The fully online Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) master’s program at Florida State University prepares individuals with the knowledge they need to work with young children from birth to five years old who have disabilities/developmental delays. By the time students complete this program, they will have gained expertise on typical and atypical child development; collaborating with families and other professionals; assessing young children; creating meaningful curricula; implementing developmentally appropriate and evidence-based interventions; and professional and ethical practices. Our ECSE program’s curriculum aligns with the latest guidelines from the Council for Exceptional Children’s Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education Standards.
Thanks to the online format, our program is an ideal choice for working professionals and ECSE teachers wishing to gain more information working with young children with disabilities/developmental delays within the context of their families. The majority of coursework takes place asynchronously, allowing individuals to learn and complete assignments on their own time.
Completing the Early Childhood Special Education program allows currently certified special educators to earn the Florida Department of Education Pre-Kindergarten Disability Endorsement. This endorsement opens up career options and may lead to increased earning potential.
The demand for ECSE teachers continues to climb across the country. Students who complete the ECSE master’s program at Florida State University will be able to provide early childhood preschool services and early interventions to young children with disabilities/developmental delays and their families, which can be critical to enhancing their early development. Our early childhood special education program places an emphasis on providing these interventions within the context of a child’s family to better promote positive outcomes.
In order to meet minimum University admission requirements, applicants must have:
- A bachelor’s degree with at least a 3.0 GPA – An earned bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution, or a comparable degree from an international institution, with a minimum 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) grade point average (GPA) in all coursework attempted while registered as an upper-division undergraduate student working towards a bachelor’s degree.
- GRE test scores*. Official test results are required from the General Test of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). These scores are considered official only when they are sent directly to the Office of Admissions from the testing agency. Examinee copies are not considered official. Graduate Record Exam (GRE): http://www.ets.org/ – FSU Institution Code: 5219.
- Target Scores: Verbal – 146+, Quantitative – 140+
The Educational Testing Service (ETS) does not retain scores for longer than five years. If your test scores are older than five years, you may have to retake the test to have official scores sent directly to FSU from the testing agency. If you have the report that was mailed to your home address for older scores, then FSU will accept that report. - NOTE: The GRE requirement may be waived for applicants if the applicant meets at least ONE of the following criteria:
- Three years of professional experience as a practicing educator or equivalent field provided that the candidate can provide evidence of Effective or Highly Effective teacher evaluations, OR
- Successful completion of six graduate credit hours from the C&I program with a graduate GPA of 3.50 or higher, OR
- Passing score on the General Knowledge Test of the Florida Teacher Certification Examination or an equivalent state certification examination.
- Target Scores: Verbal – 146+, Quantitative – 140+
Applicants must provide evidence to satisfy the criteria being applied; please send documentation to ste-gradcoord@fsu.edu. Approval of a GRE waiver does not guarantee admission. Prospective students must still apply and meet all other admissions requirements. *NOTE: The GRE admission requirements for master's and specialist programs have been waived through Fall 2026.
- Language proficiency test (international students only) – FSU accepts scores from TOEFL (minimum 80), IELTS (minimum 6.5), MELAB (minimum 77), Cambridge C1 Advanced Level (minimum 180), Michigan Language Assessment (minimum 55), and Duolingo (minimum 120)
- Transcripts – Applicants must submit an official transcript from each college and/or university attended. Transcripts should be sent to the Office of Graduate Admissions electronically at graduateadmissions@fsu.edu or via mail in a sealed envelope:
- Florida State University
Office of Graduate Admissions
314 Westcott Building
P.O. Box 3061410
Tallahassee, FL 32306-1410 - Admission to graduate study is a two-fold evaluation process. The Office of Admissions determines eligibility for admission to the University, and the academic department, program, or college determines admissibility to the degree program. University graduate admissions requirements are found at https://gradschool.fsu.edu/admissions/graduate-admissions. Academic programs have additional requirements.
- Florida State University requires a course-by-course credential evaluation for all applicants that have degrees from a non-U.S. institution. International and domestic applicants with degrees earned from international institutions must submit their official transcripts through a NACES approved evaluator for transcripts from a non-U.S. institution. SpanTran has created a custom application for Florida State University that will make sure you select the right kind of evaluation at a discounted rate. See the “Transcript Requirement” section on The Graduate School website, https://gradschool.fsu.edu/admissions/graduate-admissions, for detailed information on University transcript requirements for graduate admission.
- Florida State University
Applicants must upload the following REQUIRED supporting documents to the Admissions Application Portal:
- Statement of purpose (at least one page) – should describe your purpose for pursuing a degree, qualifications and long-term career goals.
- Two letters of recommendation
- One page resume/curriculum vitae
- Writing Sample – it is acceptable to submit a paper used in another class or one that was published.
Fall: July 1st
| Term | Course Number | Course Title |
| Fall 1 | EEX 5017 | Typical and Atypical Early Development |
| EEX 5075 | Foundations of Evidence Based Practices in Special Education | |
| Spring 1 | EEX 5239 | Assessment and Methods in Early Childhood Special Education |
| EEX 5248 | Positive Behavior Support | |
| Summer 1 | EEX 5456 | Program Development for Young Children with Disabilities |
| XXXX | Elective | |
| Fall 2 | EEX 5708 | Teaming with Families, Schools, and the Community |
| EEC 5269 | Curriculum and Play for Young Children | |
| Spring 2 | EEX XXXX | Special Education Capstone Experience |
| XXXX | Elective |
Information about tuition and fees at Florida State is available here. You can learn more about the scholarship and aid opportunities for College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences students here.
The purpose of the Prekindergarten (PreK) Disabilities Endorsement Tuition Support Program is to provide financial assistance to exceptional student education, preschool, and early childhood teachers who are teaching children identified as having prekindergarten disabilities in a Florida public school. The program provides up to $1400 per course for tuition support through annual funding from the Florida Department of Education, Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Part B. Once accepted into the program at FSU, students will be advised to apply for tuition assistance. To apply, students will submit the completed Application, Verification of Employment form signed by your current school administrator, and the Service Obligation Agreement to the FL DOE Project Director. Upon notification of acceptance, students will coordinate with the ESE Student Support and the Registrar’s office to ensure tuition is paid per the University timelines.
Upon completion of the program, recipients must agree to teach children identified as having PreK disabilities in a Florida public school for a minimum of one year for every six hours of tuition support received and add the appropriate endorsement to their professional certificate.
Additional program information can be viewed at http://florida-ese.org/tuition-support.
Click here to learn more about our Early Childhood Special Education faculty!
