School of Education

Special Education Core Requirements

The following courses are Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education (RP & SE) unless otherwise indicated.

• 300 Individuals with Disabilities, 3
• 330 Behavior Analysis: Applications to Persons with Disabilities, 3
• 469 Academic Instruction: Learning and Behavioral Disabilities, 3
• 470 Individuals with Learning and Behavioral Disabilities, 3
• 505 Biological, Psychosocial and Vocational Aspects of Disabilities, 3

Special Education Concentrations

Effective fall 2006, students admitted to the Special Education program must select a concentration in one of the following areas. A license in this area will be granted upon completion of the concentration and other program requirements.

Emotional/Behavioral Disabilities

• RP & SE 473 Management: Students with Learning and Behavioral Disabilities, 3
• Psych 509 Abnormal Psychology, 3
• Select one from among the following:
• RP & SE 450 Collaborating with Families of Individuals with Disabilities, 3
• Social Work 644 Social Work and Developmental Disabilities, 3, or approved substitute
• RP & SE 479 Language and Reading Instruction: Learning and Behavioral Disabilities, 3
• RP & SE 502 Teaching Math to Students with Learning and Behavioral Disabilities, 3 (if offered)

Cognitive Disabilities

• Social Work 644 Social Work and Developmental Disabilities, 3, or approved substitute
• Select two from among the following:
• Psych 509 Abnormal Psychology, 3
• RP & SE 450 Collaborating with Families of Individuals with Disabilities, 3
• RP & SE 479 Language and Reading Instruction: Learning and Behavioral Disabilities, 3
• RP & SE 502 Teaching Math to Students with Learning and Behavioral Disabilities, 3 (if offered)
• RP & SE 473 Management: Students with Learning and Behavioral Disabilities, 3

Learning Disabilities

• RP & SE 479 Language and Reading Instruction: Learning and Behavioral Disabilities, 3
• Select two from among the following:
• Psych 509 Abnormal Psychology, 3
• Social Work 644 Social Work and Developmental Disabilities, 3, or approved substitute
• RP & SE 450 Collaborating with Families of Individuals with Disabilities, 3
• RP & SE 502 Teaching Math to Students with Learning and Behavioral Disabilities, 3 (if offered)
• RP & SE 473 Management: Students with Learning and Behavioral Disabilities, 3

Methods Course Work and Practicum Experience in a General Education Classroom

• Curric 305 Integrating the Teaching of Reading with Other Language Arts, 3
• Curric 370 Teaching Mathematics: Preschool through Middle School, 3
• Curric 374 General Education Practicum and Instructional Planning for Diverse Learners, 5. In addition to the methodology courses Curric 305 and 370, Curric 374 provides a field placement in a general education classroom. Admission to the Special Education program and advisor approval are required to enroll in these three courses, often taken concurrently. This course work is a prerequisite to the Special Education practicum.

Special Education—Methods, Practicum, Student Teaching

Placements in the special education practica and/or student teaching require admission to the teacher certification program. Students should complete RP&SE 300, 330, 469, 470, 505; Curric 305, 370 and 374 before doing a Special Education practicum. In addition, students must successfully complete the state required content examination (Praxis II; see more information here) before enrolling in Special Education practica and/or student teaching.

Students in the program are informed each fall semester about practicum pre-registration and application procedures for the following academic year. Special Education practica placements are assigned by program faculty and supervisors. Pre-registration is mandatory and requires faculty advisor approval. While the sequences below are typical, actual sequences will be determined in consultation with the program advisor. Students will be assigned to RP & SE 473 in either the fall or spring semester. Note: RP&SE 473 is required only of students completing the Emotional/Behavioral Disabilities concentration, but strongly recommended for students completing any of the concentration areas.

Middle Childhood through Early Adolescence Certification Schedule

Middle Childhood through Early Adolescence certification students complete a one semester half-day practicum placement and a one semester full-day student teaching placement. Practica placements follow the University calendar except for the spring break schedule. Student teaching placements follow the school district calendar. Students in either a practicum or student teaching placement adhere to the school district’s spring break schedule. Class schedules for these two semesters will be determined in consultation with the faculty advisor.

• 471 Methods and Curriculum: Learning and Behavioral Disabilities (K-9), 3
• 473 Management: Students with Learning and Behavioral Disabilities, 3
• 474 Diagnosis and Assessment: Learning and Behavioral Disabilities, 3
• 475 Practicum: Students with Learning and Behavioral Disabilities (K-9), 5-7
• 477 Student Teaching: Learning and Behavioral Disabilities (K-9), 7-10

Early Adolescence through Adolescence Certification Schedule

Early Adolescence through Adolescence certification students complete a one semester half-day practicum placement and a one semester full-day student teaching placement. Practica placements follow the University calendar except for the spring break schedule. Student teaching placements follow the school district calendar. Students in either a practicum or student teaching placement adhere to the school district’s spring break schedule. Class schedules for these two semesters will be determined in consultation with the faculty advisor.

• 472 Methods and Curriculum: Learning and Behavioral Disabilities (6-12), 3
• 473 Management: Students with Learning and Behavioral Disabilities, 3
• 474 Diagnosis and Assessment: Learning and Behavioral Disabilities, 3
• 476 Practicum: Students with Learning and Behavioral Disabilities (6-12), 5-7
• 478 Student Teaching: Learning and Behavioral Disabilities (6-12), 7-10

Middle Childhood through Early Adolescence AND Early Adolescence through Adolescence Certification Schedule

These students complete two semesters of full-day student teaching placements following the school district calendar. Students adhere to the school district’s spring break schedule. Class schedules for these two semesters will be determined in consultation with the faculty advisor.

• 471 Methods and Curriculum: Learning and Behavioral Disabilities (K-9), 3
• 472 Methods and Curriculum: Learning and Behavioral Disabilities (6-12), 3
• 473 Management: Students with Learning and Behavioral Disabilities, 3v
• 474 Diagnosis and Assessment: Learning and Behavioral Disabilities, 3v
• 477 Student Teaching: Students with Learning and Behavioral Disabilities (K-9), 7-10
• 478 Student Teaching: Learning and Behavioral Disabilities (6-12), 7-10