Masters in Special Education without thesis. Is it worthwhile?

Question

I am a medical person venturing into the field of Special Education . I have an admission in one of the Universities in Australia for Masters in Special Education, just coursework , without thesis. Is it worthwhile doing it there? Are there equivalent courses in India which will give me the required breakthrough, considering the fact that I have no prior experience in teaching? I want to be trained to teach children with learning disabilities. What is the best approach?

Answer 1

If you want to continue on for a doctorate degree OR you want to be involved in educational research, you should do a thesis.  My graduate school offered the thesis option or a written exam option.  Those students who wanted to go directly into the classroom chose the written exams.

The best classes are the ones that involve a placement in a school (like student teaching or shorter).  The other courses are interesting, but nothing beats the education of on-the-job experience.

Answer 2

I earned my Masters in Special Education WITH a thesis through California State University Los Angeles.  It was explained to me that the only advantage of going the route that I did, with the thesis, is that it is expected if you plan to pursue a doctorate degree with a dissertation.  In other words, if you expect to do research later, you should do research now.  Otherwise, the classes and training for teaching in the special education field are basically the same.