Special Education

To insure proper sequencing of courses, students planning to enter the program must consult an advisor from the College of Education to taking courses at the University.

Major requirements

• 24-35 credit hours of pre-professional courses 
• 59 credit hours of core courses 
• 128 -148 semester hours of preschool-12 teaching internship

In addition to the primary endorsement in special education, students are required to complete at least one additional endorsement with 30 to 40 semester hours of credit in an area of academic field emphasis. The additional endorsement may be earned either at Saint Martin's University or elsewhere. Depending on the academic field and with careful planning, this endorsement/academic field may require only 14 or 15 credit hours.

NOTE: Completion of the special education major and endorsement program does not allow the certificate-holder to teach in a regular elementary or secondary classroom. Therefore, candidates also must complete the required elementary or secondary sequence, including at least eight weeks of internship in a regular classroom.

General education requirements (40-46 credit hours)

Visit the undergraduate academic catalog for a complete breakdown of general education requirements for bachelor's degrees.

Pre-professional courses (24-25 credit hours)

• MTH: One mathematics course above MTH 201
• HIS: One U.S. history course (elementary and SED dual endorsements only)
• HIS: One world history course (elementary and SED dual endorsements only)
• BIO/CHM/PHY: One natural science course with laboratory (elementary and SED dual endorsements only)
• PSY 101: Introduction to Psychology
• ENG 101: College Writing I
• ENG 102: College Writing II
• COM 106: Public Address  -OR-  THR 211: Acting I
• ED 204: Introduction to Education
• ED 205: Child and Adolescent Development
• SOC 396: Intercultural Communications  -OR-  ED 202: Diversity in Educational Systems 

Core courses (59 credit hours)

Certification core requirements (22 credit hours):

• ED 304: Directed Practicum Level I (1)
• ED 306: Curriculum and Instruction (3)
• ED 312: Classroom Technology (3)
• SED 359: Introduction to Exceptionality (3)
• ED 360: Classroom Management (3)
• ED 362: Educational Law and Issues of Abuse (3)
• ED 426: Methods of Teaching Language Acquisition (3)
• ED 470: Classroom Assessment (3)

Special education methods requirements (25 credit hours):

• ED 408: Directed Practicum Level II (1)
• ED 424: Early Childhood Education (for P-3rd Grade)-or- ED 426 Methods of Teaching Language Acquisition (3)*
• SED 445: School Drug Prevention and Counseling (for 4th-12th Grade) or other coursework as approved by program director (3)*
• SED 461: Instructional Methods of Exceptional Learners (3)
• SED 463: Management Strategies for Exceptional Learners (3)
• SED 465: Transition to Adulthood for Exceptional Learners (3)
• SED 466: Assessment of Exceptional Learners (3)
• SED 467: Legal Issues and the IFSP/IEP (3)
• SED 469: Seminar and Practicum in Special Education (3)
• ED 477: Reading Diagnosis (3)

Internship requirement (12 credit hours):

• SED 493 Internship: Special Education (10)
• ED 498 Teacher Internship Seminar (2)

NOTE: The minor in SED does not include a complete endorsement in special education.

Upper-division courses (21 semester hours)

• SED 359: Introduction to Exceptionality (3)
• SED 461: Instructional Methods of Exceptional Learners (3)
• SED 463: Management Strategies for Exceptional Learners (3)
• SED 465: Transition to Adulthood for Exceptional Learners (3)
• SED 466: Assessment in Exceptional Learners (3)
• SED 467: Legal Issues and the IFSP/IEP (3)
• SED 469: Seminar and Practicum in Special Education (3)

Visit the undergraduate academic catalog for a complete breakdown of special education requirements.