Graduate Students

Master of Education (Special Education)

Master (Coursework)

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Programme Type

Full-time, Part-time

NIE Graduate Programmes

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The Master of Education programme is primarily designed for educators working in Singapore schools and the Ministry of Education. University graduates with a background in education and wishing to advance your knowledge and skills in education are also welcome to apply.

The programme offers the degree in 16 areas of specialisation. These specialisations allow you to choose the area that best fits your interest as well as your career path, whether that path is towards the Master Teacher track, Specialist track or a general desire to update your knowledge and skills.

The Master of Education (Special Education) promotes professional competence in special education by providing knowledge- based theory, practice and research.

Curious to know what our faculty and students think about our programmes? Click here to find out!

The Master of Education (Special Education) enables you to establish the nexus of educational theories and practices for developing a curriculum and pedagogy that meet your pupils’ diverse needs.

  • A good Bachelor’s degree from a recognised university, or a relevant NTU FlexiMasters with good grades;

  • A teaching qualification (e.g., Diploma in Special Education, Postgraduate Diploma in Education from the National Institute of Education, Singapore) and at least ONE year of work experience teaching persons with disabilities
    or
    Minimally three years of working experience in teaching or supporting persons with disabilities.

See detailed requirements for competency in English Language here.

There are generally two intakes for this programme in a year (January and August). You are advised to visit the website and look out for NIE’s announcements in May / June and November / December to confirm if the programme will be open for application at any particular intake.

Applicants who are currently working with sponsors, donors or financial institutions to fund their studies, are encouraged to submit their applications early to NIE so as not to miss out on our application period.

Applications are to be made online. Click here to sign up for an ISAAC (Integrated Student and Academic Administration System) account to apply with us. For those with an existing account, login to apply.

More information on required documents for application can be found here.

Effective from August 2017 intake

The coursework for this specialisation comprises 1 core course, 2 required specialisation courses, 2 specialisation elective courses, 1 open elective course plus either:

  • a dissertation or
  • two additional courses (one open elective course and MED 902 Integrative Project)

MED 902 Integrative Project is open only for applicants pursuing the degree totally by coursework.

Important note for matriculated students: 

Please refer to the ISAAC system for the programme structure relevant to your intake during Course Registration or consult Dr Tan Soo Ching Carol, your programme leader if you need clarifications.

Note: Programme structure is subject to changes

The degree of Master of Education is generally offered on a part-time basis although full-time studies are also available for some specialisations. The candidature periods are as follows:

Full-time

Minimum

1 year

Maximum

2 years

Part-time

Minimum

2 years

Maximum

4 years

Download the course descriptions for the programme

The following is the detailed list of courses students have to complete:

Core Course

  • MED 900 Educational Inquiry


Required Specialisation Courses

  • MSE 901 Issues and Trends in Special Education
  • MSE 902 Human Development


Specialisation Elective Courses

  • MSE 911 Learning Disabilities
  • MSE 912 Early Intervention
  • MSE 913 Curriculum Design and Development
  • MSE 914 Evidence-based Practices in Special Education
  • MSE 915 Assessment of Children and Youth with Special Needs
  • MSE 916 Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) to Build Success in Literacy for Educators

Open Elective Courses

Other than the core and specialisation courses, you may select open elective courses offered across all NIE Master's Degree programmes. The offer of electives is reviewed regularly to reflect developments in education and the respective fields. You are advised to take note of the prerequisites (if any) before registering.

Optional Specialisation Courses are offered subject to demand and availability of faculty expertise.  Hence, not all specialisation courses are available for selection to every intake.

For tuition fees, please click here.

In line with SkillsFuture Singapore's (SSG) initiative, some of the courses in this programme can be taken as standalone modular graduate courses and may be stacked to qualify for a Graduate Certificate, an NTU FlexiMasters Certificate and, where appropriate, even an NTU Master’s degree. For more information, please click here.

 For more information about scholarships, please click here. 

For programme-related matters, please consult the programme leader, Dr Tan Soo Ching Carol for more information.

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