Master of Arts in Education (Intervention Specialist – Initial License)

The Master of Arts in Education (Intervention Specialist — Initial License) allows ambitious adults to prepare to earn their initial Ohio state license as an Intervention Specialist for Mild/Moderate (ISM) Disabilities — the first teaching license in special education. While ISM students complete the coursework completely online, the hands-on curriculum emphasizes fieldwork, and during their first year, students will be placed in the classroom to utilize their knowledge and work toward the number of classroom hours required to apply for their license.

Mount Vernon Nazarene University bases the curriculum around the core courses for the M.A.Ed degree — named the Best Online Master’s in Education in 2018 by Affordable Colleges Online. Yet, the ISM master’s degree is specifically geared toward working adults who have already earned a bachelor’s but have not yet earned their teaching license and have an interest in working with students with mild-to-moderate disabilities.

In preparing students to work as intervention specialists, the ISM program is based on MVNU’s cohort model. Students learn in a Christ-centered environment that prioritizes relationship building, and courses are taught by seasoned professional faculty members with years of experience not only as educators or administrators but also working with this unique student population.

By the program’s completion, ISM students are eligible for Ohio licensure and should have gained the pedagogical skills and methods to develop course content, curriculum, and teaching strategies and to implement and evaluate Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) for students grades K-12.