Catalog - Table of Index

Special Education Major

Special Education Certification
(Cognitive, Behavior, Physical/Health Disabilities)

Degree BS, Special Education
Director Molly Vitale, PhD

The special education (SPED) program is designed to prepare teachers to work with individuals with cognitive, behavioral, and physical/health disabilities (that is, students who are mentally retarded, learning disabled, emotionally disturbed, physically handicapped, or multi-handicapped) between the ages of birth and 21. The program is fully approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and leads to an "Instructional I" teaching certificate (CBP-HD) recognized in Pennsylvania and many other states.

Pre-service teachers in SPED must successfully complete the liberal arts core curriculum, a series of generic teacher education department (TED) courses and field experiences, and the courses and experience required by the SPED specialization.

SPED majors must satisfactorily complete a series of field experiences that begin during the second semester of the first year and continue every semester until graduation. By graduation, our pre-service teachers will have spent at least 700 hours in community classrooms. During students’ final semester they must complete a 15-week student teaching assignment (two separate placements).

Students who successfully complete the SPED program are eligible for recommendation by the university to the Pennsylvania Department of Education for a state teacher certification. The university’s recommendation and the successful completion of other requirements established by the state, including meeting the pass scores specified by the state on PRAXIS I and II, qualify graduates for an “Instructional I” certificate. Once certified in Pennsylvania, our graduates usually have no difficulty becoming certified in other states.

SPED majors may choose to declare a second major in elementary education. SPED/ELED graduates would be eligible for certification in both elementary and special education.

Special Education-Sequence of Required Courses

First Year

First Semester	Total Credits	15	Second Semester	Total Credits	15
ENG 103	English Composition	3	ENG	Literature	3
PSY 123	Introduction to Psychology	3	BIO/CHM /PHY	Natural Science Core	3
ENG	Eng Lit Core (Amer or Brit req)	3	HIS/POL	History/Pol Sci Core (one seq)	3
BIO/CHM /PHY	Natural Science Core	3	TED 111	Intro. to Education	3
HIS/POL	History/Pol Sci Core (one seq)	3	TED 121	Ed. Technology	3
TED 101	Freshman Seminar or	0	TED 191	Freshman Field	0
TED 102	Transfer Seminar	0

Sophomore Year

First Semester	Total Credits	15	Second Semester	Total Credits	17
SOC 101	Comparative Sociology	3	RLS	Religious Studies	3
PHL 100	Intro to Philosophy	3	FA	Fine Arts	3
MTH	Mathematics Bank I	3	MTH	Math Bank II(Statistics)	3
TED 231	Learning	3	TED 251	Curriculum	3
TED 241	Development	3	TED 261	Teaching	3
TED 292	Sophomore Field I	0	TED 271	Classroom Management	2
			TED 293	Sophomore Field II	0

Junior Year

First Semester	Total Credits	16	Second Semester	Total Credits	20
TED 381	Reading Methods I	3	TED 382	Reading Methods II	3
TED 384	Math Methods I	3	TED 385	Math Methods II	3
TED 354	Curriculum/Special	1	TED 390	Methods/Social Studies	2
TED 388	Methods/Language Arts	3	TED 391	Methods/Health	2
TED 389	Methods/Science	3	TED 365	Methods/Learning Support	3
TED 342	Characteristics MPH	3	TED 373	Management/Elementary	1
TED 394	Junior Field	0	TED 374	Management/Special	1
			TED 375	Management/Support	1
			TED 364	Methods/Life Skills	3
			TED 395	Junior Practicum	1

Senior Year

First Semester	Total Credits	17	Second Semester	Total Credits	12
PHL	Philosophy	3	TED 497	Student Teaching	9-12
FA	Fine Arts	3
RLS	Religious Studies	3
TED 383	Reading Methods III	3
TED 360	Children's Literature	2
TED 443	Parent Conferencing	1
TED 322	Assistive Technology	2
TED 401	Senior Seminar	0
TED 496	Senior Field	0

Education Course Descriptions (TED)