M.Ed. in K-12 Special Education
Unlock Potential Through an Online Master’s in Special Education
Are you ready to make a lasting difference in the lives of your students? Regent’s CAEP-accredited Master of Education (M.Ed.) in K-12 Special Education (Licensure) is designed for those seeking K-12 teacher licensure with an endorsement in special education, as well as special educators seeking further training. Here’s your chance to increase your understanding of special education laws and study best practices in disability services, teaching gifted students, addressing behavior disorders, and using assistive technology. Regent’s programs have been ranked by the U.S. News & World Report among the Top 10 Online Graduate Education Programs in Virginia for 11 years in a row, 2013-2023. Experience the difference with the M.Ed. in in K-12 Special Education (Licensure) program.
INCREASE YOUR INFLUENCE & SALARY
Advance in leadership roles and earn a higher salary.
WIDEN YOUR JOB PROSPECTS
Enjoy rewarding opportunities in schools and communities.
UNLOCK THE FULL POTENTIAL IN CHILDREN’S LIVES
Create engaging special education environments that foster learning.
ALIGN YOURSELF WITH EXCELLENCE through the m.ed. in k-12 special education licensure program
Regent has been ranked among the Top National Universities by the U.S. News & World Report (2025). Its programs have also been recognized among the top 10 online graduate education programs in Virginia for 11 consecutive years, 2013-2023. Regent graduates are empowered to make a difference in lives, which has led to 900+ alumni being recognized as Teachers of the Year in Hampton Roads since 2004.
Presented from a Christian worldview, the M.Ed. in K-12 Special Education (Licensure) program is supported by award-winning faculty in Virginia Beach.
Please complete the Request Information form on this page to learn more about this program.
The School of Education’s educational leadership and teacher preparation programs and the College of Arts and Science’s bachelor’s in education programs are awarded full national accreditation from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) for a period of seven years, to 12/31/2030.
On completing the Master of Education – K-12 Special Education (Licensure) degree, you can:
- Understand characteristics of students with disabilities and how to manage behaviors and train in social skills.
- Integrate language acquisition, reading tools, instructional methods and data-driven assessment techniques.
- Apply all of the Virginia Department of Education competencies and skills required for state licensure.
Career Opportunities
- Special Education Teacher
- Special Education Consultant
Students should refer to their catalog or audited degree plan (ADP) for required courses to complete their degree.
2024-25 Semester Check-In Deadlines
All students are expected to check-in for the semester two weeks before the session start date. Students should apply, be accepted, enroll in their first courses, and confirm a plan to pay for their courses prior to this date.
| Session | Semester Check-In | Session Start Date |
|---|---|---|
| Session A | Friday, August 9 | Monday, August 19 |
| Session M | Friday, September 6 | Monday, September 16 |
| Session B | Friday, October 11 | Monday, October 21 |
| Session C | Wednesday, January 8 | Monday, January 13 |
| Session T | Friday, January 31 | Monday, February 10 |
| Session D | Friday, March 7 | Monday, March 17 |
| Session E | Friday, May 2 | Monday, May 12 |
| Session F | Friday, June 13 | Monday, June 23 |
Admissions Requirements
Step 1: Apply to Regent University
Submit your application using the Regent University Online Application.
Note: If you are unable to complete our application due to a disability, please contact our Admissions Office at 757.352.4990 or admissions@regent.edu and an admissions representative will provide reasonable accommodations to assist you in completing the application.
Step 2: Submit Your Unofficial Transcripts
Submit your unofficial transcripts to regent.edu/items.
Upon submitting your application, you will receive an email requesting authorization for Regent University to obtain your official transcripts from your U.S. degree-granting institution. International transcripts must be evaluated by a NACES, AACRAO or NAFSA approved agency.
Step 3: Submit Your Government-Issued ID
To ensure academic integrity, Regent University requires a copy of a government-issued ID. Please submit a scanned copy or photograph of it to regent.edu/items.
Please feel free to contact the Office of Admissions at 757.352.4990 or admissions@regent.edu should you have any further questions about the application process.
Note: All items submitted as part of the application process become the property of Regent University and cannot be returned.
| State | Licensing Agency | Meet Education Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Alabama State Department of Education PO Box 302101 Montgomery, AL 36104 (334) 694-4557 edcert@alsde.edu www.alabamaachieves.org | No |
| Alaska | Alaska Department of Education & Early Development – Teacher Certification PO Box 110500 Juneau, AK 99811 (907) 465-2831 tcwebmail@alaska.gov education.alaska.gov | No |
| Arizona | Arizona Department of Education – Certification Unit PO Box 6490 Phoenix, AZ 85005 (602) 542-4367 www.azed.gov | Yes |
| Arkansas | Arkansas Division of Elementary & Secondary Education – Office of Educator Licensure Four Capitol Mall, Room 106-B Little Rock, AR 72201 501-682-4342 ade.educatorlicensure@ade.arkansas.gov dese.ade.arkansas.gov | No |
| California | California Commission on Teacher Credentialing 651 Bannon Street, Suite 600 Sacramento, CA 95811 credentials@ctc.ca.gov www.ctc.ca.gov | Yes |
| Colorado | Colorado Department of Education – Licensing Office 201 East Colfax Ave. Denver, CO 80203 720-739-3304 www.cde.state.co.us | Yes |
| Connecticut | Connecticut State Department of Education – Bureau of Educator Standards and Certification PO Box 150471 Hartford, CT 06115 860-713-6969 teacher.cert@ct.gov portal.ct.gov | No |
| Delaware | Delaware Department of Education – Licensure & Certification 35 Commerce Way, Suite 1 Dover, DE 19904 302-857-3388 www.doe.k12.de.us | Yes |
| District of Columbia | DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education – Division of Teaching and Learning Educator Credentialing 1050 First Street, NE Washington, DC 20002 (202) 727-6436 osse.asklicensure@dc.gov osse.dc.gov | Yes |
| Florida | Florida Department of Education – Bureau of Educator Certification Room 201, Turlington Building 325 West Gaines Street Tallahassee, FL 32399 800-445-6739 www.fldoe.org | Yes |
| Georgia | Georgia Professional Standards Commission – Educator Certification Division 200 Piedmont Avenue SE, Suite 1716 West Tower Atlanta, GA 30334 404-232-2500 www.gapsc.com | No |
| Hawaii | Hawai’i Teacher Standards Board 650 Iwilei Road, Suite 268 Honolulu, HI 96817 808-586-2600 htsb@hawaii.gov hawaiiteacherstandardsboard.org | Yes |
| Idaho | Idaho Department of Education 650 West State Street Boise, ID 83702 (208) 332-6882 certification@sde.idaho.gov www.sde.idaho.gov | Yes |
| Illinois | Illinois State Board of Education 555 West Monroe Street, Suite 900 Chicago, IL 60661 (312) 814-2220 www.isbe.net | Yes |
| Indiana | Indiana Department of Education 100 N Senate Ave Indianapolis, IN 46204 (317) 232-6610 www.in.gov/doe | Yes |
| Iowa | Iowa Department of Education – Educational Licensure Office 701 E Court Ave, Suite A Des Moines, IA 50309 515-281-5294 educate.iowa.gov | Yes |
| Kansas | Kansas State Department of Education 900 S.W. Jackson Street, Suite 102 Topeka, KS 66612 (785) 296-2288 tlalicense@ksde.org www.ksde.org | Yes |
| Kentucky | Kentucky Education Professional Standards Board 300 Sower Blvd., 5th Floor Frankfort, KY 40601 502-564-5846 kdelicensure@education.ky.gov www.education.ky.gov | No |
| Louisiana | Louisiana Department of Education – Teach LA Live (Educator Certification) PO Box 94064 Baton Rouge, LA 70804 877-453-2721 certification@la.gov www.teachlouisiana.net | Yes |
| Maine | Maine Department of Education 23 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333 207-624-6608 cert.doe@maine.gov www.maine.gov/doe | Yes |
| Maryland | Maryland State Department of Education – Division of Educator Effectiveness 200 West Baltimore Street Baltimore, MD 21201 (410) 767-0100 certinfo.msde@maryland.gov marylandpublicschools.org | No |
| Massachusetts | Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education – Office of Educator Licensure 135 Santilli Highway Everett, MA 02149 (781) 338-3000 www.doe.mass.edu | No |
| Michigan | Michigan Department of Education – Office of Educator Excellence 608 W. Allegan Lansing, MI 48933 833-633-5788 www.michigan.gov | No |
| Minnesota | Minnesota Department of Education – Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board 400 NE Stinson Blvd. Minneapolis, MN 55413 651-539-4200 pelsb@state.mn.us education.mn.gov/MDE/index.htm | Yes |
| Mississippi | Mississippi Department of Education PO Box 771 Jackson, MS 39205 601-359-3483 www.mdek12.org | Yes |
| Missouri | Missouri Department of Elementary & Secondary Education PO Box 480 Jefferson City, MO 65102 573-751-0051 certification@dese.mo.gov dese.mo.gov | Yes |
| Montana | Montana Office of Public Instruction PO Box 202501 Helena, MT 59620 (406) 444-3150 cert@mt.gov opi.mt.gov | Yes |
| Nebraska | Nebraska Department of Education 500 S. 84th St. Lincoln, NE 68510 402-471-2295 www.education.ne.gov | Yes |
| Nevada | Nevada Department of Education 700 E. Fifth Street Carson City, NV 89701 775-687-7300 license@doe.nv.gov doe.nv.gov | Yes |
| New Hampshire | New Hampshire Department of Education – Bureau of Credentialing 25 Hall Street, 3rd Floor Concord, NH 03301 (603) 271-2409 cert.info@doe.nh.gov www.education.nh.gov | Yes |
| New Jersey | New Jersey Department of Education PO Box 500 Trenton, NJ 08625 (609) 292-2070 www.nj.gov/education | Yes |
| New Mexico | New Mexico Public Education Department – Licensure Bureau 300 Don Gaspar, Room 103 Santa Fe, NM 87501 505-827-5800 licensureunit@ped.nm.gov webnew.ped.state.nm.us | Yes |
| New York | New York State Education Department – Office of Teaching Initiatives 89 Washington Ave., 5N EB Albany, NY 12234 518-474-3901 www.highered.nysed.gov | Yes |
| North Carolina | North Carolina Department of Public Instruction – Licensure Office 301 N. Wilmington Street Raleigh, NC 27601 (919) 716-1800 asklicensure@dpi.nc.gov www.dpi.nc.gov | Yes |
| North Dakota | North Dakota Education Standards and Practices Board 2718 Gateway Ave, Suite 204 Bismarck, ND 58503 701-328-9641 espbinfo@nd.gov www.nd.gov/espb | Yes |
| Ohio | Ohio State Board of Education – Office of Educator Licensure & Effectiveness 30 W. Spring Street, 12th Floor Columbus, OH 43215 614-466-3593 educator.licensure@sboe.ohio.gov sboe.ohio.gov | No |
| Oklahoma | Oklahoma State Department of Education – Office of Teacher Certification 2500 N. Lincoln Boulevard, #212 Oklahoma City, OK 73105 (405) 521-3337 teachercertification@sde.ok.gov sde.ok.gov | No |
| Oregon | Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission 250 Division St NE Salem OR, 97301 contact.tspc@tspc.oregon.gov www.oregon.gov/tspc/pages/index.aspx | No |
| Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania Department of Education Forum Building 607 South Drive Harrisburg, PA 17120 717-783-6788 www.education.pa.gov | Yes |
| Rhode Island | Rhode Island Department of Education – Office of Educator Excellence and Certification Services 255 Westminster Street Providence, RI 02903 401-222-4600 eqac@ride.ri.gov ride.ri.gov | No |
| South Carolina | South Carolina Department of Education 1429 Senate St. Columbia SC 29201 803-734-8500 info@ed.sc.gov ed.sc.gov | Yes |
| South Dakota | South Dakota Department of Education – Division of Accreditation and Certification 800 Governors Dr. Pierre, SD 57501 (605) 773-3134 certification@state.sd.us doe.sd.gov | No |
| Tennessee | Tennessee Department of Education 710 James Robertson Parkway Nashville, TN 37243 educator.licensure@tn.gov www.tn.gov | No |
| Texas | Texas Education Agency 1701 N. Congress Avenue Austin, Texas, 78701 (512) 936-8400 tea.texas.gov | No |
| Utah | Utah State Board of Education 250 East 500 South Salt Lake City, UT 84114 (801) 538-7688 sped-licensing@schools.utah.gov schools.utah.gov | No |
| Vermont | Vermont Agency of Education – Licensing Office 1 National Life Drive, Davis 5 Montpelier, VT 05620 (802) 828-3440 aoe.licensinginfo@vermont.gov education.vermont.gov | Yes |
| Virginia | Virginia Department of Education – Department of Teacher Education and Licensure PO Box 2120 Richmond VA, 23218 804-786-2302 licensure@doe.virginia.gov doe.virginia.gov | Yes |
| Washington | Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction PO Box 47200 600 Washington St. SE Olympia, WA 98504 360-725-6000 cert@k12.wa.us ospi.k12.wa.us | Yes |
| West Virginia | West Virginia Department of Education – Office of Certification Building 6, Suite 550 1900 Kanawha Boulevard East Charleston, WV 25305 (304) 558-7010 certification.wvde@k12.wv.us wvde.us | Yes |
| Wisconsin | Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction PO Box 7841 Madison, WI 53707 (608) 224-6175 dpi.wi.gov | Yes |
| Wyoming | Wyoming Professional Teaching Standards Board 2001 Capitol Ave. Emerson Building Rm 128 Cheyenne, WY 82002 307-777-7291 wyoptsb@wyo.gov wyomingptsb.com | Yes |
Part-Time Students
| Degree | Tuition Cost Per Credit Hour | Average Credit Hours Per Semester | Average Tuition Per Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master of Education (M.Ed.) | $585 | 6 | $3,510 |
| Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) | $820 | 6 | $4,920 |
| Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) | $820 | 3 | $2,460 |
| Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) | $820 | 3 | $2,460 |
Full-Time Students
| Degree | Tuition Cost Per Credit Hour | Average Credit Hours Per Semester | Average Tuition Per Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master of Education (M.Ed.) | $585 | 9 | $5,265 |
| Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) | $820 | 9 | $7,380 |
| Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) | $820 | 6 | $4,920 |
| Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) | $820 | 6 | $4,920 |
Student Fees Per Semester
| University Services Fee (On-Campus Students) | $900 (Fall & Spring) $750 (Summer) |
|---|---|
| University Services Fee (Online Students) | $750 |
PART-TIME STUDENTS
| Degree | Tuition Cost Per Credit Hour | Average Credit Hours Per Semester | Average Tuition Per Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master of Education (M.Ed.) | $565 | 6 | $3,390 |
| Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) | $800 | 6 | $4,800 |
| Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) | $800 | 3 | $2,400 |
| Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) | $800 | 3 | $2,400 |
Full-Time Students
| Degree | Tuition Cost Per Credit Hour | Average Credit Hours Per Semester | Average Tuition Per Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master of Education (M.Ed.) | $565 | 9 | $5,085 |
| Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) | $800 | 9 | $7,200 |
| Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) | $800 | 6 | $4,800 |
| Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) | $800 | 6 | $4,800 |
Student Fees Per Semester
| University Services Fee (On-Campus Students) | $850 (Fall & Spring) $700 (Summer) |
|---|---|
| University Services Fee (Online Students) | $700 |
*Rates are subject to change at any time.
Background Checks
The School of Education requires a background check for all students who participate in Field Experience that includes direct contact with students. Regent University School of Education has entered into an agreement with Castle Branch, a private vendor that conducts background checks for many universities and educational institutions. After you are admitted into the program, you will be provided instructions to set up an online profile with Castle Branch.
Internship Information
Regent University requires two internships for the K-12 Special Education General Curriculum Licensure program:
- ETSP 561 provides an internship experience in a small-group setting working with identified students.
- ETSP 561A provides a co-teaching opportunity to collaborate with other educators within an inclusive general education setting.
Review the graduation assessments for this program here.
Deadlines to submit internship applications:
- October 1st for Spring internships
- March 1st for Fall internships
For additional information, you may contact:
Romeo Villanueva Jr.
Field Placement Coordinator
757.352.4205
rvillanueva@regent.edu
Lisa Temple
Certification & Licensure Official
757.352.4871
ltemple@regent.edu
Dr. Sonja Maggi
Internship Coordinator
sonjlew@regent.edu