Undergraduate Program in Special Education/Human Exceptionality
The special education undergraduate major prepares candidates for professional certification in special education as K-12 generalists in special education. This program also prepares individuals pursuing non-teaching degrees in human exceptionality. The program also offers a minor that does not provide teacher certification in special education. The special education minor is open to all university candidates who wish to gain some expertise in working with children with disabilities. The program also offers Master's degrees as well as post-baccalaureate training for special education certification only (i.e., nondegree). For information on the master’s degree offerings, please refer to the Graduate Catalog.
Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Human Exceptionality Program
The Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Human Exceptionality can be completed either as a nonteaching major for candidates who are interested in working with people with disabilities outside the public school context or as a teaching major for candidates who wish to earn special education certification as a K-12 Generalist. The course requirements are the same for the teaching and nonteaching major. For candidates in the nonteaching major, practicums are arranged in non-school settings.
The objectives of the Special Education Program are:
1. Candidates will demonstrate an understanding of a wide variety of disability categories and their instructional implications, as well as the legal and ethical considerations for educating individuals with disabilities.
2. Candidates will demonstrate understanding of instructional methodologies and curricula that have an extensive experimental research base to support their effectiveness for all individuals, especially those with learning difficulties.
3. Candidates will make instructional decisions based on reliable and valid data that are primarily objective in nature.
4 Candidates will demonstrate instruction and behavior management strategies that are proactive and teach new skills, as opposed to being punitive in nature.
5. Candidates will demonstrate professional and collaboration skills with teachers, parents, administrators, and other professionals.
Admission Requirements
- Prior to acceptance to the B.A./B.S. in Special Education/Human Exceptionality Program, all applicants must complete SPED 330 and SPED 340 and earn a grade of at least C in each course and an average of 3.0 across the two courses.
- Candidates must also complete EDUC 201, EDUC 204, and EDUC 215 with grades of C or better and pass performance assessments associated with these courses, have an overall GPA of 2.75, and be approved by a faculty screening committee following an admission interview.
- Candidates seeking teacher certification in special education must pass Praxis I tests with the following scores: Reading 172, Math 169, and Writing, 174; as well as Praxis II Elementary Education Content Knowledge (0014) with a score of 143.
Retention and Exit Requirements for the Major
- In addition to meeting all of the retention and exit requirements of the College of Education, candidates must maintain a 3.0 GPA in the program courses. If a candidate earns two grades of C+ or lower in any program courses, the candidate will not be allowed to progress in the program and must reapply to the program. For certification purposes, any program course with a grade of C- or below must be retaken.
- Candidates in the program must also maintain an overall GPA of 2.75 or better. If a candidate’s overall GPA falls below 2.75 for two consecutive semesters, the candidate will not be allowed to progress in the program and must reapply to the program.
- Candidates seeking teacher certification in special education must pass Praxis II Education of Exceptional Students-Core Content Knowledge with a score of 156 and Education of Exceptional Students-Mild to Moderate with a score of 158; in addition to all three standards of the Idaho Comprehensive Literacy Assessment exam.
- Candidates must pass all course-embedded, standards-based assessments. These requirements must be met before enrolling in SPED 495.
Program Courses: Course requirements for BA or BS degree (in addition to university requirements)
EDUC 201 Development and Individual Differences(3 cr)
EDUC 204 Families, Communities Culture(3 cr)
EDUC 215 Preparing to Teach with Technology(3 cr),
EDUC 311 Instructional Technology(3 cr)
EDUC 401 Language and Literacy(3 cr)
P E 300 Movement Therapy and Motor Development(3 cr)
OR
P E g494 Adapted Physical Activity (3 cr)
SPED 312 Assistive Technology (3 cr)
SPED 330 The Exceptional Child (4 cr)
SPED 340 Principles of Behavior Management (3 cr)
SPED g423 Designing Instruction (3 cr)
SPED g424 Assessment Procedures in Special Education (3 cr)
SPED g429 Strategies: Severe Disabilities (3 cr)
SPED 430 Practicum in Individualized Instruction (3 cr)
SPED g432 Direct Instruction Systems (3 cr)
SPED g434 Language and Communication Methods in Special Education (3 cr)
SPED 435 Practicum in Small Group Instruction (3 cr)
SPED 436 Math Methods for Children with Disabilities (3 cr)
SPED 437 Practicum in Large Group Instruction (3 cr)
SPED g438 Policies and Procedures in Special Education (3 cr)
SPED 441Classroom Behavior Management (3 cr)
SPED g446 Secondary Special Education (3 cr)
SPED 490 Consultation and Collaboration (3 cr)
SPED 495 Student Teaching Internship (7-14 cr)
Choose from among the following Approved Electives (additional electives possible with approval from advisor) (9 credits)
SPED g426 Assessment: Severe Disabilities (3 cr)
SPED g433 The Emotionally Disturbed Child (2 cr)
SPED g443 Autism (2 cr)
SPED g440 Biomedical Aspects of Physical Disability (3 cr)
SPED g448 Prepracticum, Moderately Handicapped (3 cr)
SPED g450 Creating Inclusive Classrooms (3 cr)
SPED 462 Seminar: Behavior Disorders (1 cr)
SPED g480 Seminar in Special Education (taken twice) (2 cr)
SPED g481 Advanced Issues in Behavior Disorders (2 cr)
SPED g485 Independent Problems (1-2 cr)
SPED g498 Advanced Field Work (1-3 cr)
CSED 205 Introduction to Communication Disorders (3 cr)
CSED 327 Sign Language I (2 cr)
CSED 328 Sign Language II (2 cr)
EDUC 321 Integrated Language Arts Methods (3 cr)
EDUC 322 Children's Literature (3 cr)
EDUC 334 Secondary School Art: Methods and Materials (3 cr)
EDUC 335 Elementary School Art: Methods and Materials (3 cr)
EDUC 401 Language and Literacy (3 cr)
EDUC 419 Developmental Readingnbsp (3 cr)
EDUC g424 Assessing Literacy Abilities (3 cr)
EDUC g460 Foundations of ESL (3 cr)
EDUC g463 ESL Methods (3 cr)
EDUC g464 ESL Methods Laboratory Practicum (1 cr)
EDUC g471 Interpersonal Communications (2 cr)
H E 211 Health Education Methods Elementary (1 cr)
MUSC 257 Music Methods for Elementary School Teachers (2 cr)
P E 357 Methods for Teaching Elementary Physical Education (3 cr)
P E 300 Movement Therapy and Motor Development (3 cr)
OR
P E g494 Adapted Physical Activity (3 cr)
PSYC 225 Child Psychology (elementary emphasis) (3 cr)
PSYC 332 Psychology of Adolescence (secondary emphasis) (3 cr)
PSYC g445 Psychology of Learning (3 cr)
SOC 231 Juvenile Delinquency (3 cr)
Candidates seeking special education certification as a K-12 Generalist may earn a reading endorsement as part of their program by successfully completing the following courses:
EDUC 321 Integrated Language Arts Methods (3 cr)
EDUC 322 Children's Literature (3 cr)
EDUC 401 Language and Literacy (3 cr)
EDUC 419 Developmental Reading (3 cr)
EDUC g424 Assessing Literacy Abilities (3 cr)
SPED 432 Direct Instruction Systems (3 cr)
SPED 434 Language and Communication (3 cr)