Occupational therapists (OTs) help patients develop, recover, and improve the skills needed for everyday living and working (occupations) due to injuries, illnesses, disabilities, psychological problems, or aging. They evaluate physical and mental conditions and create treatment plans using therapeutic exercises, adaptive equipment, and cognitive strategies. Working with all ages, OTs work in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, schools, nursing homes, and other settings. Learn more about this career.

Speech-language pathology is one of the fastest-rising professions nationwide, with employment opportunities projected to continue growing at a substantial rate in the next ten years. The Communication Disorders online master’s degree is designed to equip you with the professional expertise you need to meet this critical workforce demand.

In the Communication Disorders degree program at UNK. you will learn the basic scientific processes involved in human communication, including anatomy and physiology of speech, hearing, and language. You will also be introduced to related disorders. This program will prepare you with knowledge and skills to competently serve patients of all ages with impairments in communication.

The online Special Education master’s degree can help you gain general or specialized skills and expertise in special education based on the students you teach or the endorsement you need. Through the program, you will learn to enhance your teaching effectiveness and integrate a curriculum to include and engage all students.

The Reading PK-12 Program provides educators with the knowledge to identify students who are struggling with reading and literacy. It also provides educators with the knowledge, methods, strategies, and skills to facilitate instructional intervention for students in reading and literacy. The Reading Program satisfies the academic requirements for professional certification and an additional endorsement in reading. The current reading endorsement track is PK-12.

The online Curriculum and Instruction master’s degree is designed for K-12 teachers in all areas and grade levels who are interested in becoming better classroom teachers. The field of curriculum and instruction can advance your professional growth as an educator, whether to expand within your discipline or address specific instructional concerns.

Choose from concentration areas in:

Classroom Education Emphasis
Museum Education Emphasis

This blended program prepares you for school counseling careers where you will work directly with students as a support system for both academic guidance and preventive or responsive services. Through the program, you will gain an understanding of guidance curriculums, individual student planning, special population needs, ethics and policies in school counseling, and intervention techniques for counseling positions in elementary or secondary school settings.

The UNK School Psychology Specialist Degree in Education program prepares graduates to become uniquely qualified members of school teams that support students’ ability to learn and teachers’ ability to teach. Trainees learn to provide assessment, support, and intervention services to students; partner with families, teachers, and other professionals to create safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments; work with school administrators to improve school-wide policies; and collaborate with community providers to coordinate services for students.

UNK's Montessori program is a full affiliate of the American Montessori Society, and accredited by the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education. UNK is currently the only university with these credentials that offers the opportunity to pursue AMS certification in a mostly online program.