Special Education BA Admissions

Admissions

Special Education concentration students complete a primary major in education with a concentration in special education and a secondary major of their choice.

Application Process 

The deadline to apply is typically January 15 of sophomore or junior year.  The application to apply to the Special Education program is OPEN.  The deadline to apply is January 21, 2025. (Juniors will require an additional year to complete the program.)

Undergraduate Admissions Timeline:

Application due: January 21, 2025

Applicant Interviews: February

Notify Applicants about Acceptance: March

Commitment to the Program: Early April

Prerequisites

  • MATH 113, MATH 114, HUMDEV 270, and EDUC 325
  • A passing score on the Communication and Literacy Skills portion of the Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure (MTEL) (if scores will not be available before the application deadline, please note this in your application with the date you took, or are scheduled to take, the test)
  • A minimum GPA of 3.0

Interested applicants who have yet to complete the prerequisites should contact the Education Advising Center (education [at] umass [dot] edu (education[at]umass[dot]edu) or 413-545-2231) for consultation on submitting an application.

Required Materials

  • Completed online application
  • Personal statement (based on the prompt in the online application)
  • Unofficial transcripts from undergraduate institutions attended (available in Spire)
  • Communication and Literacy Skills MTEL Score Reports

MTEL Tests and MTEL Preparation Workshops

The College offers MTEL preparation workshops that help students develop skills and provide strategies to help manage your time and test anxiety.  MTEL workshops are free for UMass Amherst, Greenfield Community College, Holyoke Community College and Springfield Technical Community College.   Click here for registration information. 

Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure (MTEL):
For the Special Education program, and state-level educator licensure requirements, you must complete the following MTEL exams – Communication and Literacy Skills (Reading and Writing Subtests)*, General Curriculum (Mathematics and Multi-Subject Subtests), and Foundations of Reading. 

*The Communication and Literacy Skills MTEL (Reading and Writing Subtests) is the only test required prior to admission to the program.