Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Preparation in Special Education

Program Rationale:

This non-degree program is designed for students who, after receiving an undergraduate degree that did not lead to teacher certification (i.e., psychology, sociology, general sciences, human services, mathematics, business, liberal arts, etc.), want to pursue coursework leading to teacher certification in special education. The curriculum for this program is aligned with the standards of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) and the certification requirements of the Connecticut State Department of Education.

Program Learning Outcomes:

1. Students will demonstrate knowledge of foundational issues in special education and their impact on the field.
2. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the development and characteristics of learners, individual learning differences, and appropriate instructional strategies.
3. Students will demonstrate the ability to analyze multiple forms of standardized and curriculum-based assessments and use that information for a variety of educational decisions.
4. Students will demonstrate the ability to use their knowledge of general and specialized curricula to individualize learning for students with exceptional learning needs.
5. Students will demonstrate the ability to select, adopt, and use instructional strategies to promote learning and to modify learning environments for students with exceptional learning needs.
6. Students will promote professional, ethical, and collaborative practices in the field of special education.

Course and Requirements:

• Professional Requirements (9 credits)
• 30 hours of verified field experience with regular education students
• 10 hours of verified field experience with exceptional learners.

Required Courses

SPED 501	Education of the Exceptional Learner	3
SPED 502	Principles of Learning for Special Education	3
RDG 508	Reading Instruction K-12	3

Specialization Requirements:

SPED 514	Cognitive Behavior Management and Social Skill Strategies	3
SPED 515	Assessment in Special Education	3
SPED 516	Instructional Programming for Students with Exceptionalities	3
SPED 517	Special Education Methods in Teaching Reading (K-12)	3
SPED 518	Special Education Methods in Teaching Writing (K-12)	3
SPED 519	Special Education Methods in Content Area Instruction (K-12)	2
SPED 520	Student Teaching Seminar	1
SPED 521	Student Teaching in Special Education - Elementary	3
SPED 522	Student Teaching in Special Education - Secondary	3

SPED 521 and SPED 522: eight weeks

Note: It is the student's responsibility to consult with their advisor on a regular basis since program policies and procedures are subject to change.

Students must be sure to consider prerequisite requirements before registering for courses. Numerical listing does not necessarily indicate correct sequence.

In addition to maintaining a 3.00 overall average, students must maintain a B- (2.70) average in special education courses to be recommended for certification.

The School of Education and Professional Studies requires students to complete a departmental performance assessment in order to qualify for student teaching and to complete the Professional Program. In addition, students are expected to abide by the standards outlined in the current Undergraduate Catalog for maintaining good standing in the Professional Program.

Admission to the Professional Program is a prerequisite for SPED 515-522.

SPED 516, SPED 517, and SPED 518 may be counted toward a master's degree in special education.