Special Education & Pupil Services
The Department of Administrative Leadership offers a Director of Special Education and Pupil Services program for students interested in either a master's degree and/or DPI licensure.
Program Details
| Candidates can select CURRINS 701/715 and AD LDSP 792 as electives if they wish to earn the Special Education and Pupil Servicesand Principal licenses in one master's degree (total of 36 credits). |
Students seeking a master's degree must complete 33 credits. Candidates can select CURRINS 701/715 and AD LDSP 792 as electives if they wish to earn the Special Education and Pupil Services and Principal licenses in one master's degree (total of 36 credits).
Students who already have a master's degree and are pursuing Director of Special Education and Pupil Services licensure may be able to use previous course work to substitute for required courses. All electives or course substitutions must be approved by an advisor.
Upon completion of coursework required for licensure, all applicants must complete and submit for review an electronic portfolio.
Program of Study
Common Core (18 credits)
| Course # |
Course Title |
Credits |
| AD LDSP 702 |
Leadership in Educational Organizations |
3 |
| AD LDSP 710 | Organizational Change and Team Leadership | 3 |
| AD LDSP 712 | Instructional Leadership | 3 |
| AD LDSP 732 | The Politics of Education | 3 |
| AD LDSP 752 | School Law | 3 |
| AD LDSP 762 | Management of Educational Resources | 3 |
Area of Specialization (15 credits)
| Course # |
Course Title |
Credits |
| EXCEDUC 861 | Foundations in Student Services & Special Education | 3 |
| EXCEDUC 805 | Legislative and Legal Aspects of Sp Ed | 3 |
| EXCEDUC 961 | Advanced Analysis & Design of Student Service and Special Education Admin | 3 |
| EXCEDUC 780 | Internship in Special Education Administration | 3 |
| Elective | 3 |
The program is 33 credits total. Each course is 3 credits.
Applicants seeking licensure who already hold a Master's Degree are not required to complete a second graduate degree. They may register for all of the required course work as Non Degree Candidates (NDC) and be recommended for the appropriate license upon its successful completion. Work completed prior to beginning certification at UWM may be applied toward certification requirements as appropriate. There is no grade-point average admission requirement for NDC status.
Completion of the Master's Degree in the Department of Administrative Leadership will meet Wisconsin academic requirements for certification as Principal, Director of Special Education and Pupil Services, Director of Instruction, or School Business Administrator only if the program includes the specific courses required by the Certification Code. Completion of the Specialist certificate will meet Wisconsin academic requirements for certification as a superintendent only if the program includes specific courses required by the certification code. If certification is a goal, advisors must be notified in order to insure that all required course work is included in a program.
