Education - Gifted (M.Ed.) Online

Education that fits.
Education - Gifted (M.Ed.) Online

Education - Gifted (M.Ed.) Online

Consider enrolling in the M.Ed. in Special Education: Gifted online degree program if you're an elementary or secondary teacher wanting to teach and support students who have gifts and talents, or who have gifted potential.

You'll complete the degree with a cohort over two years, taking two courses each semester.

This program prepares its students for licensure or certification within the state of �޻��ֱ��. Please for important information if live or plan to live outside of �޻��ֱ��.

Students are enrolled in cohorts every two years. The next cohort will begin January 2026.

Why Special Education: Gifted Online

M.Ed. Special Education: Gifted alumna Dani Oldfield studies on a laptop at her kitchen bar.

Benefit from decades of research.

The Center for Gifted Education has a long and rich history of educating parents, students, and educators in and around the Lafayette area, the state, and the nation. The center was established in 1982 and is one of only 20 such comprehensive instructional, research, and service centers in the country. It is the only one of its scope in �޻��ֱ��.

Teacher Tuition Incentive Program

Current �޻��ֱ�� K-12 educators and administrators pursuing a graduate degree can take advantage of the Teacher Tuition Incentive Program to offset the cost of earning your master’s or doctoral degree. Tuition awards are based on the level of degree you’re seeking and your progress toward the degree.

Hands-On Instruction & Research

You’ll have access to the research centers housed in the College of Education, including the Center for Gifted Education and the Center for Innovative Learning and Assessment Technologies. These centers host camps and conferences where you can work with students, network with professionals, and learn the latest developments in education.

Excel with one-on-one support.

Access personalized support and resources at every step of the way, including a dedicated enrollment specialist, 24/7 online tutoring, and a specialized online student resource center.

Gifted Education Experience According to Students & Alumni

Research and Expertise Meeting Students Needs Collaborative Learning Practical Application

Connecting Research to Practice

When I entered into my program, I had plans of teaching gifted education at the secondary level. While I never took a gifted education position, the skills and knowledge that I learned in my master’s program were still incredibly relevant. I was able to apply this to my classroom to support the students with whom I worked, including those who were gifted. Additionally, this program helped me to realize that research is not something disconnected from classroom practices, but is something that classroom teachers can enact and learn from to continually enhance their instruction and support student learning.

Michelle Kreamer, 2015

Effective Practices for all Students

Do it! Even if you never take a job as a gifted teacher this degree will guide you to becoming a more effective teacher. You will learn so much about how to reach the needs not only of students actually identified as gifted, but many of those that miss the opportunity to enroll in gifted programs but are still high achievers and benefit from the same types of learning opportunities and lessons. We also need advocates for gifted children and the more you know the better you can identify those students that are in your classroom from year to year.

Leah Trahan, 2009

Schoolwide applications

I found this program to be highly valuable in furthering my teaching skills with both high ability and regular classroom students. I was able to incorporate the differentiation, creativity, and curriculum activities into my classroom practice almost immediately. The study of the social and emotional issues helped me immensely with more deeply understanding and serving my students. The general information about educational systems and practices informed my contributions to the development of my school as a whole.

Sandra Thompson, 2010

Careers in Gifted Education

Career Opportunities

PK-12 School Teachers
Higher Education Faculty or Staff
School or District Administrators
Instructional Specialist or Instructional Coordinators
Childcare Providers
Staff in Education Related Organizations
Tutors
Trainers
Curriculum Developers or Instructional Designers
Instructional Materials Sales Representative

Program Requirements

To be considered for admission to the M.Ed. in Special Education: Gifted program online, you must have:

A bachelor’s degree (or its equivalent) from a regionally accredited university
A 2.75 overall undergraduate GPA or, for those with US degrees, a 3.0 GPA (4.0 scale) in the last 60 hours of undergraduate study
A valid teaching certificate in one or more areas of general education
Evidence of either one year of full-time teaching experience or current employment in a full-time teaching position
Three letters of recommendation. Letters must address the candidate's potential to become a master teacher and to facilitate the learning of academically gifted students.

To complete your application, you'll need to provide the following. With the exception of transcripts, all documents can be submitted through the online application portal.

Application fee ($25)
Official transcripts from the institution attended are required for the following:
- All institutions where any degree was awarded
- All institutions where any graduate coursework was attempted
Three letters of recommendation. Letters must address the candidate's potential to become a master teacher and to facilitate the learning of academically gifted students.

Transcripts must be submitted from your previous institution directly to the Graduate School at gradschool@louisiana.edu or by mail at:

UL Lafayette Graduate School
Martin Hall Suite 332
PO Box 43716
Lafayette, LA 70504-3716

The M.Ed. degree in Special Education: Gifted requires completion of a minimum of 30 semester hours.

Required courses include the following:

Foundational Courses (6 Credit Hours)

EDCI 507 - Writing for the Responsive Professional Credit Hours: 3
EDCI 508 - Research Methods to Impact Student Learning Credit Hours: 3

Core Courses (21 Credit Hours)

Take care to note prerequisites included in individual course descriptions.

SPED 506 - Nature and Needs of Gifted Children Credit Hours: 3
SPED 500 - Social-Emotional Needs of the Gifted Credit Hours: 3
SPED 503 - Developing Creativity in the Classroom Credit Hours: 3
SPED 509 - Instructional Strategies for Teaching the Gifted Credit Hours: 3
SPED 510 - Curriculum Development for the Gifted Credit Hours: 3
IRED 501 - Integration of Technology in Instructional Practices in Education Credit Hours: 3

Capstone Courses (6 credit hours)

SPED 592 - Capstone I Credit Hours: 3
SPED 593 - Practicum and Capstone II Credit Hours: 3

Comprehensive Examination

In addition to completion of the above-identified coursework, candidates for the M.Ed. degree in Special Education: Gifted are required to complete a comprehensive examination that is a written and oral component. The comprehensive examination is used to assess students' knowledge, skills, and understandings of the field of gifted education. It is expected that the written exam will be taken upon completion of the foundation and core courses during the final fall semester in the cohort program.

Online graduate students have the benefit of flat-rate, $480-per-credit tuition.

Learn more about Tuition & Costs.

Because courses in this program will only be available online, the program may not be available to all applicants. The University of �޻��ֱ�� at Lafayette and its online programs must be in compliance in every state where a student is located. International students also may not be eligible. According to U.S. immigration regulations, F-1 students cannot pursue online degrees; international students in other visa categories (i.e., H-4, L2) are exempt from this restriction.

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