The Early Elementary/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. Courses in the Early Elementary/Special Education program focus on cognitive, social, and emotional development and 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 Early Elementary/Special Education program become transformative classroom teachers able to support diverse populations of learners in general education classrooms grades Prekindergarten through 4 and in special education classrooms grades Prekindergarten through 12.
Early Elementary/Special Education, B.S. Learning Outcomes
Degree Requirements
Institutional Degree Requirements
Program-Specific Degree Requirements: To be eligible for graduation, students majoring in Early Elementary/Special Education must complete a minimum of 127 credits. Students must achieve a 3.0 or higher in each of the following six courses: FCO 105 , EDU 260 , MAT 115 , MAT 150 , ECH 201 , and ECH 220 and demonstrate satisfactory progress on identified professional and personal dispositions. Students majoring in Early Elementary/Special Education must achieve a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher in order to be determined eligible for Teacher Candidacy and in order to enter the Professional Semester and to obtain Pennsylvania teacher certification. Courses numbered 300 and higher in the Department of Education require Teacher Candidacy.
Students seeking certification in Early Elementary/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.