Special Education, B.A.
Overview
This program is designed for undergraduate students interested in a career as a special education teacher. Students will be prepared to work with students with disabilities in P-12 settings. Students who successfully complete the degree and certification requirements and have a positive recommendation by the faculty will be recommended for teacher certification in multi-categorical special education.
Learning Outcomes
- Special education candidates in the initial BA preparation program understand how exceptionalities may interact with development and learning and use this knowledge to provide meaningful and challenging learning experiences for individuals with exceptionalities.
- Special education candidates in the initial BA preparation program create safe, inclusive, culturally responsive learning environments so that individuals with exceptionalities become active and effective learners and develop emotional wellbeing, positive social interactions, and self-determination.
- Special education candidates in the initial BA preparation program use knowledge of general and specialized curricula to individualize learning for individuals with exceptionalities.
- – Special education candidates in the initial BA preparation program use multiple methods of assessment and data-sources in making educational decisions.
- Special education candidates in the initial BA preparation program select, adapt, and use a repertoire of evidence-based instructional strategies to advance learning of individuals with exceptionalities.
- Special education candidates in the initial BA preparation program use foundational knowledge of the field and the their professional Ethical Principles and Practice Standards to inform special education practice, to engage in lifelong learning, and to advance the profession.
- Special education candidates in the initial BA preparation program 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.
Admission to the Professional Program
All University teacher education students must apply and be admitted to Professional Program/Internship at mid-point(s) in their programs prior to final internship (i.e. student teaching). Requirements for admission vary by program, but for undergraduate students include 60 credit hours with a minimum overall GPA of 2.75, successful completion of a state-approved basic skills examination. Students in the BA in Special education must also complete EDTE 201, EDFI 300, EDPY 401 and EDEX 523 with a grade of C or better. Contact your adviser for more information on admission to the Professional Program.
Degree Requirements (120 hours)
Program of Study
| Requirements | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| 1. Carolina Core | 31-43 |
| 2. College Requirements | 0 |
| 3. Program Requirements | 9-21 |
| 4. Major Requirements | 68 |
Founding Documents Requirement
All undergraduate students must take a 3-credit course or its equivalent with a passing grade in the subject areas of History, Political Science, or African American Studies that covers the founding documents including the United State Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the Emancipation Proclamation and one or more documents that are foundational to the African American Freedom struggle, and a minimum of five essays from the Federalist papers. This course may count as a requirement in any part of the program of study including the Carolina Core, the major, minor or cognate, or as a general elective. Courses that meet this requirement are listed here.
1. Carolina Core Requirements (31-43 hours)
CMW - Effective, Engage and Persuasive Communication: Written (6 hours)
must be passed with a grade of C or higher
- any two CC-CMW courses
ARP - Analytical Reasoning and Problem Solving (6-8 hours)
- any two CC-ARP courses
SCI - Scientific Literacy (7 hours)
- any two CC-SCI courses (one must include a lab)
GFL - Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Foreign Language (0-6 hours)
To meet the GFL requirement, students in the BA in Special Education complete the Carolina Core approved courses in Foreign Language (GFL) or by achieving a score of 2 or better on a USC foreign language placement test.
GHS – Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Historical Thinking (3 hours)
- any CC-GHS course
GSS – Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Social Sciences (3 hours)
- any CC-GSS course
AIU – Aesthetic and Interpretive Understanding (3 hours)
- any CC-AIU course
CMS – Effective, Engaged, and Persuasive Communication: Spoken Component1 (0-3 hours)
- any overlay or stand-alone CC-CMS course
INF – Information Literacy1 (0-3 hours)
- any overlay or stand-alone CC-INF course
VSR – Values, Ethics, and Social Responsibility1 (0-3 hours)
- any overlay or stand-alone CC-VSR course
- 1
Carolina Core Stand Alone or Overlay Eligible Requirements — Overlay-approved courses offer students the option of meeting two Carolina Core components in a single course. A maximum of two overlays is allowed. The total Carolina Core credit hours must add up to a minimum of 31 hours. Some programs may have a higher number of minimum Carolina Core hours due to specified requirements
2. College Requirements (0 hours)
No college-required courses for this program.
3. Program Requirements (9-21 hours)
Minor (18 hours) optional
A student may choose to complete a minor consisting of 18 credit hours of prescribed courses. The minor is intended to develop a coherent basic preparation in a second area of study. Courses applied toward general education requirements cannot be counted toward the minor. No course may satisfy both major and minor requirements. All minor courses must be passed with a grade of C or better.
Electives (9-21 hours)
The number of elective hours required depends upon the number of hours used to fulfill other degree requirements. Minimum degree requirements must equal 120 hours. Courses applied toward the optional minor will reduce the number of electives needed to reach 120.
4. Major Requirements (68 hours)
A minimum grade of C is required in all major courses.
Education Core (15 hours)
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| EDTE 201 | Issues and Trends in Teaching and Learning | 3 |
| EDFI 300 | Schools in Communities | 3 |
| EDPY 401 | Learners and the Diversity of Learning | 3 |
| EDEX 205 | Understanding the Foundations of Disability | 3 |
| EDEX 523 | Introduction to Exceptional Children | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 15 | |
Multi-categorical Special Education Core (32 hours)
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| EDEX 301 | Introduction to Students with Autism | 3 |
| EDEX 315 | Introduction to Applied Behavior Analysis in Special Education | 3 |
| EDEX 316 | Introduction to Functional Behavioral Assessment and Behavior Interventions | 3 |
| EDEX 390 | Introduction to Assessment in Special Education | 3 |
| EDEX 392 | Collaborative Partnerships in Special Education | 3 |
| EDEX 491 | Introduction to Inclusion of Students with Mild Disabilities | 2 |
| EDEX 580 | Direct Instruction in Reading for At-Risk Learners | 3 |
| EDEX 582 | Teaching Mathematics to Students at Risk | 3 |
| EDEX 640 | Managing Problem Behavior in the Classroom | 3 |
| EDEX 670 | Nature of Students with Multi-categorical Disabilities | 3 |
| EDEX 671 | Instruction of Students with Multi-categorical Disabilities | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 32 | |
Clinical Experience and Seminar (21 hours)
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| EDEX 413 | Internship I in Special Education | 6 |
| EDEX 426 | Seminar in Special Education | 3 |
| EDEX 496 | Internship II in Special Education | 12 |
| Total Credit Hours | 21 | |
Major Map
A major map is a layout of required courses in a given program of study, including critical courses and suggested course sequences to ensure a clear path to graduation.
Major maps are only a suggested or recommended sequence of courses required in a program of study. Please contact your academic advisor for assistance in the application of specific coursework to a program of study and course selection and planning for upcoming semesters.