Special Education

When you are ready to apply, you can create an online application. Please plan to spend about 10 - 15 minutes completing the application. You can create the application and return to the platform in the future to submit it if you require additional time. You should be prepared to answer a series of questions about your biographical information, program of interest, and educational/ work background. Additionally, you will be required to enter the names and contact information of two references. As part of the application process, you will be required to submit all official college transcripts (sent directly from your institutions), two recommendations (submitted directly from your references who will receive a unique email link), a personal statement, resume, and test scores (required for programs leading to state certification).

Please note that you may submit the online application before submitting the required supplemental materials. For any questions about the online application please contact Fairfield University Graduate Admission.

Our Office of Graduate Admissions is available to explain the application requirements and to help you get your application together. You may contact them at gradadmis@fairfield.edu or by calling (203) 254-4184.

The GREs are not required, though they can be used to waive the PRAXIS Core Academic Skills for Educators tests (formerly PRAXIS I) admission test. The School of Education and Human Development requires passing scores for the Praxis Core Tests or a waiver of the requirement based on appropriate SAT, ACT, GRE, or PAA scores. For a waiver, provide an electronic copy of your test scores from the Educational Testing Service (ETS) uploaded to the application file. If students provide their social security number to ETS www.ets.org/praxis when registering for the Praxis Core exam, the reported score will automatically be uploaded to their Fairfield application file. Fairfield University's code is 3390.

Our programs are designed to accommodate students who want to attend part-time because most of our students are working at least part-time. Some of our students attend full-time, however.

Most of our courses are offered in the evening and a few are offered on the weekends. Weekday courses generally meet once a week for two hours. Weekend courses tend to be full-day courses that meet for four or five weekends or weekend days over the semester.

We keep our classes small. The typical maximum class size is 20, but class sizes range from 12 to 20.

Students who already hold a teaching certificate in another state-approved area are eligible for the cross-endorsement in special education. Please contact Dr. Alyson Martin in for more information on this program.

Students who attend full-time take 9 credits each Fall and Spring semester and up to 6 credits in the summer sessions. For full-time students who start in the Fall semester, the program can be completed in about 2 years. For students who attend part-time, the time will vary based on how many courses are taken at a time. Students are required, however, to complete their degree within 6 years after they begin their first course.

Our financial aid office can best answer that question for you. You may reach them by phoning (203) 254-4125 or by emailing them.

Our graduate assistantships provide tuition credit for work. Please see the Graduate Assistantships page for more information.