Educational Diagnostician, Graduate Certificate

Program Description

The Educational Diagnostician certification program can be taken concurrently with the MS Special Education degree program or alone by a certified teacher who has a graduate degree. This coursework prepares students to assess, diagnose, and support instructional planning for students referred to special education. 

SLO's- Educational Diagnostician Certification only 

 

  1. Collaborate with multidisciplinary team to determine assessment needs, gather data, incorporate appropriate teaching methods and make recommendations for individual education programs.   

  1. Select, administer and interpret formal and informal assessments and evaluations.  

  1. Prepare comprehensive assessment reports.  

  1. Demonstrate understanding of compliance regarding federal and state laws, rules and regulation that impact exceptional students. 

Admission Requirements

To be eligible for the Educational Diagnostician program, the student must be a certified teacher. To be certified as an Educational Diagnostician, the student must have a master’s degree, successfully complete 22-28 semester hours for Educational Diagnostician Certification, and pass the required TExES exam. 

Program Requirements

Curriculum and Instruction
SPED 5315Individuals with Exceptionalities in Schools 2,*3
SPED 5385Emergent Bilinguals and Special Education3
SPED 5386Strategic Reading and Language Instruction for Students with High-Incidence Disabilities ^3
or SPED 5387 Strategic Math and Content Area Instruction for Students with High-Incidence Disabilities
Related Area
CNEP 5371Psychometrics3
CNEP 5374Individual intelligence Testing3
Specialization Area
SPED 5320Application of Learning Principles 3,^3
SPED 5380Behavioral Supports and Interventions for Students with Disabilities3
SPED 5311Advanced Assessment3
SPED 5399Individualized Programs for Students with Exceptionalities: Practicum 13
SPED 5399Individualized Programs for Students with Exceptionalities: Practicum 11
Total Hours22-28
1

SPED 5399 will be taken as a 1 hour course in SSII and a 3 hour course in Fall.

2

All students need to take SPED 5315 Individuals with Exceptionalities in Schools (3 sch); this requirement may be waived for currently certified teachers and those with a previously earned degree in special education if deemed appropriate after consultation with the faculty advisor.

3

All students need to take SPED 5320 Application of Learning Principles (3 sch); this requirement may be waived for students who took SPED 3335 Applied Learning Theory (3 sch) as an undergraduate if deemed appropriate after consultation with the faculty advisor.

*

Online offering

^

Blended offering

Courses

Special Education Courses

SPED 5305  Individual Intelligence Testing  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  
SPED 5305 examines issues related to the testing of intelligence in children and adults. This includes the administration, scoring and interpretation of popular commercial standardized tests and the use of the information gained to improve decision-making in clinical and educational settings. Theoretical aspects of psychometrics and the social issues that surround the use of intelligence tests will be presented and discussed. Three tests are highlighted: Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children V, Woodcock Johnson IV Tests of Cognitive Abilities and Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale IV.
Prerequisite: CNEP 5371.
SPED 5310  Psychoeducational Testing  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  
This course focuses on current research and best practice in the assessment of exceptional learners, interpretation of formal and informal assessment data gathered through a variety of methods including Multi-tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), and assessment of students from culturally and linguistically diverse communities. Instructor’s permission is required.
Prerequisite: CNEP 5371 and 5374.
SPED 5311  Advanced Assessment  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  
This course focuses on current research and best practice in the assessment of exceptional learners, interpretation of formal and informal assessment data gathered through a variety of methods, assessment of students from diverse backgrounds, and the application of MTSS intervention data. Instructor’s permission required.
Prerequisite: CNEP 5371 and 5374.
SPED 5315  Individuals with Exceptionalities in Schools  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  
This course provides basic information and skills for working with students with exceptionalities in a variety of settings. It also includes current trends, issues, and research pertaining to persons with exceptionalities.
SPED 5319  Introduction to Low-Incidence Disabilities  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  
This course introduces students to the field of low-incidence disabilities.  Students will explore foundational concepts including:  definition and etiology, family and professional partnerships, special education law, and standards based IEPs. 
SPED 5320  Application of Learning Principles  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  
This course prepares teachers, administrators, counselors and diagnosticians to use a variety of applied learning principles to increase student learning and minimize disruptive behavior.
SPED 5321  Supporting Access for Students with Low-Incidence Disabilities  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  
This course focuses on areas of universal design, assistive technology, and resources that support the learning and independence of diverse learners both in school and community settings. Class sessions will be held both on campus and in community settings. 
SPED 5380  Behavioral Supports and Interventions for Students with Disabilities  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  
This course will focus on characteristics and classifications of children and adolescents with behavior disorders. Intervention orientations and associated education/treatment approaches for children and adolescents will be explored.
SPED 5385  Emergent Bilinguals and Special Education  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  
This course is designed to prepare special educators to address the sociocultural and ethnolinguistic needs of English learners. Particular emphasis is placed on: understanding the influence of language and culture in the design of instruction to prevent academic difficulty; the identification of students who need additional instructional supports; appropriate referral, screening, and assessment of students suspected of having disabilities; and the design of individualized education plans for students who qualify for special education services.
SPED 5386  Strategic Reading and Language Instruction for Students with High-Incidence Disabilities  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  
This course focuses on reading and language strategies for teaching students with high-incidence disabilities, including those who are Emergent Bilinguals. It is designed to give students an overview of strategic reading and writing instruction.
SPED 5387  Strategic Math and Content Area Instruction for Students with High-Incidence Disabilities  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  
This course focuses on content-area strategies for teaching students with high-incidence disabilities, including those who are Emergent Bilinguals.  It is designed to give students an overview of strategic mathematics and content area instruction.
SPED 5390  Professional Seminar  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  
Topics in Special Education vary with professional identification of participants.
SPED 5397  Special Education Field Experience  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  
A field-based experience in which the student will demonstrate competencies to design and/or implement IEP's for students with disabilities, including those who are English learners.  Grade assigned will be "credit" (CR) or "no credit" (NC).
Prerequisite: SPED 5315, 5320 and 5380.
SPED 5399  Individualized Programs for Students with Exceptionalities: Practicum  
1-3 Semester Credit Hours  
This field-based practicum is based on Texas Educational Diagnostician standards. Students gain extensive field experience in the administration and interpretation of assessment instruments and the development of individualized education programs. Instructor’s permission required.
Prerequisite: CNEP 5371, 5374, SPED 5310 and 5315.
SPED 5696  Directed individual Study  
1-6 Semester Credit Hours  
May be repeated when topics vary.
SPED 6315  Individuals with Exceptionalities in the Schools  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  
Basic information and skills for working with individuals with exceptionalities in a variety of settings. Includes current trends, issues and research pertaining to individuals with disabilities. Students who have taken SPED 5315 may not enroll in SPED 6315.
SPED 6319  Introduction to Low-Incidence Disabilities  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  
This course introduces students to the field of low-incidence disabilities. Students will explore foundational concepts including: definitions and etiology, family and professional partnerships, special education law, and standards based Individualized Education Program (IEPs).
SPED 6320  Applications of Learning Principles  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours, 3 Lab Hours)  
This course prepares student(s) to use a variety of evidence-based approaches to increase student learning and minimize disruptive behavior.
SPED 6321  Supporting Access for Students with Low-Incidence Disabilities  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  
This course focuses on areas of universal design, assistive technology, and resources that support the learning and independence of diverse learners both in school and community settings. Class sessions will be held both on campus and in community settings.
SPED 6380  Behavior Intervention and Support for Students with Disabilities  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  
This course will focus on characteristics and classifications of children and adolescents with behavior disorders.  Intervention orientations and associated education/treatment approaches for children and adolescents will be explained.
SPED 6385  Emergent Bilinguals and Special Education  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  
The philosophical and legal foundations of bilingual special education and bilingual education in the United States will be examined.  Bilingual special education and bilingual education will be defined and the rationale for these programs will also be explained.  Moreover, language minority education program models will be described and aspects associated with bilingualism will be discussed.  Special emphasis will be placed on a perusal of school-community dynamics relevant to language minority special education.
SPED 6386  Strategic Reading and Language Instruction for Students with High-Incidence Disabilities  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  
This course focuses on reading and language strategies for teaching exceptional children, including those who are English learners.  It is designed to give students an overview of strategic reading and writing instruction.
SPED 6387  Strategic Math and Content Area Instruction for Students with High-incidence Disabilities  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  
This course focuses on content-area strategies for teaching exceptional children, including those who are English learners.  It is designed to give students an overview of strategic mathematics and content area instruction.
SPED 6390  Special Topics in Special Education  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  
This course addresses contemporary issues in special education. It may be repeated when topics vary.