The program in Curriculum and Instruction is designed for teachers and teacher candidates at all levels who wish to further develop their pedagogical expertise and improve their skills in educationally related disciplines. Programs in Special Education are concentrations in the Curriculum and Instruction Master’s Degree. The College of Education and Human Services conceptual model for Teacher Education is the Teacher as a Responsive, Reflective Professional: A Partner in Learning. Cleveland State University teacher education graduates are known for distinctive abilities that reflect the four knowledge bases that compose this model: inquiry, partnership, contextualism, and professionalism.

All Curriculum and Instruction programs require the College Core courses, a Curriculum and Instruction core, and an area of specialization. The following specializations currently are available in Special Education: Early Childhood Intervention Specialist, Mild/Moderate Intervention Specialist, and Moderate/Intensive Intervention Specialist. Other specializations from the Department of Teacher Education are also available. The program provides advanced course work in the education of learners with exceptional needs. While all three concentrations include course work and fieldwork that may be applied toward Ohio licensure as an Intervention Specialist, eligibility for such licensure may require further study, depending on the student’s previous educational background. In addition, students must successfully complete the appropriate Praxis II examinations required for licensure by the State of Ohio.

If courses were taken previously as part of a Cleveland State baccalaureate degree program, special education courses generally need not be repeated. However, students need to select appropriate graduate elective offerings in consultation with an academic advisor to make up the requisite number of credit hours for the desired concentration. The College of Education and Human Services is committed to preparing special educators to work within diverse educational settings and communities. Therefore, all three program options require that students have a working knowledge of issues related to the education of culturally and linguistically diverse students, gifted children, children with special needs, and gender issues in education concentrations. To that end, completion of EDC 500 Diversity in Educational Settings, or its equivalent, is a prerequisite to all special education concentrations.

Graduate Student
Degree, Certificate, and Licensure Admission

Individuals with a baccalaureate degree from a college or university with full academic accreditation and who present satisfactory evidence of the ability to pursue graduate study can be considered for admission. Masters degree applicants may be considered for regular degree admission if they meet one or more of the following conditions:

1. The individual has a grade-point average for the bachelor’s degree of at least 2.75 (A = 4.0), with a higher average in the major field. The institution from which the student received the bachelor’s degree determines a student’s undergraduate grade-point average. For those with post baccalaureate studies, both undergraduate and graduate grade-point averages are considered in determining eligibility for admission.
2. The applicant scores at the 50th percentile or above on average across the areas of a standardized admission examination.
3. The person has completed twelve or more graduate credit hours at Cleveland State University as a non-degree or conditional graduate student and has a grade-point average of 3.0 or above.

The Office of Graduate Admissions finalizes acceptance of an applicant for admission. Upon admission, graduate certificate and licensure students must meet with an advisor to prepare a program of study.

Admission Procedures

To complete admission procedures, graduate degree applicants must submit the following:

1. Application: A completed application should be submitted not less than six weeks prior to the term of desired entrance.
2. To facilitate the admission process, it is strongly recommended that applicants use the Apply NOW online application system http://www.csuohio.edu/gradcollege/admissions/apply.html. An application form may be downloaded from www.csuohio.edu/gradcollege/. The processing time for paper application forms is longer than that for online applications.
3. Official Transcripts: At the time of application, applicants should request that every college or university previously attended send one official transcript to the Office of Graduate Admissions (the Graduate Admissions Office will obtain official Cleveland State University transcripts). For graduate applicants who earned their undergraduate degree from Cleveland State University, and those who received undergraduate transfer credit for work taken at another institution, the Graduate Admissions Office will secure the applicant’s undergraduate transcripts from the Cleveland State University Registrar, if the transfer credit was awarded since 2002. The Registrar cannot guarantee the availability of undergraduate transfer credit transcripts from prior to 2002. Graduate applicants who were granted Cleveland State University undergraduate transfer credit prior to 2002 need to request that all Colleges and Universities attended previously send official transcripts to the Office of Graduate Admissions. For applicants who have not yet been awarded their baccalaureate (or higher) degree, a second official transcript with the degree posted also must be submitted to the Graduate Admissions Office before an admitted student will be permitted to register for classes. Transcripts must be received in the Graduate Admissions Office directly from the originating institutions.
4. Official Test Scores: If Bachelor’s Degree GPA is less than 2.75, scores from the GMAT may be required. Examination results over six years old at the time of application are not considered valid and will not be accepted. Only official test scores received directly from the testing service will be accepted.
5. English language Proficiency: All non-native English speakers must demonstrate proof of English language proficiency. The options for doing so and test score reporting requirements can be found online in the Graduate Catalog detailed under the sub-heading “English Language Proficiency.” Individuals who have earned a bachelor’s (or higher) degree from a United States institution, in which the primary language of instruction is English, are not required to take an English-language proficiency examination.
6. Application Fee: A $30 non-refundable application fee is required for degree, licensure, or certificate applicants. Admission decisions will not be rendered until the fee is paid. No application fee is required of applicants who have paid an application fee earlier for admission as a graduate degree, certificate, or licensure student.

Please send all appropriate admission materials to:

Office of Graduate Admissions
Parker Hannifin Hall, Room 227
Cleveland State University
2121 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio 44115-2214
Telephone: (216) 687-5599
Toll Free: 1-888-CSU-OHIO (ask for the Graduate Admissions Office)
Fax: (216) 687-5400
E-mail:graduate.admission@csuohio.edu

Note International students may have different admission requirements. Please contact the Office of Graduate admissions for specifics.

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