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Master’s Degree Programme in Special Education - 120 credits (ECTS) – Study Plan
Choice between full-time study over 2 years or part-time study over 4 years
Homepage for master’s degree in Special Education
Programme Coordinator:
Education Institute, The Social Sciences Faculty, University of Tromsø. The Programme Board.
Qualification awarded
Master of special education.
Description of studies:
Master’s degree study in Special Education aim to qualify students by developing knowledge, insight and proficiency within the field of special education at individual, group and systems level. The studies are built up as a programme of study consisting of theoretical studies within special education, psychology, culture and ethnicity, research methods and a master’s degree dissertation. The studies are collectively based and may be taken in the form of either full-time or part-time study. Acceptance on the master’s study course takes place every Autumn semester and is limited to 20 students. The closing date for applications is 15 April.
Standards of Competence:
The principal objective in the master’s degree course in Special Education is to give a professionally oriented, research-based training. This training aims primarily to offer a qualification for work in educational-psychological consultancy services (pedagogisk-psykologisk rådgivningstjeneste, PPT), centres of competence, the health and social sectors, schools, further education colleges and universities, as well as administration. The master’s degree in Special Education is also a qualification for acceptance to Ph.D. studies in Education/Special Education.
Admission Requirement:
For a transitional period, priority will be given to teachers, nursery teachers, teachers in child welfare, mental nurses and others with Special Education further training (first- and second-level Special Education studies) that qualifies them for acceptance to master’s degree studies. For students with complete second level qualifications, 30 study credits will be awarded to their master’s degree studies, i.e. exemption from PED-3022 and PED-3025.
In the longer term, a bachelor examination with at least 80 specialist study credits in Special Education will be required. Among the specialist topics, a minimum of 30 study credits must be at intermediate level (2000 level, or equivalent). The minimum academic requirement for acceptance is an average grade C, calculated on the basis of individual grades obtained for specialist subjects. Students with different combinations of Education and Special Education training backgrounds may also be accepted for master’s degree studies, subject to individual evaluation.
Students are asked to state in their application which specialist subjects they wish to take, together with their level of study (50% or 100%).
Academic Organization:
Studies will be organized as 10-, 20- and 30-credit subjects, together with work on a master’s degree dissertation worth 40 credits, for which each student will be allocated a supervisor. The academic supervision is limited to normal study times and will be confirmed by contract.
Subjects:
Subjects PED-3050, PED-3051, PED-3021 and PED-3901 are obligatory. Students with course qualifications equivalent to PED-3050, PED-3051 or PED-3021 from other academic fields or teaching institutes may apply for exemption. Specialist subjects PED-3022 and PED-3025 may, upon application, be substituted by equivalent specialist qualifications from other teaching institutes.
Students who do not possess the minimum qualifications in method and statistics at 1000-level must undertake an intensive course at the beginning of the study period, which will be graded either pass or fail.
Student exchange:
A period of study abroad may be applicable as fieldwork or other collection of material for the master's degree dissertation. Students may also read for subjects at universities abroad and apply for these to be accepted.
Teaching and Examination Procedures:
Teaching will take place by means of lectures, seminars and personal supervision. Each subject will conclude with an essay that will be awarded an academic grade. The master’s degree studies are concluded with a public examination consisting of the dissertation, the delivery of a lecture on a set topic and an oral examination of a self-selected syllabus linked to the master’s degree dissertation. The closing dates for the master’s degree dissertation are 15 May and 20 November. A grading scale of five levels, from A-E, is used for successfully completed examinations, and grade F for fail.
Teaching Practice:
For students who do not have relevant teaching practice experience, three weeks’ teaching practice is required in connection with the chosen specialist field.
One example of how studies might progress is sketched below:
Example based on study progression – full-time – 2 years:
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