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Special education curriculum specialist education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a special education curriculum specialist. Special education curriculum specialists usually study psychology, educational leadership, or liberal arts. 59% of special education curriculum specialists hold a bachelor's degree, and 21% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 33 real special education curriculum specialist resumes to see exactly what special education curriculum specialist education sections show.

The most common colleges for special education curriculum specialists are the California State University - Northridge and the California State University - Northridge.

There are also many online special education curriculum specialist courses to help get the education required to be a special education curriculum specialist.

What education do you need to become a special education curriculum specialist?

What degree do you need to be a special education curriculum specialist?

The most common degree for special education curriculum specialists is bachelor's degree, with 59% of special education curriculum specialists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 21% and master's degree degree at 7%.
  • Bachelor's, 59%
  • Master's, 21%
  • High School Diploma, 7%
  • Doctorate, 7%
  • Other Degrees, 6%

What should I major in to become a special education curriculum specialist?

You should major in psychology to become a special education curriculum specialist. 11% of special education curriculum specialists major in psychology. Other common majors for a special education curriculum specialist include educational leadership and liberal arts.

Most common colleges for special education curriculum specialists

Special education curriculum specialists often get their degrees at California State University - Northridge, George Washington University, The, and Black Hills State University. Here are the most common colleges for special education curriculum specialists in the US based on their resumes.
Special education curriculum specialist common collegePercentages
California State University - Northridge9.09%
George Washington University, The9.09%
Black Hills State University4.55%
Temple University4.55%
Howard University4.55%

Best majors for special education curriculum specialists

RankMajorPercentages
1Psychology10.7%
2Educational Leadership10.7%
3Liberal Arts10.7%
4Special Education7.1%
5Education7.1%

Best colleges for special education curriculum specialists

The best colleges for special education curriculum specialists are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Columbia University in the City of New York.

A special education curriculum specialist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for special education curriculum specialists. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become special education curriculum specialists.

1. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

2. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Enrollment

18,946

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

4. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

5. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$59,430

Enrollment

8,216

6. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Enrollment

31,503

7. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$53,740

Enrollment

5,567

8. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

9. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

In-state tuition

$49,816

Enrollment

6,840

10. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

20 best online courses for special education curriculum specialists

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1. Music Education for Teachers

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In the Music Education for Teachers specialization, you will explore ways of integrating popular music into your teaching. You'll begin by learning from two highly experienced teachers, Krystal Banfield, the Vice President of Educational Outreach for Berklee College of Music, and David Alexis a Berklee Professor and long-time instructor for the Berklee City Music Program. They will take you through their process of incorporating popular music, improvisation, arranging, and music technology into...

2. Instructional Methods in Health Professions Education

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This course provides those involved in educating members of the health professions an asynchronous, interdisciplinary, and interactive way to obtain, expand, and improve their teaching skills. These skills can then be applied within their own professional context, with a variety of learners, extending across many stages. After completing this course, learners will: 1. Understand educational theory as it relates to health professions education 2. Match instructional methods with desired...

3. Educational Psychology & Special Education (Certificate)

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Informational content for educators and parents to learn about teaching and understanding exceptional children...

4. Outcome Based Education (OBE) & Academic Quality Assurance

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Master Course for Teachers' Development: Grow Your Teaching-Learning Expertise to World-Class Level...

5. Advanced Instructional Strategies in the Virtual Classroom

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Welcome to Advanced Instructional Strategies in the Virtual Classroom! This course will help you apply strategies to the critical areas of K-12 virtual instruction to significantly impact virtual education. We will examine the pitfalls beginning teachers run into and learn how to overcome them by focusing on the fundamentals that have the greatest impact on student learning in a blended or online environment. By the end of the course, you will be able to empower your students to be voracious...

6. Online Learning Design for Educators

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This specialization is for educators seeking to improve and expand their repertoire of online teaching skills related to the design, development and delivery of effective and engaging online courses and lessons for school age and adult learners.\n\nLearning in the 21st century no longer takes place exclusively between the four walls of a physical classroom. With advances in technology, learners now expect to be offered flexible study modes outside of the traditional face-to-face model. This...

7. Instructional Design Pro (Part 1): No Beginners Allowed!

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Write Golden Training Curriculum that's Easier to Learn and More Enjoyable to Teach...

8. Instructional Design Pro (Part 3): No Beginners Allowed!

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Write Golden Training Curriculum that's Easier to Learn and More Enjoyable to Teach...

9. Critical Issues in Urban Education

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Urban school reform in the United States is characterized by contentious, politicized debate. This course explores a set of critical issues in the education and educational reform space, with a focus on aspects of the field that have sparked controversy and polarized views. We will dig into these debates, situating them within the larger history of public education and school reform, and considering the viewpoints, the evidence, and translation of issues into educational policy. We will...

10. ICT in Primary Education: Transforming children's learning across the curriculum

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Why and how are teachers integrating ICT (Information and Communication Technology) into primary education? In this course we analyse examples from schools in different parts of the world, and bring professional teachers, headteachers and policymakers together to share their best ideas and inspiring stories. The materials in the course are based on studies carried out for the UNESCO Institute of IT in Education, Moscow. Learning Outcomes: to be aware of the range of reasons for using ICT to...

11. Instructional Design Pro (Part 2): No Beginners Allowed!

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Write Golden Training Curriculum that's Easier to Learn and More Enjoyable to Teach...

12. Google Certified Educator Level 1 Technical Training

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Google Apps for Education...

13. Educating Deaf Children: Becoming an Empowered Teacher

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Many Deaf children around the world still leave school functionally illiterate. In some cases, there is no allowance made for the education of Deaf children at all. This 4-week course provides you with invaluable knowledge and skills about teaching Deaf children. You will learn about the importance of Deaf culture and community, the need for a language-rich environment for the Deaf child from as young as possible, and that having access to sign language can help Deaf children academically,...

14. Performance Assessment in the Virtual Classroom

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Welcome to Performance Assessment in the Virtual Classroom! This course will help you effectively assess student performance virtually, including compliance issues, feedback models, online grade book functions, and data analysis. We will discuss why effective measures of performance and assessment are a crucial component of any virtual program, and the importance of teachers and administrators understanding both the myths and challenges of assessing performance virtually, administering...

15. Intuitive Curriculum Development: Make it Easy to Understand

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16. The complete Instructional Designer course

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17. Climate change education

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This specialization offers tools and resources developed as part of the "Rise up" initiative by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to combat climate change and improve the sustainability of the planet. Through the three courses that make up this specialization, you will learn what we can do individually, as a school, and as a community to lead a more sustainable and healthier life. You'll also delve into the primary ethical and social issues related to climate change, how to use games to...

18. Introduction to Early Childhood Montessori Education

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Learning Montessori Philosophy and Materials by visiting classrooms across the U.S...

19. Train the Trainer Foundation: Adult Education Mastery Course

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Deploy a repeatable system for employee learning to ensure you reach every learner…every time...

20. Instructional Design for Classroom Training

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Design effective and engaging in-person classroom training sessions and learning experiences from scratch...

Top 10 most affordable universities for special education curriculum specialists

The most affordable schools for special education curriculum specialists are Baruch College of the City University of New York, california state university - long beach, and hunter college of the city university of new york.

If the best universities for special education curriculum specialists are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for special education curriculum specialists.

1. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

2. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

3. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

4. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

5. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

6. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

7. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

8. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

9. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

10. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for special education curriculum specialists

The hardest universities for special education curriculum specialists to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Columbia University in the City of New York.

Some great schools for special education curriculum specialists are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for special education curriculum specialists based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

3. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,512

4. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

5. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

6. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

7. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

8. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

9. Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA • Private

Admissions rate

28%

SAT average

1,429

10. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

5%

SAT average

1,520

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for special education curriculum specialists

The easiest schools for special education curriculum specialists to get into are Barry University, mount saint mary's university, and wayland baptist university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a special education curriculum specialist without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for special education curriculum specialists.

1. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

2. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

3. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

4. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

5. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

999

6. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

7. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

8. Curry College

Milton, MA • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,026

9. Ottawa University

Ottawa, KS • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,024

10. The University of Texas Permian Basin

Odessa, TX • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,046

Average special education curriculum specialist salary by education level

According to our data, special education curriculum specialists with a Doctorate degree earn the highest average salary, at $81,222 annually. Special education curriculum specialists with a Master's degree earn an average annual salary of $78,046.
Special education curriculum specialist education levelSpecial education curriculum specialist salary
Master's Degree$78,046
Bachelor's Degree$67,576
Doctorate Degree$81,222

Special education curriculum specialist education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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