Prerequisites
 

For admission to the Graduate School, an applicant must hold either (1) a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or (2) a tertiary (postsecondary) degree that is deemed comparable to a four-year bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution. This degree must be from an officially recognized degree-granting institution in the country in which it operates.

This program is designed specifically for Pennsylvania special education professionals seeking certification from the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Students in Iowa are ineligible to apply for this program. All other out-of-state prospective students must contact Dr. James McAfee prior to applying.

All applicants must have a valid teaching certificate in one of more areas of special education (speech pathology, mentally and physically handicapped, visual impairment, or hearing impairment). Students entering the program must have at least three years professional experience in special education. A minimum of five years' professional school experience in a special education area is required for Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) certification.

Application Materials
 

For your application to be considered complete, mail the following application and supporting materials to the address below a minimum of six weeks prior to your intended start date:

Two official transcripts for academic work leading to a baccalaureate degree and any postbaccalaureate and graduate level credits

Copy of a valid teaching certificate in any area of special education. Teaching certificates from states other than Pennsylvania will be reviewed for comparability.

One letter of recommendation form completed by a current or past supervisor

Pennsylvania Department of Education Verification of Experience Form

Signed copy of Special Education Supervisory Program for PDE Certification Checklist

Verification of three years of certified professional experience required to enter the program. Mail completed Affidavit of Experience form with application materials.

• Note: PDE supervisory certification requires five years of professional experience; though students need only three years experience to enter the program, they will need to have additional experience totaling five years to apply for certification from PDE.

Application materials and application process questions can be directed to:

Special Education Program
Attn: Frank Gallagher
The Pennsylvania State University
125 Cedar Building
University Park PA 16802
Phone: 814-865-6643
Email: feg10@psu.edu

Academic questions, such as course waivers, sequence, internship requirements, etc., should be directed to:

Dr. James McAfee at jqm@psu.edu.

When all materials have been received, we will notify you about your status and provide guidance about the next steps in becoming a Penn State student.

If you have any other questions, please send an email to pennstateonline@psu.edu or call 800-252-3592 (toll free within the United States) or 814-865-5403 (local and international).

How to Apply
 

Begin the graduate school application.

• On the "Admissions and Program Information Portal" page, choose Apply Now.
• Select "Degree Admission" for "Level I Teacher/Administrative Certification for PA Educators"
• When you get to the "Campus, Major, Degree, & Semester" page:
  • Choose "WORLD CAMPUS" as the campus.
  • Choose "SPECIAL EDUCATION" as the major.
  • Choose "Pennsylvania Educators Level I Certification" as the degree.