Special Education B.S.ED. Dual Certification/Double Major
Required credits to graduate with this dual certification/double major degree:
| Early Childhood Special Education |
161 credits |
| Elementary Special Education |
159-166 credits |
| Secondary Special Education |
155-190 credits |
Special Education Program Goals
The goal of the special education program is to prepare teacher candidates for entry to special education professional practice with the knowledge and skills to practice safely, ethically and effectively with a multi-categorical population of students with special needs. The program consists of a double major in professional education (early childhood, elementary or secondary) and special education as candidates must master appropriate core academic subject matter as well as be prepared for the complex challenges of teaching individuals with exceptional learning needs. The skills of general educator and special educator complement each other, and as such, dual certification is a goal of this program. The special education program seeks to prepare students to:
- Apply specialized pedagogical knowledge and skills.
- Master appropriate core academic subject matter content.
- Demonstrate instructional strategies and assessments that are developmentally appropriate for diverse learners.
- Observe, document, and analyze characteristics, behaviors and learning environments of populations with special needs.
- Apply effective verbal and non-verbal communication, multi-media, computers, and current technology skills in specialized settings.
- Demonstrate professional dispositions and ethical practice through collaborative interactions
This double major allows you to be licensed as both a general educator in either early childhood (birth-third grade), elementary (first-eighth grade), or secondary (5-th-12th grade) and a special educator (k-12). Professional education core requirements are established for early childhood education, elementary education, secondary education, and special education. Special education majors must complete at least 5 semester hours of student teaching in special education in addition to the 10 semester hours in early childhood, elementary, or secondary education. The special education major is offered both entirely online and through a hybrid of online and on campus courses; the major can also be added to existing baccalaureate degrees with a minimum of 15 unduplicated additional credits.
Special Education majors must complete 36 hours of essential studies. The following Essential Studies courses require a minimum grade of "C": COMM 110, ENGL 110, ENGL 120 or ENGL 125, GEOG 103, MATH 104 and PSYC 111. Follow all prerequisites for their respective certification level and the Teach Education program.
A list of approved essential studies courses is available here.
Criteria for Admission, Continuance, and Exiting the Teacher Education Program
Student Learning Outcomes:
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SLO 1: Learner & Learning: Students understand diversity in learning and developmental processes and create supportive and safe learning environments for students to thrive.
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SLO 2: Content: Students understand subject matter deeply and flexibly so they can advance their students’ learning, address misconceptions and apply ideas to everyday life.
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SLO 3: Instructional Practice: Students will plan instruction, utilize effective instructional strategies and technologies, and continuously assess students for mastery and decision-making purposes.
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SLO 4: Professional Responsibility: Students will take responsibility for student learning, collaborative relationships, their own professional growth, and the advancement of the profession.
Requirements
Early Childhood Special Education Core Courses
| EC 336 | Social & Emotional Development & Guidance in ECE | 3 |
| EC 338 | Home, School, Community Relations | 3 |
| SPED 237 | Special Needs in ECE | 3 |
| SPED 289 | Foundations of Special Education | 3 |
| SPED 300 | Introduction to Applied Behavior Analysis | 3 |
| SPED 340 | Assessment & Documentation in Infant & Toddler Programs | 3 |
| SPED 343 | Classroom Accommodations and Modifications | 3 |
| SPED 344 | Augmented and Alternative Communication | 3 |
| SPED 387 | Learning Disabilities Practicum | 2 |
| SPED 396 | Special Education Law | 3 |
| SPED 400B | Special Education Student Teaching | 5 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 34 |
Elementary Special Education Core Courses
| EC 338 | Home, School, Community Relations | 3 |
| EDUC 350 | Reading Assessment and Intervention | 3 |
| EDUC 351 | Reading Assessment and Intervention Practicum | 2 |
| SPED 289 | Foundations of Special Education | 3 |
| SPED 300 | Introduction to Applied Behavior Analysis | 3 |
| SPED 382 | Intellectual Disabilities | 3 |
| SPED 383 | Intellectual Disabilities Practicum | 2 |
| SPED 384 | Emotional Disabilities | 3 |
| SPED 385 | Emotional Disabilities Practicum | 2 |
| SPED 386 | Learning Disabilities | 3 |
| SPED 387 | Learning Disabilities Practicum | 2 |
| SPED 395 | Transition | 2 |
| SPED 396 | Special Education Law | 3 |
| SPED 397 | Assessment of Students with Disabilities | 3 |
| SPED 400B | Special Education Student Teaching | 5 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 42 |
Secondary Special Education Core Courses
| EDUC 307 | Elementary and Middle School Math Methods | 3 |
| EDUC 318 | Elementary Reading Methods | 3 |
| EDUC 350 | Reading Assessment and Intervention | 3 |
| EDUC 351 | Reading Assessment and Intervention Practicum | 2 |
| SPED 289 | Foundations of Special Education | 3 |
| SPED 300 | Introduction to Applied Behavior Analysis | 3 |
| SPED 382 | Intellectual Disabilities | 3 |
| SPED 383 | Intellectual Disabilities Practicum | 2 |
| SPED 384 | Emotional Disabilities | 3 |
| SPED 385 | Emotional Disabilities Practicum | 2 |
| SPED 386 | Learning Disabilities | 3 |
| SPED 387 | Learning Disabilities Practicum | 2 |
| SPED 395 | Transition | 2 |
| SPED 396 | Special Education Law | 3 |
| SPED 397 | Assessment of Students with Disabilities | 3 |
| SPED 400B | Special Education Student Teaching | 5 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 45 |