EdTerps Learning Academy - Special Education and School Counseling Programs

The EdTerps Learning Academy provides formal and informal training and professional development opportunities that encompass current evidence-based research and practice related to instruction, policy analysis, counseling, and human development. 

Mentoring and advising are an essential part of the program. Students meet with faculty and the academic program director to ensure that educational goals and career learning and development goals are met. Students should contact Dr. Agnesanne J. Danehey at adanehey@umd.edu. 

Overview

The M.Ed. in Special Education, Specialty: Early Childhood Birth to Age 5, Shady Grove (SPEC)  is a 30-credit, 10-course curriculum that addresses the developmental and learning needs of children from birth to five years old.

• Includes coverage of the unique needs of those with physical, sensory (e.g., deaf-blindness, cortical visual impairment, etc.), and multiple disabilities.
• Provides students with the knowledge, skills, and abilities that support efforts to “achieve equitable developmental and academic achievement for all”.
• Can be completed in three years of continuous part-time enrollment. See Designation of Full-time/Part-time Status. 

Target Audience

• Professionals who already hold an early childhood special education teacher license/certification
• Professionals in early childhood interested in expanding their knowledge, skills, and abilities with those with special needs from birth to five years old
• Professionals interested in working in an early childhood special education context
  

Registration Overview

• See the sample plan of study below. Students should use this as a guide to develop a plan with the academic program director. 
• Actual course offerings are determined by the program and may vary. Students should note if a course has a prerequisite or corequisite.
• Specific class meeting information (days and time) is posted on the University of Maryland’s (UMD) interactive web service Testudo. Once on that site, select “Schedule of Classes,” then the term/year. Courses are listed by academic unit. 
• The program uses specific section codes for registration that are listed on the sample plan of study.

Sample Plan, Cohort Admitted Summer 2023 / Fall 2023

Courses

Below is a listing of all program courses. For a detailed course description that includes prerequisites or corequisites, see EDSP. 

Overview

• Features a blend of in-person and online learning.
• Classes are held in the early evening.
• Instruction is provided by UMD faculty and professionals in the field.
• Uses the semester academic calendar with classes held during fall and spring semester (16 weeks each) and Summer Session (two six-week sessions).

In-Person Learning

• Instructors present dynamic and interactive seminar-style instruction.
• Classes are held in The Universities at Shady Grove campus classrooms, offering a focused, distraction-free learning environment.
• Students enrolled in a program that features in-person instruction are required to submit the University’s Immunization Record Form prior to the first day of their first semester/term. See Health Requirements. 

Online Learning

• Using advanced audio and video technology, UMD’s online learning environment delivers dynamic and interactive content.
• Featuring convenience and flexibility, online instruction permits asynchronous or synchronous participation.
• Students attend lectures virtually (e.g., use of video technology, such as Zoom). 

Admitted UMD Students

The University of Maryland offers this program at The Universities at Shady Grove. Upon successful completion, students earn a University of Maryland, College Park (UMD) degree.

With the exception of UMD Libraries, students attending programs at Shady Grove do not have access to most UMD services and resources, as such access is linked to students who pay College Park mandatory fees.

In addition, all UMD students must complete the protocols found under Newly Admitted Students. Completing these protocols is required to access course content and UMD systems (registration, financial, graduation).

Accessing Shady Grove Services and Resources

Students attending UMD programs at The Universities at Shady Grove (USG) are eligible to use USG services and resources, which are accessed with a valid USG photo ID and an active USG Logon ID. This is in addition to activating the UMD directory ID, passphrase, and MFA.

• USG ID Cards
• USG Login
• Password Reset
• Need Help? Contact usg-itservicedesk@umd.edu.

Shady Grove Campus Resources

• Copy Center
• Disability Support Services
• Priddy Library
• Public Safety
• Technology Services
• Transportation and Parking Services
• USG Campus Rec Center

Upon successful completion, graduates will have mastered the following competencies:

• Develop and/or expand their ability to support positive outcomes of developmentally diverse infants and young children and meet early childhood outcomes in the areas of:
  • Positive social/interpersonal skills and relationships; 
  • Acquisition and use of functional knowledge and skills; and 
  • Use of appropriate behavior to meet needs.
• Build and use research- and evidence-based practices in the areas of assessment, instruction, and individualization that enable our youngest to be active and successful participants in their homes, in child care, in preschool, and the community. 
• Ensure that families know their rights, guide parents to effectively communicate their child’s needs and desires, and support families to provide care for their children and acquire the necessary supports and resources for their families. 
• Enable those in the most challenged circumstances to achieve their true potential as they progress through the educational system and beyond.