FSU College of Education launches new early childhood special education program

The FSU College of Education is housed in the Stone building. (FSU Photography Services)
The FSU College of Education is housed in the Stone building. (FSU Photography Services)

To help meet the growing shortage of special education specialists around the country, the Florida State University College of Education will offer a master’s degree and a certificate in early childhood special education beginning in the 2023 fall semester.

These new programs will be supported by FSU’s renowned special education faculty and will provide advanced knowledge and skills to individuals who wish to work with young children, from birth through age 5. Faculty built the curriculum to align with the latest guidelines from the Council for Exceptional Children’s Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education Standards.

Both programs will be taught completely online so that individuals working in the field can have easier access to coursework.

“Early interventions and detection of developmental delays can make a tremendous difference in the lives of children, and individuals who work with young children are essential in this period of child development,” said Lindsay Dennis, associate professor of special education and one of the faculty supporting the new programs. “Our program will provide individuals working with young children more training and knowledge to give the children in their care a better chance at positive outcomes.”

Individuals who hold an appropriate teacher certification in Florida and earn either the master’s degree or the certificate will be eligible for the Florida Department of Education’s Pre-Kindergarten Disability Endorsement.

The announcement of these new programs comes just a few months after U.S. News and World Report ranked the College of Education’s special education online programs No. 3 in the nation. The College of Education also offers a face-to-face master’s special education program and a master’s degree and certificate in autism spectrum disorder.

For more information about the master’s program in early childhood special education, visit education.fsu.edu/early-childhood-special-education. To learn more about the graduate certificate program in early childhood special education, visit education.fsu.edu/early-childhood-special-education-graduate-certificate.

About the Florida State University College of Education 

As the oldest college of education in the state of Florida, the FSU College of Education has prepared generations of individuals for success in classrooms and beyond. The college is home to over 30 graduate programs, ranging from teacher preparation and counseling programs to sport management and instructional technology. Regardless of their area of study, students learn and work closely with renowned faculty members in a friendly, engaging and close-knit community of scholars. To learn more information about the FSU College of Education, visit education.fsu.edu.