Schools if you’re not currently working in one. As a program grounded in social justice and urban classrooms, and led by experienced educators, you’ll build hands-on experience in every course, culminating in a full-time student teaching practicum that prepares you for licensure.

 

Program Faculty

Alexandra Richmond

Alexandra Richmond

Assistant Professor

Christopher Denning, Associate Professor, Curriculum & Instruction

Christopher Denning

Department Chair

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Kristin Murphy

Graduate Program Director/Associate Professor

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Lusa Lo

Professor

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Academic Community

Explore the department and college that supports your journey in Curriculum & Instruction.

Related Programs

Next Steps

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Professional Licensure Disclosure

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SARA Compliance, Disclosure & Dispute Resolution
UMass Boston programs are designed to meet the requirements for licensure or certification in Massachusetts. Please contact your state licensing or certification board to determine whether the program meets the requirements for licensure or certification in other states.

 

 

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