»Information Sessions & FAQs

Chapman University is located in the City of Orange, California, near historic Old Towne Orange. Our beautiful campus is centrally located in Orange County, a short distance from the 5, 55, 22, and 91 freeways.

Chapman offers combined master's degree and teaching credential programs in both general education (elementary and secondary) and special education. See the Teaching Credential webpage for a list of available credential programs.

The combined MA in Teaching (MAT) and credential program takes 15 months to complete full time. Those admitted in summer are in a cohort sequence of Summer/Fall/Spring/Summer.

Chapman's combined MA in Special Education and Preliminary Education Specialist credential program can be completed in 18 months, full time. Chapman Education Specialist credentials are available in the areas of Mild Moderate Support Needs (MMSN, formerly Mild/Moderate) and Extensive Support Needs (ESN, formerly Moderate/Severe). Students may also add a second credential (MMSN or ESN) with an additional term of coursework (12 additional course credits).

Our Joint Preliminary Multiple Subject and Preliminary Education Specialist Mild Moderate Support Needs (MMSN, formerly Mild/Moderate) credential program is a two-year, full-time program. Teacher candidates in this program also earn an MA in Special Education.

All Chapman Special Education programs offer part-time options.

All classes are held in the late afternoon and evenings, between 4 p.m. and 10 p.m., Monday through Thursday. Fieldwork takes place in late afternoon during the summer or during a typical school day in fall and spring.

Additionally, the required full-time student teaching term will be conducted during district contract hours, Monday through Friday.

Please visit the Tuition & Fees page for full details. All Attallah College graduate program applicants who submit all their materials by the program's priority deadline are automatically considered for tuition fellowships and scholarships.

A variety of state and federal grants are also available for future teachers, including the Golden State Teacher Grant and TEACH Grant.

Chapman admits one cohort per year (a summer term start) to the MA in Teaching and SPED programs. See the graduate admission webpage for all Attallah College application deadlines.

Beginning with the 2023-2024 academic year application cycle, the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) is allowing applicants to teacher education graduate programs to submit exam scores, evidence of sufficient coursework, or a mixture of coursework and exam scores to fulfill their Basic Skills and Subject Matter Competency Requirements. Please visit our Admission Requirements webpage to learn more.

Chapman University
Office of Graduate Admission
One University Dr.
Orange, CA 92866

Chapman University offers degree programs that lead to professional licensure within the state of California, and which may also allow graduates to be eligible for licensure or certification in other states. However, other than for the state of California, Chapman has not made an independent determination as to whether its programs’ curriculum meets a particular state's educational requirements for licensure or certification. Therefore, students and prospective students are strongly encouraged to contact the state’s licensure entity where they intend to practice to review all licensure and certification requirements imposed by the state(s) of their choice. Chapman is not responsible if a student is unable to qualify for state licensure or certification.

Any applicant who wishes to inquire about or to appeal an admission decision made by the Graduate Teacher Education programs at the Attallah College of Educational Studies may contact the program administrative coordinator in writing at teachereducation@chapman.edu. If the student wishes to submit a formal written grievance, this must be received by teachereducation@chapman.edu within 10 days of the admissions decision. Once the written grievance has been received, the admissions committee will review and respond in writing to the candidate.

If the student wishes to further grieve the response, they may do so in writing to teachereducation@chapman.edu within 10 days of the grievance response. At this point, the applicant's file (including the candidate’s application package and review scores) will be forwarded to the program coordinator, and a meeting will be arranged with the applicant to review the applicant's documents and the program decision.

Should the applicant desire to file a formal grievance, a written appeal should be sent within five working days to the Associate Dean of Graduate Education or the Dean. The Associate Dean or Dean will confer with the applicant and meet with the program coordinator and faculty if appropriate. Within 10 business days of meeting with the Associate Dean or Dean, the applicant will receive a formal written statement indicating the decision of the college.

• Unless stated elsewhere in the program’s requirements section of the Graduate Catalog, a maximum number of credits as stipulated below may be transferred into graduate programs. Some degree programs limit transfers to elective courses only; consult the appropriate program section of the catalog. Students are responsible for all material covered on comprehensive examinations required by specific graduate degrees.
  • 6 credits accepted in transfer for graduate programs that require 39 graduate credits or less.
  • 9 credits accepted in transfer for graduate programs that require 40-59 credits.
  • 12 credits accepted in transfer for graduate programs that require 60 credits or more.
• Master’s students who wish to transfer prior coursework must seek program approval for transfer within one academic term after achieving regular admission. Doctoral students who wish to transfer prior coursework must seek program approval for transfer within one academic year after achieving regular admission. Programs must respond to requests for transfer approval in writing to the student and such documentation must be submitted with the transfer request to the Office of the University Registrar within the specified time frame.
• After admission to a graduate program, a concurrent enrollment graduate petition must be approved by the graduate program and submitted to the Office of the University Registrar prior to enrollment in coursework at another institution. Credits taken in concurrent enrollment count toward the total allowable transfer credits. (The Graduate Petition form is available online at the Office of the University Registrar’s webpage www.chapman.edu/registrar).
• The coursework must be taken at a regionally accredited institution.
• The coursework must be graduate level or accepted in a Chapman graduate degree program. Correspondence and extension courses are not transferable.
• Credit is not awarded for life or work experience.
• A grade no lower than “B-” (2.700) must have been earned in the course presented for transfer for all graduate degrees. Courses granted Credit (CR) or Pass (P) are not transferable.
• The coursework must be relevant to the degree program.
• Transfer coursework must have been taken within seven years of completion of the degree program.
• Official transcripts must be submitted.
• If the credits accepted in transfer are not the equivalent of the minimum required number of credits, additional coursework must be taken to complete degree credit requirements.
• Requests for transfer of military coursework will be considered as fulfilling prerequisites and elective requirements only (no core courses) for those programs that accept military credit. Coursework must meet all other transfer requirements.
• In the event that the content of one or more of the required courses is waived but the coursework is not accepted in transfer, the student must select a substitute with approval of the program director or designee for additional credits.
• Course credit received for graduate courses that are entirely competency-based are not transferable.
• No internship nor practicum credit is accepted in transfer.

Please refer to the University's Academic Policies and Procedures page.

The Attallah College of Educational Studies offers monthly graduate information sessions. These sessions are great opportunities to obtain further information about the program and meet with the program coordinator.
RSVP »

To request further information about Chapman University's Graduate Programs, please complete the form at the link below so that the Office of Graduate Admission can send you more information about life as a Panther.
Request Information »

Learn more about the 2025-2026 Graduate Catalog.