Visual Impairment M.A.
Program Requirements
Here is an overview of catalog courses that are specific to this exceptionality area:.
- Please note the mandatory Introduction to Graduate Research (SRM 600) for masters students in special education.
- Advanced and core courses that are specific to this program.
Program Coordinator
Dr. Paula Conroy, Ph.D.
Telephone: 970-351-1651
Additional Information
- PLACE and PRAXIS Test
You will need to take and pass the PRAXIS or the Colorado PLACE test before you are allowed to begin your Vision Practicum. This is the test of content knowledge in Visual Impairment.
- PLACE Test
- PRAXIS Test (The VI PRAXIS test is called the Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments)
- Practicum Information
- Forms and Handbooks
Graduate Forms
UNC Resources
- Comprehensive Exam Information
The comprehensive examination is UNC’s test of content knowledge and serves as the exit exam for the Visual Impairment and O&M programs. Every student must pass comprehensive exams in order to be enrolled in practicum.
There is one exam for visual impairment and another for orientation and mobility. If you are in the dual program, you will take both tests. The tests are offered every semester: September, January and June. You have 2 attempts to pass each test. If you fail the test twice, your program will be terminated by the Graduate School.
The Permission to Take Comprehensive Exam must be completed and sent to your advisor 2 weeks before the exam date. Your advisor will then check over your transcript and program plan to approve you to take the exam on the proposed date.
You will be given one week to complete the test. It will be emailed to you on the test start date and will include directions. You MUST use APA 5th Edition style and formatting in your writing or you will not pass. This includes substantial use of the research in the field and your course resources and reference material. If you do not cite the literature in the field, you will not pass. Each test is run through a plagiarism detector to determine the originality of the paper. If plagiarism is detected, you will be contacted by the program coordinator. Many students find this test to be an opportunity to synthesize and integrate their knowledge in the field and then backing it up properly with literature from the field. It is not intended to be tricky or difficult. Please see the Comprehensive Exam Rubric for further explanation of the scoring of the test.
