Distinctives
Recognizing that graduate students come with divergent professional goals and differing educational needs, Azusa Pacific University offers various paths toward the pursuit of credentials and degrees in education. For a limited number of individuals eager to pursue a Master of Arts degree and a credential program concurrently, the Master of Arts in Education: Special Education and the Mild to Moderate Disabilities Specialist Credential (K-12) Level 1, Track A presents an efficient educational package.
The Master of Arts in Education: Special Education provides the tools to make solid contributions in the special needs classrooms. The instruction and coursework come from a distinctly Christian perspective, leading to a compassionate, caring, and ethical approach to teaching.
The Mild to Moderate Disabilities Specialist Credential Level I, Track A is designed for those without a full-time teaching contract. Because the coursework for this credential is embedded in the Master of Arts in Education: Special Education (with the addition of six supervised fieldwork units), many students opt to pursue both the degree and the credential simultaneously. Those who do render themselves highly marketable and eagerly recruited. Students who complete Level I, Track A are granted five years in which they must enroll in Level II to clear their credential.
The combined degree and credential programs are restrictive and faculty advisement and an admissions interview are required prior to enrollment in the program. The combined program is not appropriate for an individual serving on an Emergency, Pre-Intern, or Intern Credential with an urgent need to complete a Level I Credential in one year. A combined program may require more than one academic year.
