Early childhood special education and autism

University of Missouri-Columbia
Master of education in special education
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Overview

The online master’s degree in early childhood special education and autism from MU will help you design, deliver and evaluate services to children from birth to age 5. If you want to advance your career working with young children with autism and other disabilities, this may be the degree for you.

Top-ranked programs

Mizzou's online master's in education programs ranked among the nation's finest in U.S. News & World Report 2024.

Quick facts

Official name

Master of education in special education with an emphasis in early childhood special education and autism

Campus

University of Missouri-Columbia

Program type

Master's degree

Academic home

College of Education & Human Development | Department of Special Education

Delivery mode

100% online

Accreditation

Higher Learning Commission

Credit hours

30

Estimated cost

$16,854.00

*This cost is for illustrative purposes only. Your hours and costs will differ, depending on your transfer hours, your course choices and your academic progress. See more about tuition and financial aid.

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Career prospects

This degree has potential benefits for

  • Early childhood practitioners
  • Early interventionists
  • Child-care center workers
  • Head Start teachers
  • School counselors
  • Special education teachers
Burning Glass Technologies. 2021. Salary numbers and employment growth numbers are based on models that consider advertised job posting salary, Bureau of Labor Statistics data and other proprietary and public sources of information for multiple occupations.
6.05%
Employment growth
Burning Glass Technologies. 2021. Salary numbers and employment growth numbers are based on models that consider advertised job posting salary, Bureau of Labor Statistics data and other proprietary and public sources of information for multiple occupations.
$50,000
median salary

Program structure

Delivery of this program is 100 percent online: no campus visits are required.

Courses are semester-based. Students typically take one or two classes each semester and finish in two years.

This program emphasizes

  • Assessment methods
  • Characteristics of children with autism, including those who are high functioning
  • Creating inclusive classrooms
  • Home-based models for infants and toddlers
  • Language and early literacy development
  • Research-based intervention strategies

Delivery

100% online

Calendar system

Semester-based

Typical program length

2 years

Typical course load

1 or 2 classes each semester

Accreditation

The University of Missouri is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, one of six regional institutional accreditors in the United States. 

Learn more about this program

This program is administered by the Department of Special Education