The Advanced Graduate Specialist (A.G.S.) certificate in Special Education is designed to promote professional competence in an area of concentration in the field of special education. This program is available to students planning to take extended graduate work beyond the master's level, within any of the major areas indicated for the master's programs. The certificate is awarded by the College of Education at the completion of all requirements; this is not a degree program.
The candidate for the AGS certificate must have a master's degree or its equivalent earned at the 911±¬ÁÏÍø or another accredited institution. The minimum number of graduate hours for the AGS certificate is 60 including applicable credits from the Master's program. The core of the program should be made up of special education courses and other work within the College of Education or other colleges in the 911±¬ÁÏÍø. The program can be part or full time, but continuous registration is required.
For more information visit the webpage. Select an area of interest from the various offerings in the College of Education to determine the admission requirements and deadlines. If you are unsure of your area of interest you may request information by submitting an .
AGS Deadlines:
*Fall Domestic: June 15
Admission Procedures
- Review the EDSP admission requirements for MA, MEd, and AGS graduate students in the Special Education Master's Degree Programs Handbook
- Contact associated with concentration area if you have specific questions or wish to discuss an area in more detail
- Complete the (Please select ALL Areas of Interests to ensure your application will be directed to the appropriate program for review). In your goal statement, specify your research interests and professional goals. You may request a specific faculty advisor if appropriate.
- All application materials must be received before the Special Education Program's Graduate Admission Committee Reviews the applicant's materials. This includes your for MEd degree or GRE/MAT scores for MA degree.
- The Graduate Admission Committee recommends admit or reject. The final decision is made by the graduate school. Provisional acceptance may be recommended for a limited number of applicants.
Please refer to the for instructions on how to apply for graduate admission. If you have questions or concerns, we ask you to first review our list of . For questions about the application process, or to check on the completion of your application please contact:
Judy Foster, Coordinator of Graduate Admissions
Office of Student Services, College of Education
(301) 405-2359
After you apply for graduate admission you may check your application status by logging into the Enrollment Rx graduate online application using your user name and password. Graduate faculty in the Academic Department you applied to will review your completed application for graduate admission. Questions regarding application reviews and decision recommendations should be directed to Department of Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education (CHSE). Please contact:
Carol Scott, Coordinator of Graduate Studies
Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education
(301) 405-8384
Please contact the Office of Student Services, ed-advising@umd.edu, or (301) 405-2364.
Visit the College of Education Scholarship opportunities webpage.
Visit the web page for additional funding opportunities
For information about other student financial aid, review the .
Dr. Kelli Cummings, Program Director (kellic@umd.edu)
Carol Scott, Coordinator (cscott18@umd.edu)