Application Requirements for Special Education

Special Education Programs

MAT – Master of Arts in Teaching in Special Education & Elementary Education
Leads to dual certification in special education and elementary education

Program Code: SPEC_MAT01

Master in Education in Special Education
For students who are already certified in special education who wish to pursue a master’s degree.

Program Code: SPEC_MED01

Master in Education in Special Education with Certification as a Teacher of Students with Disabilities
For students who already hold a standard teaching certificate in a field other than special education and wish to obtain New Jersey certification as a Teacher of Students with Disabilities

Program Code: SPEC_MED02

Post-Master’s Learning Disabilities Teacher/Consultant Certification
For experienced teachers who already hold a master’s degree in special education or a related field and leads to recommendation for certification as a learning disabilities teacher/consultant, the educational specialist on the child study team, mandated by the state of New Jersey.

Program Code: SPEC_SCT01

Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Teacher of Students with Disabilities
For students who already hold a standard teaching certificate in a field other than special education and wish to obtain New Jersey certification as a Teacher of Students with Disabilities

Program Code: SPEC_SCT02

Special Education Requirements

National Standardized Admission Test Requirement

Applicants to the MAT Special Education program must provide official GRE scores with a minimum composite Verbal and Math score of 310 and a Writing score of 4 or pass the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators exams.

Applicants to the M.Ed. Special Education programs are required to take the GRE unless they meet criteria of the waiver policy. The GRE is waived for individuals seeking the post-master’s certificate program.

Applicants should request that a score report be sent to The College of New Jersey (Code #R2519). The test scores must arrive by the application deadline. Test scores may not be more than five years old.

» View Graduate Admission Testing Information and Waivers

Educational Experience

Applicants to the MAT Special Education program must have a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution. Applicants may present an undergraduate major in state-approved content area, or 30 semester hours in a liberal arts or science major or 60 semester-hour credits in liberal arts/sciences coursework. Undergraduate program must include: English—two college-level courses minimum; Mathematics—two college-level courses minimum; Science—two college-level courses minimum; Social Studies—two college-level courses minimum; (one of the courses must be U.S. History)

Applicants to the Post-Master’s Teacher of Students with Disabilities program are required to complete pre-requisites in child psychology and in the teaching of reading.

Applicants to the Post-Master’s Learning Disabilities Teacher/Consultant Certification program are required to complete up to 12 credits of graduate-level course work in the following four areas: tests and measurements; psychology of learning; physiological bases of learning; and foundations of education. If candidates do not already have applicable graduate courses in these areas of study, the courses must be taken as part of the post-master’s certification program at The College of New Jersey.

Copy of Teacher Certification

Applicants to the MAT Special Education program do not present a teaching certificate. Applicants to the other Special Education programs must provide the specified teaching certificate.

View Teacher Certification Details

M.Ed. in Special Education
A CEAS or standard certificate in special education and several years of teaching is required.

M.Ed. Special Education with Certification as a Teacher of Students with Disabilities
A CEAS or standard certificate in elementary, secondary education with a teachable major or content area is required.

Post-Master’s Teacher of Students with Disabilities ???
A CEAS or standard certificate in special education and several years of teaching is required. A CEAS or standard certificate in elementary, secondary education with a teachable major or content area is required.

Post-Master’s Learning Disabilities Teacher/Consultant Certification
A CEAS or standard certificate in special education and 3 years of successful classroom teaching is required.

Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Teacher of Students with Disabilities
???

Graduate Application Requirements

Application Form

All applications should be submitted online. If internet access is not available/extenuating circumstances exist, a paper form may be requested.

» How to Apply

Application Fee

The application fee is currently $75. Applications cannot be reviewed without payment of this fee and fees are non-refundable. This fee is waived for students who formerly enrolled at TCNJ. A check or money order payable to The College of New Jersey must be included in the envelope of supplemental documents. Do not send cash. Please print applicant’s name on the front of the check or money order.

Transcripts

An official transcript is required from each college you have attended other than The College of New Jersey. Official transcripts should be requested for The College of New Jersey from each institution you have attended and must arrive prior to the appropriate deadline.

View Transcript Details

If your transcripts will be coming to us under a different last name (i.e. a maiden name), please be sure to inform our office by e-mail at graduate@tcnj.edu.
Transcripts are accepted as official when they are received in their original sealed envelope. Transcripts stamped as “Issued to Student” cannot be accepted as official.
The College of New Jersey will accept electronic transcripts for enrollment purposes if certain criteria are met regarding the transcript. Please see Acceptance of Electronic Transcripts (e-transcripts) for Enrollment Purposes.
All students who attend a non-U.S. Institution must have all of their educational documents translated into English and evaluated on a course-by-course basis by an accredited agency as to the U.S. equivalency of their course work. (see http://www.naces.org/members.htm for an agency listing)

Recommendations

Please provide letter of recommendation forms to two individuals who can evaluate your academic performance, relevant work experience, and/or ability to pursue graduate study.

View Recommendations Details

Supply one recommendation form and self-addressed envelope to each recommender. Explain to the recommender that the completed recommendation is to be placed in the envelope which is then sealed, signed and returned to you. An indication to the recommender of an expected date of return may encourage promptness on his or her part.
The unopened envelope should be submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies in the envelope of supplemental documents.
Recommendation letters are not required for non-matriculation applications.

» Download Recommendation Form

Student Essay

A student essay is required with all completed applications. The essay may be included with the supplemental documents noted above or may be uploaded through the online application.

View Essay Details

The essay should not exceed 2 pages.
The essay should be a personal statement expressing your professional goals and reasons for wanting to enroll as a graduate student at The College of New Jersey.

Resume / CV

Resume/CV is required and may be uploaded through the online application. Your resume/CV should be accompanied by a bulleted list of all of your activities with participation dates.

International Applicants

The College of New Jersey welcomes applications from students outside of the United States. In addition to the standard supplement documents required, international applicants must have score reports submitted for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) if their native language is not English and must complete the International Student Admissions Handbook for F-1 Students (including an Affidavit of Financial Support as well as additional forms which are included and explained in the handbook). The handbook is available at http://www.tcnj.edu/~iss/forms.html. Your completed handbook along with supporting documents must be submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies, Paul Loser Hall 109, PO Box 7718, Ewing, NJ 08628. Please note that international applicants must apply early as it takes time to complete the visa process.
All students who attend a non-U.S. Institution must have all of their educational documents translated into English and evaluated on a course-by-course basis by an accredited agency as to the U.S. equivalency of their course work. (see http://www.naces.org/members.htm for an agency listing)
An I-20 cannot be issued until after the student is officially admitted to The College. For more information, including required forms, please visit the International Student Services website.
The College of New Jersey offers a number of degree and certification programs at overseas/international locations. Students planning to attend an overseas/international site do not require an I-20 or an Affidavit of Financial Support.

Enrollment Deposit

Matriculated students will be required to submit a $100.00 enrollment deposit upon acceptance to secure their seat.
This enrollment deposit is non-refundable, but will be entered as a credit toward the student’s account.
Payment of enrollment deposit can be made online through PAWS, or, a check or money order payable to The College of New Jersey may be included with the completed acceptance form. (Please print applicant’s name on the front of the check or money order.) Do not send cash.
If the enrollment deposit and acceptance form included in the admission packet are not returned by the date specified in the acceptance letter, the seat will be offered to another applicant.

Health Information Requirement

In the event you are offered admission, you must provide all required health information in order to enroll. For details, please visit the Health Services website.