Mental Disabilities Master's Degree

Program Misson

The overall mission of the Master's Degree Program in Mental Disabilities is to graduate individuals who are competent and confident professional educators who have a personal and professional commitment to improving the lives of people with disabilities. As such, graduates will have a) a value base that requires them to understand and respect persons with disabilities as people, b) the skills and knowledge to focus professional efforts on empowering and enabling individuals with disabilities and their families and on promoting their inclusion in all aspects of community and family life, and c) the abilities to think independently and creatively.

Program Philosophy

The principle of normalization is the foundation for interacting with, instructing, supporting, and providing services to persons with mental disabilities. Individuals with mental disabilities should be taught functional skills in inclusive community settings through nonaversive instructional methods embedded within meaningful age-appropriate activities. Individuals with mental disabilities and their families should be provided opportunities to make choices and control their environment and should be able to utilize professional and personal community and family resources and formal and informal supports to achieve their goals. The professional educator's responsibility is to provide education and support to the individuals with disabilities and her/his family, as well as to other community members and professionals, to ensure that this will happen.

Program Requirement

Florida State University requires a minimum of 33 semester hours for a Master's degree. Individual programs may exceed this minimum based on student experience, interest, and previous education.

All students in the Program take a 15 semester hour core set of courses, 9 semester hours of specialization, and 9 semester hours of advanced study/electives. Core courses include: Seminar in Mental Disabilities, Preparing Individuals for Transition, Leadership Skills in Exceptional Education, Introduction to Special Education Technology, and Typical and Atypical Early Development or Program Development for Young Children with Disabilities. Specialization courses may be taken in one of the following content areas: severe/profound disabilities, early childhood special education, transition, technology, or cross-categorical. In addition, some students may be required to complete prerequisite courses and a field-based internship, depending on past educational experiences.

A thesis or a comprehensive paper is required. Individuals interested in a research focus to their degree complete a thesis; individuals interested in an applied focus complete a comprehensive paper.

Students must form a Supervisory Committee consisting of a minimum of three faculty members, two of whom must be from the Departmenet of Childhood Education, Reading and Diability Services. One member of the Committee serves as Major Advisor. The Major Advisor for a student in the Mental Disabilities Program must be a Program faculty member. This Committee will assist the student in developing a Program of Study. Additional information about the Supervisory Committee and Programs of Study can be obtained from the College of Education Office of Student Services.

Admission Requirements

Students must apply to the FSU Graduate School for admission. The application will be reviewed by the Graduate School and by Mental Disabilities Program faculty. After submitting an application to the Graduate School, applicants should contact the Mental Disabilities Master's Degree Program Coordinator to arrange an interview. Applicants will be informed in writing of the outcome of their application as soon as the application process is complete.

Students must have a B.S. degree and either a 3.0 grade point average (Junior and Senior year) or a 1000 GRE score (combined verbal and quantitative). Applicants are required to have a personal interview with the Program Coordinator and/or with other Mental Disabilities Program faculty. Additional information, such as letters of reference and a written career goal statement, are also required as part of the application process.

Department application forms are available on line from the appropriate link on the Departmenet of Childhood Education, Reading and Diability Services's Homepage. Information about applying to the University also is available at this link.


	Home Mission Admission Programs -Early Childhood Education -Elementary Education -Reading & Language Arts -Rehabilitation Counseling Services -Special Education Faculty Links			Mental Disabilities Master's Degree Program Misson The overall mission of the Master's Degree Program in Mental Disabilities is to graduate individuals who are competent and confident professional educators who have a personal and professional commitment to improving the lives of people with disabilities. As such, graduates will have a) a value base that requires them to understand and respect persons with disabilities as people, b) the skills and knowledge to focus professional efforts on empowering and enabling individuals with disabilities and their families and on promoting their inclusion in all aspects of community and family life, and c) the abilities to think independently and creatively. Program Philosophy The principle of normalization is the foundation for interacting with, instructing, supporting, and providing services to persons with mental disabilities. Individuals with mental disabilities should be taught functional skills in inclusive community settings through nonaversive instructional methods embedded within meaningful age-appropriate activities. Individuals with mental disabilities and their families should be provided opportunities to make choices and control their environment and should be able to utilize professional and personal community and family resources and formal and informal supports to achieve their goals. The professional educator's responsibility is to provide education and support to the individuals with disabilities and her/his family, as well as to other community members and professionals, to ensure that this will happen. Program Requirement Florida State University requires a minimum of 33 semester hours for a Master's degree. Individual programs may exceed this minimum based on student experience, interest, and previous education. All students in the Program take a 15 semester hour core set of courses, 9 semester hours of specialization, and 9 semester hours of advanced study/electives. Core courses include: Seminar in Mental Disabilities, Preparing Individuals for Transition, Leadership Skills in Exceptional Education, Introduction to Special Education Technology, and Typical and Atypical Early Development or Program Development for Young Children with Disabilities. Specialization courses may be taken in one of the following content areas: severe/profound disabilities, early childhood special education, transition, technology, or cross-categorical. In addition, some students may be required to complete prerequisite courses and a field-based internship, depending on past educational experiences. A thesis or a comprehensive paper is required. Individuals interested in a research focus to their degree complete a thesis; individuals interested in an applied focus complete a comprehensive paper. Students must form a Supervisory Committee consisting of a minimum of three faculty members, two of whom must be from the Departmenet of Childhood Education, Reading and Diability Services. One member of the Committee serves as Major Advisor. The Major Advisor for a student in the Mental Disabilities Program must be a Program faculty member. This Committee will assist the student in developing a Program of Study. Additional information about the Supervisory Committee and Programs of Study can be obtained from the College of Education Office of Student Services. Admission Requirements Students must apply to the FSU Graduate School for admission. The application will be reviewed by the Graduate School and by Mental Disabilities Program faculty. After submitting an application to the Graduate School, applicants should contact the Mental Disabilities Master's Degree Program Coordinator to arrange an interview. Applicants will be informed in writing of the outcome of their application as soon as the application process is complete. Students must have a B.S. degree and either a 3.0 grade point average (Junior and Senior year) or a 1000 GRE score (combined verbal and quantitative). Applicants are required to have a personal interview with the Program Coordinator and/or with other Mental Disabilities Program faculty. Additional information, such as letters of reference and a written career goal statement, are also required as part of the application process. Department application forms are available on line from the appropriate link on the Departmenet of Childhood Education, Reading and Diability Services's Homepage. Information about applying to the University also is available at this link.