Admissions | Special Education Added Endorsement

The AddSPED program is dedicated to enrolling and retaining teachers who possess a strong commitment to learn, while demonstrating self-reflection, professionalism and ethical behavior. We prepare teachers to effectively support students with a diverse range of needs and encourage their growth and learning through creative practices.

Admissions Timeline
Program Start	Winter
Application Opens	August 1
Final Application Deadline	November 15
Final Application Materials Due*	November 30
Program Start	Winter

Additional Timeline Information:

*Recommendations can sometimes take longer to arrive. You can submit your application before these have arrived. This deadline is to allow a short grace period for your recommendations to arrive, if necessary.

After submission, your application will be reviewed by staff and faculty. We make every effort to communicate admissions decisions within 4-6 weeks.

Admissions Requirements

Possess a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution with a cumulative undergraduate GPA of a least 3.0
Provide a printout of your current Oregon teaching license from the TSPC website

Required application materials

Below is the list of the materials and information you will need to provide as part of your online application. We recommend preparing these materials in advance of submitting your application.

Unofficial Transcripts: from your bachelor’s degree-granting institution and from any institution at which you have earned graduate-level credit
English Language Proficiency: Automatically assessed in your application materials. Learn more about your options for proving proficiency.
Résumé outlining your work experience with youth in an educational setting
Statement of Purpose: Please complete a statement of purpose that answers the following prompts:
- Describe how this program fits your educational and long-term career goals and the difference you intend to make in your field. Explain how your college education will help you achieve these. As needed, convey additional information explaining your previous academic performance and readiness for the program.
- Reflect on a time when you faced a significant challenge or setback. How did you manage your emotions, time, and resources to overcome the obstacle, and what did you learn from the experience?
- What background, experiences, skills, or beliefs do you bring to support the inclusion of infants, children, or youth with elevated service needs (e.g., low-incidence disabilities, multiple disabilities) and their families and teachers?
Recommendations: Submit contact information for at least two references via the application. Portland State University will contact your references and provide them with instructions for submitting recommendation forms.

Admissions Review Process

We review your application for the following:

Academic Requirements: Via your transcripts, we assess whether you meet the university’s minimum admissions requirements.
Experience working with children and/or youth: Experience working with youth with special needs before you begin our program ensures that we feel confident about your future success as a special education teacher. We use your résumé to assess for this experience.
Level of Interest: We evaluate your statement of purpose to gain a stronger sense of your interest in special education and how your experiences have prepared you to become a special educator
Two Recommendations: If possible, at least one of these should come from someone who has seen you work with youth with special needs. Your references will submit a questionnaire that you send them via the application portal.

Ready to apply?

Review the PSU Graduate School’s minimum admissions requirements.
Create an account or sign into the Portland State University Admissions Application system.
Select "Start New Application"
Then select "Graduate Application"
For the college, select "College of Education"
For the program of study, select either:
"Added Special Education Endorsement (AddSPED), Graduate Certificate"
"Special Education: Add SPED K-12, Endorsement"
Select the term you plan to start the program

Questions? Contact Laura!

Post-Admissions

You will be notified of your admission decision to the program via an email and formal digital letter from the Graduate School. After admission, you will be assigned a faculty advisor and staff student success advisor, both of whom will support you through your program. The college provides an online orientation module to help you take your next steps to begin your program. You will also be invited to a live orientation session to ensure that you’re fully prepared to begin.

A few additional things to keep in mind:

All students must submit their official transcripts to the Graduate School after admission.
If you’re still completing a bachelor’s degree, you must apply for your degree, and it must be awarded by the term before you begin your graduate program. (Ex: if the program begins summer, the degree must be awarded by the end of spring term).
You must register for coursework in the term that you are admitted in order to validate admission to the program. If you do not, your admission status will be canceled.
If you’re unable to begin in your term of admission, you may request a one-time deferral for up to 4 terms (one year) by emailing askcoe@pdx.edu. This request must be made before the start of the program.