The Middle Level/Special Education program provides enrolled students with the knowledge, skills, and experience to be an effective educator of students in both general and special education settings. Middle Level/Special Education students concentrate in one of four areas: English/Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, or Social Studies. Middle Level/Special Education students may also choose to complete a double concentration in the following areas: Mathematics/Science, Mathematics/Social Studies, Mathematics/English, Science/Social Studies, or Science/English. Beyond content understanding and pedagogical knowledges, courses in the Middle Level/Special Education program are designed to facilitate an understanding and appreciation of individual learner differences so enrolled students can best support the development and academic achievement of learners with disabilities in special education settings, both separate and inclusive. Students enrolled in the Middle Level/Special Education program become transformative classroom teachers able to support diverse populations of learners in general education classrooms grades Prekindergarten through 4 and special education classrooms grades Prekindergarten through 12.
Degree Requirements
Institutional Degree Requirements
Program-Specific Degree Requirements: To be eligible for graduation, students majoring in Middle Level/Special Education must complete a minimum of 131 credits. Students majoring in Middle Level/Special Education must achieve a 3.0 or higher in each of the following six courses: FCO 105 , EDU 260 , MLE 201 or SPE 201 , SE 220 , and either MAT 115 and MAT 150 (required for all concentration majors except for MLE Math/Science double concentration majors) or MAT 150 and MAT 171 (required for MLE Math/Science double concentration majors) and demonstrate satisfactory progress on identified professional and personal dispositions. Students majoring in Middle Level/Special Education must achieve a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher in order to be determined eligible for PreProfessional Educator Status and in order to enter the Professional Semester and to obtain Pennsylvania teacher certification.
Students seeking certification in Middle Level/Special Education are required to have a minimum of 190 hours of Field Experience prior to the Professional Semester and must meet specific requirements as determined by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.