Special Education Major, B.A.

General Degree Requirements

To earn a degree, students must satisfy all requirements in each of the four areas below, in addition to their individual major requirements. 

• Degree and Certificate Requirements  
• General Studies Requirements  
• Ethnic Studies & Social Justice Graduation Requirement  
• Senior Experience Graduation Requirements  

Program Requirements

• A total of 125 semester hours are required for graduation. 
• A grade of “C-” or better is required for each course in this program to count toward the bachelor’s degree. Students should note that programs differ in the minimum grade required. 
• A minor is not required for this program. 

General Studies Requirements: 33 credits

Students should consult the General Studies Requirements for a list of courses that fulfill the General Studies Requirements for degree completion.  

• Written Communication (6 credits) 
• Oral Communication (3 credits) 
• Quantitative Literacy (3 credits) 
  • Recommended: MTH 1610 - Integrated Mathematics I 
• Arts and Humanities (6 credits) 
  • Recommended: ARTE 2060 - The Arts and Creative Thinking  
  • Recommended: ENG 2460 - Introduction to Children’s Literature  
• Historical (3 credits) 
  • Recommended: HIS 1210 - American History to 1865  or HIS 1220 - American History since 1865  
• Natural and Physical Sciences (6 credits) 
  • Recommended: SCI 2600 - Integrated Biology and Earth Science  and SCI 2610 - Integrated Physical and Chemical Sciences  
• Social and Behavioral Sciences (6 credits) 
  • Recommended: GEG 1000 - World Regional Geography  
  • Recommended: PSY 1800 - Developmental Educational Psychology  
• Global Diversity (0 or 3 credits**)

** Students will fulfill the global diversity requirement by taking an approved course within one of the following categories: arts and humanities; historical; natural and physical sciences; or social and behavioral sciences.

Ethnic Studies & Social Justice Requirement: 0 or 3 credits

• Students should consult the Ethnic Studies & Social Justice Graduation Requirement  for a list of courses that fulfill the ESSJ Requirement for degree completion.  
• Many programs include courses that meet this requirement. Students should consult with their advisor to determine what program courses may fulfill this requirement. 

Special Education Major Content Course Requirements: 15 credits

All special education majors must complete the following Content Course Requirements. These courses prepare candidates to pass the elementary content exam required of all special education candidates prior to recommendation for licensure. Most of these courses will also satisfy the general studies requirements noted in the General Studies section above.

Note: Up to 12 credits from this section may be counted toward the credit total for General Studies.

• MTH 1610 - Integrated Mathematics I Credits: 3
• MTH 2620 - Integrated Mathematics II Credits: 3
• PSY 1800 - Developmental Educational Psychology Credits: 3
• SCI 2600 - Integrated Biology and Earth Science Credits: 3
• SCI 2610 - Integrated Physical and Chemical Sciences Credits: 3

Special Education Major Core:

The special education curriculum is organized into sequences of course work that provide candidates with guidance in program planning. They are comprised of course clusters that candidates may take in any order; however, it is suggested that students completed all courses in a sequence before moving on to the next sequence when possible. Students are highly encouraged to meet with a faculty advisor to discuss their class schedule.

Senior Experience: 12 credits

Sequence VI Courses (Student Teaching)

Candidates must take 12 credits of student teaching, which may include either 12 credit hours of Special Education student teaching or 6 hours of Special Education and 6 hours of Elementary. Students who simultaneously complete the Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLD) Education endorsement will take 6 hours of special education and 6 hours of CLD student teaching. Students must consult with their advisor to identify the appropriate courses.

• CLD 4590 - Culturally and Linguistically Diverse: ESL Student Teaching and Seminar Credits: 6
• EDU 4190 - Elementary Student Teaching and Seminar: K-6 Credits: 6,12
• SED 4490 - Special Education Student Teaching and Seminar Credits: 6 or 12

Summary of Requirements

Required courses for the major may also count for General Studies and ESSJ requirements, so the total credits listed may be greater than the number required to complete the degree. Therefore, it is important that you work with your advisor to make sure you are meeting requirements for your degree.

Up to 12 of the 33 General Studies credits in this program may be fulfilled through requirements for the degree.