Pre-admission Writing Assessment (PWA)

The Department of Special Education policy for meeting the Pre-admission Writing Assessment (PWA) for the Master of Arts degree, 

The University requires that all applicants meet a pre-admission (Level 1) writing standard prior to entering a graduate program.

LEVEL I

I. Satisfactory performance on the Personal Statement should be achieved to gain admission to the degree program. 

II.  Applicants who do not meet this requirement will be denied admission, or, if all other areas of the application are strong, a faculty member may choose to file a petition with Graduate Studies to request conditional admission. The student will need to pass a pre-determined standardized test, or complete an English Writing course from an approved list that will be maintain by the department within one semester of conditional admission.

LEVEL II

Students will be required to complete one of the following Culminating Experiences:

Option I (6 units):    

  • SPED 890:  Culminating Experience Seminar 
  • One graduate seminar outside of the interest area selected in consultation with an advisor.                                                           

Option II (6 units):  

  • SPED 894 Creative Work in Special Education (3 units).
  • One graduate seminar outside the interest area selected in consultation with an advisor. 

Option III (6 units):

  • SPED 898: Master’s Thesis (3 units) 
  • One graduate seminar outside the interest area selected in consultation with an advisor. 

Note: Options II and III are by selection process only with an approved proposal (see program advisor).

Additional Information

Upload an essay 500-750 words in length. Please respond to these these four questions when formulating your essay:

  1. Why do you want to enter the graduate special education program at SF State?
  2. What personal attributes do you possess and/or identities do you hold that will contribute to your success in a graduate special education program?
  3. What experiences have you had that have prepared you to work in a collaborative environment that seeks to advance equity and inclusion for individuals with disabilities, both in general and specific to the program you are interested in joining?
  4. What are your goals after you complete the graduate special education program?

The personal statement is used to determine if the individual’s experiences and professional goals are aligned with the program. Further, the writing is assessed as a means to meet the required Pre Writing Assessment (PWA) Level 1 Graduate Studies requirement at SF State.

Applicants must receive a score of 2 or higher on the Personal Statement Department of Special Education rubric to meet the Pre Writing Assessment (PWA) Level 1 Graduate Studies requirement at SF State. Applicants who do not meet this requirement will be denied admission, or, if all other areas of the application are strong, a faculty member may choose to file a petition with Graduate Studies to request conditional admission. The student will need to pass a pre-determined standardized test, or complete an English Writing course from an approved list that will be maintained by the department within one semester of conditional admission.

Organization and Focus

  • The statement is well-organized, presented in a way that is logical and leads the reader through the content.
  • The statement is focused on answering the question prompts provided.

Ideas and Themes 

  • The statement has clearly identifiable ideas and themes that relay the individual’s unique perspectives and experiences.

Language and Written Expression

  • The statement includes precise and accurate word choices, well-crafted sentences, and excellence in grammar and style.