Special Education

The purpose of the Bachelor of Science in Education with a Major in Special Education is to prepare beginning special education teachers.

The BSEd in Special Education is a practice-based program with an emphasis on clinical practice and apprenticeship. The paraprofessional to teacher track (PTP) allows candidates currently employed as special education paraprofessionals to complete their degree while maintaining their position. Candidates not employed as paraprofessionals will complete their degree on campus through a combination of traditional and online coursework with enhanced clinical practicum opportunities.

Teacher candidates must achieve a minimum grade of C in any course required for the major. The seven student learning goals of the program align with the teacher preparation standards of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC):

Student Learning Goals and Student Learning Outcomes
Student Learning Goals	Student Learning Outcomes
1. Beginning special education professionals understand how exceptionalities may interact with development and learning and use this knowledge to provide meaningful and challenging learning experiences for individuals with exceptionalities.	Understand how language, culture, and family background influence the learning of individuals with exceptionalities.
	Apply understanding of development and individual differences to respond to the needs of individuals with exceptionalities
2. Beginning special education professionals create safe, inclusive, culturally responsive learning environments so that individuals with exceptionalities become active and effective learners and develop emotional well-being, positive social interactions, and self-determination.	Collaborate to create safe, inclusive, culturally responsive learning environments to engage individuals with exceptionalities in meaningful learning activities and social interactions
	Demonstrate motivational and instructional interventions to teach individuals with exceptionalities how to adapt to different environments.
	Intervene safely and appropriately with individuals with exceptionalities in crisis.
3. Beginning special education professionals use knowledge of general and specialized curricula to individualize learning for individuals with exceptionalities.	Apply central concepts, structures of the discipline, and tools of inquiry of the content areas they teach; organize this knowledge, integrate cross-disciplinary skills, and develop meaningful learning progressions for individuals with exceptionalities.
	Apply general and specialized content knowledge for teaching across curricular content areas to individualize learning for individuals with exceptionalities.
	Modify general and specialized curricula to make them accessible to individuals with exceptionalities.
4. Beginning special education professionals use multiple methods of assessment and data sources in making educational decisions.	Select and implement technically sound formal and informal assessments that minimize bias.
	Apply knowledge of measurement principles and practices to interpret assessment results and guide educational decisions for individuals with exceptionalities.
	Employ multiple types of assessment information in making decisions about individuals with exceptionalities.
	Engage individuals with exceptionalities to work toward quality learning and performance and provide feedback to guide them.
5. Beginning special education professionals select, adapt, and use a repertoire of evidence-based instructional strategies to advance learning of individuals with exceptionalities.	Integrate individual abilities, interests, learning environments, and cultural and linguistic factors in the selection, development, and adaptation of learning experiences for individuals with exceptionalities.
	Use technologies to support instructional assessment, planning, and delivery for individuals with exceptionalities.
	Describe augmentative and alternative communication systems and a variety of assistive technologies to support the communication and learning of individuals with exceptionalities.
	Apply strategies to enhance language development and communication skills of individuals with exceptionalities.
	Develop and implement a variety of education and transition plans for individuals with exceptionalities across a wide range of settings and different learning experiences in collaboration with individuals, families, and teams.
	Teach to mastery and promote generalization of learning.
	Teach cross-disciplinary knowledge and skills such as critical thinking and problem solving to individuals with exceptionalities
6. Beginning special education professionals use foundational knowledge of the field and their professional ethical principles and practice standards to inform special education practice, to engage in lifelong learning, and to advance the profession.	Apply professional ethical principles and professional practice standards to guide their practice.
	Describe how foundational knowledge and current issues influence professional practice.
	Demonstrate understanding that diversity is a part of families, cultures, and schools, and that complex human issues can interact with the delivery of special education services.
	Know the significance of lifelong learning by participating in professional activities and learning communities.
	Advance the profession by engaging in activities such as advocacy and mentoring.
	Provide guidance and direction to paraeducators, tutors, and volunteers.
7. Beginning special education professionals collaborate with families, other educators, related service providers, individuals with exceptionalities, and personnel from community agencies in culturally responsive ways to address the needs of individuals with exceptionalities across a range of learning experiences.	Apply the theory and elements of effective collaboration.
	Serve as a collaborative resource to colleagues.
	Use collaboration to promote the wellbeing of individuals with exceptionalities across a wide range of settings and collaborators.

Bachelor of Science in Education with a Major in Special Education

General Education
General Education Courses		38
Required Special Education Core
MATH 277	Mathematics for Elementary Teachers I	3
SPED 110	Introduction to Exceptional Children	3
SPED 141	Development of Young Children	2
SPED 201	Applied Behavior Analysis for Teachers	3
SPED 202	Intro to Sensory Disabilities	3
SPED 233	Experience In SPED	1
SPED 302	Language and Communication Interventions	3
SPED 310	Introduction to Intellectual Disability and Autism Spectrum Disorder	3
SPED 340	Assessment in SPED ¹	4
SPED 379	Leadership in SPED ¹	3
SPED 410	Introduction to Learning and Emotional/Behavioral Disabilities	3
SPED 420	Inclusive Practices ¹	3
SPED 441	Methods for High Incidence Disabilities ¹	3
SPED 442	Methods for Low Incidence Disabilities ¹	3
SPED 444	Transition to Adult Life ¹	3
SPED 445	Collaboration in Special Education ¹	3
SPED 494	Practicum In Special Education ¹	4
Professional Education Sequence
PSY 255	Child & Adolescent Psychology	3
or SPED 140	Human Development
SS 283	Diversity in America	3
ED 260	Educational Psychology	2
ED 260L	Clinical I	0
ED 282	Managing the Learning Environment	2
ED 282L	Clinical II	0.5
ED 284	Teaching Diverse Learners	2
ED 284L	Clinical III	0.5
ED 320	Curriculum, Planning & Assessment I	2
ED 321L	Clinical IV	0.5
ED 323L	Clinical V	0.5
ED 324L	Fall Experience	0
ED 380	Technology in Teaching	2
Professional Education Sequence (admission to teacher education required)
ED 322	Data Driven Integrated Instruction ¹	2
ED 484	Student Teaching Seminar: K12 ¹	2
Department Specific Courses (admission to teacher education required)
ED 495	Student Teaching, Special Areas ¹	10
ELED 352	Foundations of Reading ¹	3
Total Hours		123

Requires Admission to Teacher Education.

Students wishing to enroll in a double major in conjunction with the BSEd in SPED will complete all requirements of both majors as identified in the MSU undergraduate catalog.

Minors can be pursued by any student in progress of a Bachelor's degree at MSU or any other institution of higher education. Students who have completed a Bachelor's degree from MSU or another institution may also choose to pursue a minor and have it transcripted. The non-teaching special education and deaf and hard of hearing education minor is appropriate for students not in teacher education who wish to complement their major with additional content in special education. The special education teaching minor is appropriate for students in a teacher education program who wish to add a special education endorsement to their teaching license.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Education Minor

SPED 110	Introduction to Exceptional Children	3
SPED 113	American Sign Language I	3
SPED 117	Manually Coded English	3
SPED 210	Intro to Ed of Children w/DHH	3
SPED 302	Language and Communication Interventions	3
or CSD 331	Language Disorders in Children
CSD 342	Introduction to Audiology	4
Total Hours		19

Special Education Minor

SPED 110	Introduction to Exceptional Children	3
SPED 120	Intro to Positive Behavior Supports	3
or SPED 201	Applied Behavior Analysis for Teachers
SPED 410	Introduction to Learning and Emotional/Behavioral Disabilities	3
SPED 420	Inclusive Practices ¹	3
SPED 441	Methods for High Incidence Disabilities ¹	3
SPED 494	Practicum In Special Education (A minimum of 2 credits of Sped 494 are required.) ¹	1-4
1 Requires admission to teacher education.
Total Hours		16-19

Special Education Concentration

SPED 110	Introduction to Exceptional Children	3
SPED 420	Inclusive Practices	3
Select two of the following:		6
SPED 120	Intro to Positive Behavior Supports
SPED 202	Intro to Sensory Disabilities
SPED 210	Intro to Ed of Children w/DHH
SPED 310	Introduction to Intellectual Disability and Autism Spectrum Disorder
SPED 410	Introduction to Learning and Emotional/Behavioral Disabilities
Total Hours		12