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Online Graduate Certificate in Leadership in Special and Inclusive Education
Our special education programs are ranked #1 among public universities1
The University of Kansas has set the standard in the practice of special education for over 50 years
Earn your certificate in as few as six to eight months
Earning an online graduate certificate in leadership in special and inclusive education* from the KU school of Education will give you the necessary perspective and tools you need to enact change in any educational setting, as well as a thorough understanding of the laws and systems that inform the implementation of inclusive policies and practices.
Earning this graduate certificate will allow you to:
- Fully comprehend the complexities of special education policy and law, especially the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
- Utilize current best practices and methods to support and educate students with disabilities
- Understand how schools comply with laws and regulations and operate within the law while also overcoming common barriers to achieve equitable educational outcomes
Lead your school in more inclusive approaches to educating students with disabilities.
KU's online graduate certificate in leadership in special and inclusive education* is broadly applicable for many different professionals who interact with students with disabilities, including educators, administrators, principals, directors, school staff, concerned family members, advocates and more.
Important Dates
Program Details
Program Details
- 4 courses, 8 weeks per course, 12 credit hours
- Complete in as few as 6 to 8 months
- Learn from renowned faculty in a department that has set the standard in the research and practice of special education for over 50 years
- Complete your coursework anytime, anywhere, through our innovative online format
- No GRE required for admission
What You’ll Learn
This special education certificate program offers a big-picture view of special education policy and law, while challenging you to imagine new reform efforts based on up-to-date research. You will be prepared to advance the rights of all students, confront biases in and about special education and the students who are supported through special education services, and identify and overcome the barriers to inclusive education.
For more detailed information on the topics covered in this program, view the course listings.
Career Outcomes
The online graduate certificate in leadership in special and inclusive education prepares you to meet the challenges of being a special and inclusive education leader in a school setting, advocacy group or technical assistance center. Rather than put you on a set path to a specific career, this program provides you with skills and knowledge that will serve you well in many different positions working with students with disabilities.
Program Details
- 4 courses, 8 weeks per course, 12 credit hours
- Complete in as few as 6 to 8 months
- Learn from renowned faculty in a department that has set the standard in the research and practice of special education for over 50 years
- Complete your coursework anytime, anywhere, through our innovative online format
- No GRE required for admission
What You’ll Learn
This special education certificate program offers a big-picture view of special education policy and law, while challenging you to imagine new reform efforts based on up-to-date research. You will be prepared to advance the rights of all students, confront biases in and about special education and the students who are supported through special education services, and identify and overcome the barriers to inclusive education.
For more detailed information on the topics covered in this program, view the course listings.
Career Outcomes
The online graduate certificate in leadership in special and inclusive education prepares you to meet the challenges of being a special and inclusive education leader in a school setting, advocacy group or technical assistance center. Rather than put you on a set path to a specific career, this program provides you with skills and knowledge that will serve you well in many different positions working with students with disabilities.
Online Graduate Certificate in Leadership in Special and Inclusive Education Course Descriptions
All courses listed are worth 3 credits.
Please note: Course list and sequence are subject to change.
SPED 756 - Special Education Leadership
This is an introductory course in special education law and policy implementation. It is designed to provide school and district administrators, and other special education stakeholders, with a basic understanding of key points in the history of special education law and policy. It focuses primarily on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and its core concepts, with particular attention to Least Restrictive Environment (LRE). This course is designed to provide a working knowledge of IDEA’s procedural requirements, the preferred practices associated with implementing the procedures in schools, criticism of these practices and their implementation, and ideas for addressing these criticisms in ways that promote more equitable and inclusive special education practices.
SPED 757 - History, Context, and Critique of Special Education
This is course is designed to provide school and district administrators, and other special education stakeholders, with a general understanding of the history of the treatment of individuals with disabilities and the development of special education law and policy over time. It foregrounds current issues in the post-IDEA organization of the field, highlighting the goals and challenges of democratic leadership and civic professionalism in relation to special education. The course concludes with a final paper and online presentation examining how history, disability, difference and justice inform special education leadership, both in theory and in practice.
SPED 758 - Appropriate Education and Least Restrictive Environment
This course is designed to give school and district administrators, and other special education stakeholders interested in special education leadership, a deep understanding of two core principles of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). These are: (1) appropriate education, and (2) least restrictive environment. The course continues the same pattern established in the previous courses for this four-course program. It introduces these core IDEA concepts, features a week of criticisms of those concepts, and follows with a week on remedies to address key issues identified. The last two modules of the course focus on the Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) and inclusive practices. The course concludes with a final project.
SPED 759 - Non-Discriminatory Evaluation, Parent Participation, and Procedural Due Process
This course is designed to give school and district administrators, and other special education stakeholders interested in special education leadership, a deep understanding of three of the core principles of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). These are: (1) non-discriminatory evaluation, (2) parent participation, and (3) procedural due process. The course continues the same pattern established in the previous courses for this four-course program. It introduces these three core IDEA concepts, features a week of criticisms of those concepts, and follows with a week on remedies to address key issues identified. The last two modules of the course focus on the Individualized Educational Plan and inclusive practices. The course concludes with a final project.
*This online graduate certificate does not lead to initial nor advanced licensure in special education in the state of Kansas.
Note: In order to enroll in this program, a bachelor's degree is required. No program can guarantee licensure. It is each student’s responsibility to determine the licensure requirements in his or her state and to apply for the licenses or endorsements necessary to his or her career goals. Our department staff and licensure officer can provide individual support during the application process to help you understand your state’s requirements.
Sources:
- Retrieved on September 26, 2018, from ncld.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/2014-State-of-LD.pdf
- Retrieved on March 19, 2019, from usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/university-of-kansas-155317/overall-rankings