Prepare for advanced practice in special education. This graduate program prepares you for diverse roles, including behavior intervention specialist, curriculum adaptation specialist and director of special education.
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"Eastern IL is known for its education program. All of my teachers in high school seemed to graduate from EIU. For a while, it wasn't really on my radar until my little sister got accepted so the fact that a family member would be here too made it an easier decision."Sabrina BuntingEnglish Education | Class of 2025
The M.S. in Special Education prepares you for advanced practice in education, including roles as a behavior intervention specialist, curriculum adaptation specialist and director of special education. It is a fit if you are an educator who wants to serve students with diverse needs and move into leadership.
View in CatalogFederal graduate lending changed on July 1, 2026 - Grad PLUS loans ended for new borrowers and new federal borrowing caps now apply to graduate students. Here's why the math still works at EIU:
Estimated total for this degree: ~$18,180 (tuition and fees)
Estimates use 2026-2027 Illinois-resident tuition and fees and typical full-time enrollment. Your actual costs and aid depend on your program, enrollment, FAFSA, and prior borrowing. Students who borrowed for the same program before July 1, 2026 may have different limits.
$18,180 total, just 18% of your $100,000 federal graduate borrowing limit
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