Special Education Major: Teachers of Students with Cognitive Impairment, B.S. in Ed., Standard Elementary Certificate or B.S. in Ed., Standard Secondary Certificate
B.S. in Education degree, Standard Elementary or B.S. in Education degree, Secondary Certificate
Admission Requirements, Retention & Termination Standards
Teacher Certification - All programs are subject to changes in state certification rules and students should contact an advisor before pre-registration each semester. A student who plans to major in special education should contact the EHS Center for Student Services, EHS 421, as soon as possible to initiate the Admission to Teacher Education process. Students must fulfill all requirements listed for Admission to Teacher Education programs as specified in the Teacher Certification section of this Bulletin.
All students preparing to become approved to teach in special education must also meet requirements for certification in general elementary or secondary education. The endorsements in cognitive impairment and emotional impairment, both K-12, require either an elementary or secondary education general education certificate. Students completing a special education endorsement will be eligible to teach special education students in grades kindergarten through twelve (or age 26).
Before a major is declared, the student must have earned a grade of C or higher in SPE 126 (3) Introduction to Special Education.
Students are required to complete two student teaching assignments, one in Special Education during one semester and one in General Education during another semester. Application for Special Education student teaching must be completed through the Center for Clinical Experiences by the established deadline. Application for General Education student teaching must be made through the Center for Clinical Experiences by the established deadline in advance of each placement, with approval recommended by Special Education prior to placement. Fall student teaching applications are due the preceding spring semester, and Spring student teaching applications are due the preceding fall semester, by the established deadline.
A minimum 2.7 GPA (B-) must be earned in the Special Education major.
For Special Education major, Teachers of students with Cognitive Impairment, the following courses require a C+ or better: SPE 322, SPE 323, SPE 324, SPE 519, SPE 521, and SPE 522.
Program Requirements
Core Courses (24 hours)
| SPE 126 | Introduction to Special Education | 3(3-0) |
| SPE 322 | Curriculum and Instruction for Students with High Incidence Disabilities | 6(6-0) |
| SPE 323 | Classroom Management for Students with Special Needs | 3(3-0) |
| SPE 324 | Special Education Classroom-Based Assessment | 6(2-8) |
| SPE 550WI | Teaching Diverse Students in Educational Settings | 3(3-0) |
| SPE 570 | Career Development and Transitions | 3(3-0) |
Required Courses (18 hours)
Professional Sequence
| SPE 458 | Special Education Clinical Experience: Cognitive Impairment | 9(Spec) |
| SPE 519 | Students with Cognitive Impairment | 3(3-0) |
| SPE 521 | Teaching Students with Cognitive Impairment | 3(3-0) |
| SPE 522 | Seminar in Advanced Methods for Teaching Students with Cognitive | 3(3-0) |
Total: 42 semester hours