FAQ's

Special Education Resources : FAQ's

How can I get information without coming to campus at Mankato?

MSU is swiftly becoming a paperless university (Paperless in printed documents, not assignments!). Use the link current students to find information you might need. You will also be able to locate course enrollment information, your bill, and your grades from the opening page of MSU. If you are currently in a fall, 2003 course, you might consider keeping the Fall 2003 course schedule in case it becomes a collector`s item, no more course schedules will be printed on paper!!

How can I find out the College of Graduate Studies' rules?

Links from the main MSU webpage will take you to the College of Graduate Studies. The forms you will need and the student handbook is available online.

Can I take courses without applying to the College of Graduate Studies or take courses as a non-degree seeking student?

No, you must be accepted into the Department of Special Education as a degree seeking (Certificate or Masters level) student to enroll in our courses.

I took some courses at another university. How will I know if they will be accepted so I don`t have to take so many classes?

When you receive your acceptance letter from the Graduate School, the letter may include a listing of substitute courses accepted by the Department. If you think there are other courses that should be considered, contact your advisor. You must submit a copy of your transcript showing the courses in order for them to be considered.

What courses do I need to take for an EBD license/certificate?

The EBD Certificate program includes 27 credits.

What courses do I need to take for an LD license/certificate?

The LD Certificate program includes 23 credits.

What courses do I need to take for an EBD masters?

The EBD Masters program includes 34 credits.

What courses do I need to take for an LD masters?

The LD Masters program includes 34 credits.

In what order should I take the courses?

If you have not taken the prerequisite courses, SPED 605 Individuals with Exceptional Needs and SPED 548 Behavior Management, that would be a good choice. The next most general course, a survey of mild disabilities, is SPED 619 Introduction to Mild Disabilities.

Other than those three courses, you may take the following courses in any order:

SPED 639 Transition

SPED 661 Special Education Law

SPED 645 Formal and Informal Clinical Procedures

SPED 646 Instructional Interventions

SPED 657 Diagnosis and Remediation (EBD license only)

Seminar (SPED 658 for EBD; 649 for LD) and Student Teaching (SPED 667 for EBD; 648 for LD)are ALWAYS taken at the same time. You MUST apply for Student Teaching the semester before you expect to student teach. These courses are the LAST courses in the licensure sequence.

If you have been accepted into the master`s program, you take SPED 600 and SPED 610 sequentially after you have completed your licensure courses. You may NOT take both courses during the same semester as you will not be successful should you attempt to do so. SPED 694 or 699 is taken during the semester you expect to submit your final master`s paper or project.

When will I do my student teaching?

Student teaching is done after ALL other licensure courses have been completed. Keep this in mind as you plan out how many courses you have to take every semester to complete your license before your variance expires.

The class I should take first is full, what should I do?

If you can`t get into SPED 548, 605 or 619 or already have completed them, then take any other licensure courses EXCEPT seminar and student teaching.

Will professors or instructors let me enroll in a class that is full?

The course quotas are set at the highest number possible while maintaining quality, therefore, overrides for enrollment are only rarely given.

If I come to the first class, even though it is full, will I get in?

You can come, but even if you do so, instructors are not able to hold a slot for you. While you are sitting in the class, another student could be dropping the courses, leaving an opening. Meanwhile, a third student is using MARS to take that slot. You only get in the course if you are able to enroll through MARS.

But my situation is different, I`m on a variance.

Unfortunately, most of our students are currently teaching on a variance and are working under a deadline to complete the courses required for licensure in order to keep their jobs.

Some courses require instructor/professor permission, so what information is needed by instructors/professors so that can be done?

In order to enter permission, or an override, your tech ID number is necessary. Instructor permission is usually needed for student teaching and cohort-restricted courses.

If permission to enroll has been entered do I have to do anything else?

Yes, you do. Permission only notifies the system that you may enroll in a specific course, it does not enroll you. Only a student can actually enroll as that makes you responsible to pay the bill.

There is a hold on enrollment.

If this message is displayed when you try to enroll in MARS, it means you MUST contact the registrar. There may be a problem with your financial aid. ONLY the Registrar`s Office can help you resolve this issue.

My grades didn't come in the mail so how do I know my final grade in a course?

The new, paperless MSU provides a link to your grades on the opening page of the website. Also, many instructors post grades on Ucompass Educator. Although the grade on Ucompass Educator is not the official grade, it should be the same as the grade submitted to the Registrar.