ACADEMICS - Special Education
There are two licensure options in the K-12 Special Education program: emotional/behavioral disabilities, and learning disabilities. Both programs qualify you to teach in special education programs and positions, and many students get licensure in both.
Licensure Requirements
Emotional/Behavioral Disabilities Core
The following requirements are offered at both the undergraduate and
graduate level. All courses must be taken for licensure, and up
to six may also be applied toward the master’s degree in education.
EDC 200/522 Orientation to Education (1.0) *
EDC 206/566 Diversity / MN American Indians (1.0)
EDC 310/533 Learning and Development (1.0) *
EDC 410/544 Special Needs Learner (1.0) *
EED 320/520 K-6 Methods: Reading (1.0)*
SPE 315 Special Education Critical Issues Seminar (.5)
SPE 400/500 Teaching Students with Emot./Behavioral Disabilities (1.0)**
SPE 410/510 Implementing Assessment Strategies (1.0)**
SPE 420/520 Planning, Design, and Delivery (1.0) **
SPE 430/530 Instructional and Behavioral Practices (1.0)**
SPE 440/540 Parent and Professional Planning (1.0)**
Learning Disabilities Core
Student wishing to earn a Learning Disabilities licensure in addition
to an Emotional/Behavioral licensure will take the above courses
in the Emotional/Behavioral core, and two additional specialty courses.
SPE 424/524 Etiology and Origins of Learning Disabilities (1.0)**
SPE 434/534 Teaching Content Areas to Students with Learning Disabilities
(1.0)**
A student wishing to earn only a Learning Disabilities licensure would take all of the above courses, with the exception of SPE 430/530 Instructional and Behavioral Practices. To complete the license, students will also need to complete certain requirements at the undergraduate level. For a complete list, contact the Graduate Admissions Office to receive a free catalog.
*Ten to 20 hours of field experience required as part of this course. Students currently working in schools can often use their school employment for their field experience.
**These courses are taken during the internship year. A significant amount of contact with students labeled EBD or LD is required. The ideal situation for the internship year is to be working in a K-12 setting with these students. Students not currently employed in schools must be available for extensive volunteer field placements during the internship year. (Minimum 10 hours/week).
Eligibility
To be eligible to apply to the Special Education program, students
must:
- have a degree and/or licensure in another field; and
- be currently employed in a K-12 setting as a paraprofessional or licensed teacher; and/or
- have experience working with students who are labeled with emotional, behavioral, or learning disabilities, as well as considerable time available for volunteer field placements.
This program is built on an inclusive education model. Under this model, students learn how to work closely with both special and regular educators to facilitate inclusion of special education students into the regular education classroom.
