MAT in SPED – Adapted Curriculum & Early Childhood with CTE-Transition Teach With Heart and Unlock Potential

45
Credit Hours
Online,* 8-week courses
Transfer in up to 50% of the degree total
Prepare for a Variety of Special Education Careers with Liberty’s Online Master of Arts in Teaching – Adapted Curriculum and Early Childhood Special Education with CTE-Transition and Special Needs
Do you have a passion for special education? Perhaps you’ve previously earned a non-licensure undergraduate degree in education, or maybe your bachelor’s degree covered a field that wasn’t education-focused. Either way, Liberty’s online Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in Special Education – Adapted Curriculum and Early Childhood Special Education with a Career and Technical Education (CTE)-Transition and Special Needs add-on endorsement may be right for you. This early childhood special education degree is designed to prepare you to work with children who have mild and pronounced learning disabilities.
As an educator, it’s likely that you’ll meet students from different walks of life and teach pupils who have a variety of special needs. At Liberty, we affirm that every child has tremendous worth and value – and we believe that it takes a compassionate, driven, and prepared individual to serve children with learning disabilities. We also know that, at times, it can be challenging to piece together a degree program that makes you a versatile and well-rounded teacher. That’s where we can assist.
This degree program is designed to help you earn a teaching license with dual endorsements and an add-on endorsement – allowing you to become a valuable contributor in almost any education setting. Better yet, you’ll be able to pursue this degree from the comfort of home and complete your practicums and student teaching in your community – so you won’t have to relocate to further your education.
Your officially conferred degree name will be Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in Special Education – Adapted Curriculum and Early Childhood Special Education with a Career and Technical Education (CTE)-Transition and Special Needs add-on endorsement.
Liberty maintains strict compliance with all licensure requirements for the Commonwealth of Virginia. Not a Virginia resident? We want to help find the best program for you! To view educational requirements and whether a specific program aligns with the licensure requirements for your state, please review our licensure/certification requirements webpage.
*Some exclusions apply. Please refer to our exclusions page for more information.







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- Private Nonprofit University
- 600+ Online Degrees
- No Standardized Testing for Admission
- Transfer in up to 75% of an Undergrad Degree
- Transfer in up to 50% of a Grad/Doctoral Degree
Why Choose Liberty’s Master’s in Teaching – Early Childhood Special Education Degree?
As a pioneer in distance education since 1985, Liberty understands what it takes to design a flexible, affordable online master’s in teaching that pairs convenience with academic excellence. We don’t shortchange you when you pursue an online special education degree with us – we empower you by putting the academic credibility of a brick-and-mortar campus at your fingertips, no matter where you are located.
One major benefit of this MAT in Special Education is its versatility. When you’re an aspiring educator trying to position yourself for future success, it can be difficult to figure out which endorsements and coursework you need – especially when you’re trying to tailor your education to meet licensure requirements. At Liberty, we recognize this, which is why this degree program conveniently packages licensure requirements for adapted curriculum with a career and technical education add-on endorsement – meaning you can use this degree to serve students with special needs who have varying goals.
If you’re looking for a special education master’s degree that pairs K-12 licensure requirements in special education with specialized training in early childhood education and CTE for students with special needs, look no further than our online MAT in Special Education – Adapted Curriculum and Early Childhood Special Education with a CTE-Transition and Special Needs add-on endorsement.
What Will You Study in Our Adapted Curriculum Master’s in Special Education Online?
This degree program consists of 3 main sections: core courses, adapted curriculum and early childhood special education courses, and field experience courses.
In the core courses, you will study foundations of exceptionality, special education, and disability law, as well as assessment and evaluation in special education. You will also study educational philosophy, theories of learning, and principles of behavior management.
In the adapted curriculum and early childhood section of your degree, you will study the characteristics and medical aspects of severe disabilities. In addition, you will explore transition and assessment for exceptional learners, employment and independent living, and individualized programming and curriculum. You will also study language and literacy for diverse learners.
From there, you will dive into early childhood studies – focusing on curriculum and methods as well as foundations in early literacy instruction. The knowledge offered by the early childhood section of this degree can help you become a well-rounded educator who has a working knowledge of how to teach and mentor young children who have special needs.
Additionally, you will complete a resource seminar for special education as well as an additional student teaching course. Because this is an online degree, we don’t ask you to commute to Central Virginia for your student teaching. At Liberty, you can complete your practicums and 2 student teaching courses at an approved location near you.
Potential Career Opportunities
This dual-endorsement special education MAT program is designed to provide the training needed to teach special education in the classroom as a licensed teacher. Because this degree has multiple endorsements, you may be able to pursue a variety of special education careers upon completion of your degree and satisfaction of state licensure requirements.
Potential careers for graduates of this degree program include:
- Career and technical education (CTE) specialist
- Early childhood special education teacher
- Special education teacher-adapted curriculum
Featured Courses
Degree Information
- This program falls under the School of Education.
- View the Graduate Education Course Guides (login required).
- This program requires a background check.
- Complete at least 90 practicum hours and at least 2 full semesters of student teaching prior to graduation.
- This program can help you achieve your initial teaching licensure.
- Upon completion of an eligible Graduate Education program, you may be eligible for certification through the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI).
- Review the State-Specific Approval Disclosures.
Degree Completion Plan (PDF)
State Licensure Requirements
Individual state licensure requirements may vary and are subject to change without notice. View your state’s requirements here: licensure/certification requirements.

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Tuition & Aid
Your success is our success, which is why we are committed to providing quality academics at an affordable tuition rate. While other colleges are increasing their tuition, we have frozen tuition rates for the majority of our undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs for the past 9 years – and counting.
Graduate Education Full Time | $415/Credit |
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Graduate Education Part Time | $615/Credit |
Military Graduate | $275/Credit |
Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.
All Tuition & Fees
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Admission Information for the MAT in Special Education
Admission Requirements
- Apply online or over the phone with an admissions counselor by calling (800) 424-9596.
- A non-refundable, non-transferable $50 application fee will be posted on the current application upon enrollment (waived for qualifying service members, veterans, and military spouses – documentation verifying military status is required).
- Send official college transcripts (mailed as sealed, unopened copies or sent via a direct electronic transcript system). A regionally or nationally accredited bachelor’s degree with at least a 2.5 GPA is required for admission in good standing. Applicants who have earned a master’s degree or at least 12 graduate credits from an accredited institution will be assessed on the basis of the master’s-level degree work.
- Unofficial transcripts can be used for acceptance purposes with the submission of a Transcript Request Form.
- Applicants whose native language is other than English must submit official scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or an approved alternative assessment. For information on alternative assessments or TOEFL waivers, please call Admissions or view the official International Admissions policy.
Please note: Guidelines are subject to change in federal or state regulations for the licensure of school personnel.
Preliminary Acceptance
If you are sending in a preliminary transcript for acceptance, you must:
- Be in your final term and planning to start your master’s degree after the last day of class for your bachelor’s degree.
- Complete a Bachelor’s Self-Certification Form confirming your completion date. You may download the form from the Forms and Downloads page or contact an admissions counselor to submit the form on your behalf.
- Submit an official/unofficial transcript to confirm that you are in your final term. The preliminary transcript must show a minimum of 105 completed credit hours.
- If you are a current Liberty University student completing your undergraduate degree, you will need to submit a Degree/Certificate Completion Application.
- Send in an additional, final official transcript with a conferral date on it by the end of your first semester of enrollment in the new master’s degree.
Dual Enrollment
Please see the Online Dual Enrollment page for information about starting graduate courses while finishing your bachelor’s degree.
Transcript Policies
Unofficial College Transcript Policy
Unofficial transcripts combined with a Transcript Request Form can be used for admission. Official transcripts are required within 60 days of the admissions decision or before non-attendance drops for the first set of matriculated classes, whichever comes first, and will prevent enrollment into future terms until all official transcripts have been received.
Before sending unofficial college transcripts, please make sure they include the following:
- Your previous school’s name or logo printed on the document
- Cumulative GPA
- A list of completed courses and earned credit broken down by semester
- Degree and date conferred (if applicable)
Official College Transcript Policy
An acceptable official college transcript is one that has been issued directly from the institution and is in a sealed envelope. If you have one in your possession, it must meet the same requirements. If your previous institution offers electronic official transcript processing, they can send the document directly to luoverify@liberty.edu.
If the student uses unofficial transcripts with a Transcript Request Form to gain acceptance, all official transcripts must be received within 60 days of the admissions decision or before non-attendance drops for the first set of matriculated classes, whichever comes first. Failure to send all official transcripts within the 60-day period will prevent enrollment into future terms until all official transcripts have been received.
Admissions Office Contact Information
Liberty University Online Admissions Verification
1971 University Blvd.
Lynchburg, VA 24515

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Military
Liberty University is dedicated to providing world-class educational experiences to military students across the globe.
Who May Qualify?
- Active Duty
- Reserve/National Guard
- Veterans/Retirees
- Spouses of Service Members and Veterans/Retirees
- Current Department of Defense Employees
Available Benefits:
- Tuition discounts – $275 per credit hour for graduate courses
- Additional discount for veterans who serve in a civilian capacity as a First Responder (less than $625 per course)*
- 8-week courses, 8 different start dates each year, and no set login times (may exclude certain courses such as practicums, internships, or field experiences)
*Not applicable to certificates.
Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this program have any special financial benefits?
While other colleges are increasing their tuition, we have lowered our tuition for our Master of Arts in Teaching program. At $415 per credit hour for full-time students, Liberty University’s MAT online is available at one of the lowest tuition rates for this degree in the country.
Additionally, pursuing our licensure-track Master of Arts in Teaching may make you eligible for the Federal TEACH Grant.
Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.
Does this program have any additional accreditation?
Liberty University’s School of Education meets rigorous national standards for educator preparation set by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).
Will this program provide any hands-on experience?
You can gain hands-on experience with 90 in-person practicum hours and at least 2 full semesters of student teaching prior to graduation.
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