Special Education, BS
Special Education, BS
The Bachelor of Science in Special Education degree will prepare you to be a highly-qualified special education teacher with the knowledge and skills needed to ensure compliance with federal and state regulations and implementation of results-driven programs focused on enhanced student outcomes
Program Details
This program combines coursework and carefully supervised field work designed to prepare you to meet Texas Education Agency certification standards in EC-12 Special Education. Within this program, you will learn the fundamental of special education policy and practice and the skills needed to provide well-designed instruction and assessment for students with both low and high-incidence disabilities (including those from culturally and linguistically diverse communities), implement positive behavior supports and interventions, collaborate with general educators and other service providers, and fulfill the roles and responsibilities of a professional special educator.
The Special Education degree requires a minimum of 121 semester credit hours:
43 – General Education Core Curriculum
51 – Major Requirements
27 – Teacher Education Core Requirements
Program Description
A minimum of 121 semester hours is required for the BS degree. Degree requirements include University Core Curriculum, the interdisciplinary major, and the professional development sequence. Certification in EC-12 Special Education is available with the Bachelor of Science Degree.
Student Learning Outcomes
EC-12 Special Education
The Special Education service delivery system in the BS program, prepares preservice special education teachers to meet the needs of students with disabilities and their families, with an emphasis on the provision of services in inclusive environments.
BS in Special Education students will demonstrate a depth of knowledge in the following domains:
- understanding individuals with disabilities and evaluating their needs;
- promoting student learning and development for individuals with disabilities;
- promoting student achievement in English Language Arts and Reading and in Mathematics
- foundations of special education and professional roles and responsibilities of the special education teacher; and will
- effectively apply the competencies of a special education teacher in their clinical teaching experience.
The program is further guided by the broad standards shared by TEA and CEC. Students will also:
- understand and apply knowledge of the philosophical, historical, and legal foundations of special education;
- apply knowledge of professional roles and responsibilities and adhere to legal and ethical requirements of the profession;
- practice effective communication and collaboration;
- understand and apply knowledge of the characteristics and needs of individuals with disabilities;
- understand formal and informal assessment procedures and know how to evaluate student competencies to make instructional decisions;
- understand and apply knowledge of procedures for planning instruction and managing teaching and learning environments;
- understand and apply knowledge of issues and procedures for teaching appropriate student behavior and social skills;
- understand assistive technology as defined by state and federal regulations;
- understand and apply knowledge of transition issues and procedures across the life span;
- promote students’ academic performance in all content areas by facilitating their achievement in a variety of settings and situations;
- promote students’ performance in English language arts and reading; and
- promote students’ performance in mathematics.
General Requirements
| Requirements | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| Core Curriculum Program | 43 |
| University Seminar (when applicable)1 | 0-2 |
| Major Requirements | 51 |
| Teacher Education Core Requirements | 27 |
| Total Credit Hours | 121-123 |
- 1
University Seminar or Electives
Full-time, first time in college students are required to take university seminar.
- USSE 1201 University Seminar (2 sch)
Program Requirements
All courses in the concentration, supporting fields, and in the professional development sequence must be completed with a grade of "C" or better.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time, First-year Students | ||
| University seminar | 0-2 | |
| University Seminar | ||
| Core Curriculum Program | ||
| University Core Curriculum | 43 | |
| Major Requirements | ||
| SMTE 1350 | Fundamentals of Mathematics I | 3 |
| ELEM 4330 | Teaching Mathematics in the Elementary School | 3 |
| READ 3310 | Principles and Practices of Early Reading Instruction | 3 |
| READ 3320 | Principles and Practices of Reading Instruction | 3 |
| SPED 2397 | Special Education Field Experience | 3 |
| EDCI 3350 | Investigating Student Learning in Middle Level Mathematics (3) | 3 |
| READ 3351 | Reading Assessment and Intervention | 3 |
| SPED 3320 | Mathematics and Content Area Interventions for Students with High-Incidence Disabilities | 3 |
| SPED 3335 | Applied Learning Theory | 3 |
| SMTE 3315 | Foundational Approaches to the Physical Sciences | 3 |
| or SMTE 3316 | Foundational Approaches to the Life Sciences | |
| SPED 3315 | Reading and Language Interventions for Students with High-Incidence Disabilities | 3 |
| SPED 3350 | Assistive and Instructional Technology for Students with Disabilities | 3 |
| SPED 3330 | Individualized Education Programs for Students with Disabilities | 3 |
| SPED 3340 | Individuals with Severe Disabilities | 3 |
| SPED 4345 | Behavioral Supports and Interventions for Students with Disabilities | 3 |
| SPED 4355 | Collaboration and Transition in Special Education | 3 |
| SPED 4360 | Intercultural Communication and Collaboration | 3 |
| Teacher Education Core Requirements | ||
| SPED 3310 | Individual Differences in Schools and Communities | 3 |
| EDUC 2211 | Foundations of Education | 2 |
| EDUC 3211 | Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching | 2 |
| READ 3353 | Content Area Reading for Secondary Students | 3 |
| EDUC 4305 | Seminar I | 3 |
| IDET 4210 | Design and Development of Technology-Integrated Learning Environments | 2 |
| BIEM 3357 | Methods of Teaching English as a Second Language | 3 |
| EDUC 4395 | Seminar II | 3 |
| EDUC 4694 | Clinical Teaching | 6 |
| Total Hours | 121-123 | |
Non-Certification Track to the BS Degree
The degree will be a BS Degree without certification. Students will follow the EC-12 Special Education degree plan except for the last semester, during which they will choose 9 SCH of faculty advisor approved elective courses that will replace the clinical teaching component of the degree.
On This Page
Course Sequencing
EC-12 Special Education
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | |
| USSE 1201 | University Seminar | 2 |
| ENGL 1301 or ENGL 1302 | Writing and Rhetoric I or Writing and Rhetoric II | 3 |
| HIST 1301 | U.S. History to 1865 or U.S. History Since 1865 or Texas History | 3 |
| ARTS 1301 | Art and Society | 3 |
| EDUC 1354 | Child Growth and Development | 3 |
| MATH 1314 | College Algebra | 3 |
| Hours | 17 | |
| Spring | ||
| COMM 1311 | Foundation of Communication | 3 |
| POLS 2305 | U.S. Government and Politics | 3 |
| BIOL 1308 | Science for Life I (Non-Majors Biology) | 3 |
| SMTE 1350 | Fundamentals of Mathematics I | 3 |
| University Core Curriculum | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| ESCI 1401 | Environmental Science I: Intro to Environmental Science | 4 |
| ELEM 4330 | Teaching Mathematics in the Elementary School | 3 |
| READ 3310 | Principles and Practices of Early Reading Instruction | 3 |
| READ 3320 | Principles and Practices of Reading Instruction | 3 |
| University Core Curriculum | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| POLS 2306 | State and Local Government | 3 |
| ENGL 2316 | Literature and Culture or Literature of the Western World: From the Classics to the Renaissance or Literature of the Western World: From the Enlightenment to the Present | 3 |
| SPED 2397 | Special Education Field Experience | 3 |
| SPED 3310 | Individual Differences in Schools and Communities | 3 |
| EDCI 3350 | Investigating Student Learning in Middle Level Mathematics (3) | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| HIST 2301 | Texas History or U.S. History to 1865 or U.S. History Since 1865 | 3 |
| EDUC 2211 | Foundations of Education | 2 |
| READ 3351 | Reading Assessment and Intervention | 3 |
| SPED 3315 | Reading and Language Interventions for Students with High-Incidence Disabilities | 3 |
| SPED 3335 | Applied Learning Theory | 3 |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| READ 3353 | Content Area Reading for Secondary Students | 3 |
| EDUC 3211 | Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching | 2 |
| SPED 3320 | Mathematics and Content Area Interventions for Students with High-Incidence Disabilities | 3 |
| SPED 3350 | Assistive and Instructional Technology for Students with Disabilities | 3 |
| BIEM 3357 | Methods of Teaching English as a Second Language | 3 |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Summer | ||
| SPED 3330 | Individualized Education Programs for Students with Disabilities | 3 |
| SPED 3340 | Individuals with Severe Disabilities | 3 |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| EDUC 4305 | Seminar I | 3 |
| IDET 4210 | Design and Development of Technology-Integrated Learning Environments | 2 |
| SPED 4345 | Behavioral Supports and Interventions for Students with Disabilities | 3 |
| SPED 4355 | Collaboration and Transition in Special Education | 3 |
| SMTE 3315 or SMTE 3316 | Foundational Approaches to the Physical Sciences or Foundational Approaches to the Life Sciences | 3 |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| EDUC 4395 | Seminar II | 3 |
| EDUC 4694 | Clinical Teaching | 6 |
| SPED 4360 | Intercultural Communication and Collaboration | 3 |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Total Hours | 123 | |
- 1
NOTE: Non-Certification Track to the BS Degree
The degree will be a BS Degree without certification. Students will follow the same degree plan as EC-12 Special Education except for the last semester, during which they will choose 9 SCH of faculty advisor approved elective courses that will replace the clinical teaching component of the degree.
Courses
SPED 2397 Special Education Field Experience
3 Semester Credit Hours
This course requires students to participate in schools and programs that serve individuals with disabilities on and off campus. Students will be actively involved in the learning situation.
Co-requisite: SPED 3310.
SPED 3310 Individual Differences in Schools and Communities
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
This online course is designed to familiarize the student with the various disability conditions, aspects of intersectionality related to other cultural and linguistic characteristics, and instructional planning for students with individual needs.
Prerequisite: EDUC 2211.
SPED 3315 Reading and Language Interventions for Students with High-Incidence Disabilities
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
This course is intended to prepare special educators with content knowledge and effective instructional practices related to strategic reading and language intervention and instruction.
Co-requisite: SPED 3335.
SPED 3320 Mathematics and Content Area Interventions for Students with High-Incidence Disabilities
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
This course is intended to prepare special educators with content knowledge and effective instructional practices related to strategic intervention and instruction in mathematics and other content areas.
SPED 3325 Strategic Instruction for Students with High-Incidence Disabilities
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
This course provides an introduction and demonstration of specific skills necessary for teaching students with high-incidence disabilities.
Prerequisite: SPED 3310.
SPED 3330 Individualized Education Programs for Students with Disabilities
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
This course emphasizes the design and implementation of individualized educational programs (IEP) for students with disabilities.
SPED 3335 Applied Learning Theory
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
This course is designed to develop and extend the student's knowledge of the principles of applied learning theory as it relates to students with extensive and pervasive support needs.
Co-requisite: SPED 3315.
SPED 3340 Individuals with Severe Disabilities
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
This course is an introductory study of the adaptations, approaches, and supports necessary to meet the educational needs of students who have communication, intellectual, motor, sensory, medical impairments, and/or other extensive and pervasive support needs.
SPED 3350 Assistive and Instructional Technology for Students with Disabilities
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
This course provides an understanding of assistive technology and its application in instructional programs for students with disabilities. Students will learn to design effective instructional experiences utilizing instructional and assistive technologies. Students will have extensive virtual practice with assistive technologies and demonstration through videos and case studies. This course will address the knowledge, skills, and application of information necessary to implement assistive technology in a variety of academic settings.
SPED 4315 Motor Development for Students with Exceptional Needs
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
A comparative overview of the physical development and motor-activity needs of students with disabilities.
SPED 4320 Community-based Instruction for the Students with Exceptionalities
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
Strategies and procedures for teaching community-based instruction to individuals with disabilities, including independent living and socialization skills, are discussed.
SPED 4345 Behavioral Supports and Interventions for Students with Disabilities
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
This introductory course will focus on positive behavioral supports and behavior intervention techniques. Course content includes information on: definitions, characteristics, prevalence, causes, assessment, prevention of behavioral difficulties, functional behavior assessment, appied behavior analysis, education service delivery, advocacy, and other current issues in the field.
Co-requisite: EDUC 4305.
SPED 4355 Collaboration and Transition in Special Education
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
This course is intended to provide special educators with knowledge relating to the role of parents, paraeducators, administrators, other professionals, and students on multi-disciplinary teams; initiatives in building inclusive programs; and the array of services available to youth with disabilities, with emphasis on transition programming to ensure student success in postschool education, employment, and community integration upon high school graduation. The course provides skills in effective communication; promoting family involvement, including families from culturally and linguistically diverse communities; team planning; collaborative and transition-focused instruction.
SPED 4360 Intercultural Communication and Collaboration
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
This course is intended to prepare special educators with content knowledge and effective instructional practices related to strategic reading and language intervention and instruction.
SPED 4696 Directed Individual Study
1-6 Semester Credit Hours
Programs will be designed for individual cases through special permission of the Department Chair and Dean. May be repeated for credit when the topic varies.