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Urban schools are marked by social, cultural, policy, and economic disparities. Consequently, these schools manage higher rates of culturally and linguistically diverse students; poverty; teacher, student, and administrator mobility issues; arbitrary discipline practices; disproportionate special education placement; immigrants; and incommensurate resources. Such a plight creates an environment for which particular pedagogical tools, strategies, and resources are required to facilitate education. The Urban Education specialization provides prospective and in-service teachers with an understanding of social, cultural, policy, and economic inequities and equips them with the skills to negate them. 

The M.Ed. is a 36-credit hour degree with 24 hours of electives designed to promote specialization selection. The Urban Education specialization is 12-credit hours of coursework that prepares students to effectively teach in urban schools. Students registered in this specialization will:

• Explore the historical context of urban education through the lens of education policy.
• Analyze legal mandates related to equity and excellence in urban schools.
• Investigate local and national changing demographics and its implications for policy and urban classrooms.
• Analyze societal biases that can lead to inequitable policy, and thereby classroom experiences.
• Examine how culturally responsive curricula increase student outcomes and enhance teacher-student relationships.
• Design classroom curricula that underscore the essence of students’ socio-cultural context.
• Employ meaningful classroom and behavior management approaches.

The ESL specialization is for practicing educators interested in working with ESL populations. Graduates are prepared to take the TExES (Texas Examination for Educator Standards) English as a Second Language (ESL) supplemental certification exam, a passing score on which qualifies them to work with ESL students populations. The program's coursework can be applied toward SMU's M.Ed. degree.

The Bilingual specialization is designed for teachers who work with students who do not speak English as their native language. Students who succeed in this four-course sequence are qualified to take the TExES (Texas Examination for Educator Standards) supplemental certification exam in bilingual education, a passing score on which qualifies them to work with students who do not speak English as their native language. The program's coursework can be applied toward SMU's M.Ed. degree.

The Special Education specialization is for practicing educators interested in working with students with special needs. Content mastery equips graduates to work with special-needs students; they are able to employ evidence-based practices, monitor response to intervention, individualize intervention based on assessed needs, understand special education law and policy, deliver positive-behavior support, and collaborate with the colleagues and families of special-needs individuals. The program's coursework can be applied toward SMU's M.Ed. degree.

The Mathematics specialization is for practicing educators who wish to advance their content knowledge or pedagogical skills for the purpose of teaching mathematics. Those who successfully complete the 4-course sequence will have to the skills and knowledge to model effective mathematics instruction, translate evidence-based research into classroom teaching, differentiate with diverse learners, and instill creative problem solving. The program’s coursework can be applied to SMU’s M.Ed. degree.

The Literacy Studies specialization is ideal for teachers who desire to advance their knowledge of literacy instruction and assessment specifically for early literacy and late literacy and for those who desire to pursue Reading Specialist certification. Those who successfully complete the program will be more effective teachers, improving student outcomes in literacy. The program's coursework can be applied toward SMU's M.Ed. degree.

The STEM specialization is designed for practicing educators who wish to advance their content knowledge or pedagogical skills for the purpose of teaching science, technology, engineering, and mathematics content. Those who successfully complete the program are equipped to be more effective STEM educators. The program's coursework can be applied toward SMU's M.Ed. degree.

The Educational Diagnostician specialization  is designed for practicing educators who who desire to possess the critical knowledge and skills to identify and make a positive impact on the individual learning needs of students. Those who successfully complete the program will be able to apply their advanced knowledge of assessment and instruction to improve the outcomes of students with special learning needs. After successful completion of the program as part of an M.Ed. degree, candidates will be eligible for the Texas Educational Diagnostician Certificate.

The Learning Therapy specialization is ideal for individuals interested in working with children or adults who have dyslexia or related language learning disorders. Those who successfully complete the specialization are qualified to take the Alliance National Registration Exam for Multisensory Structured Language Education at the therapy level, a passing score on which qualifies the individual for membership in ALTA as a Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT). The program's coursework can be applied toward SMU's M.Ed. degree.