Schools

School of Education

Special Education (Bachelor of Science in Education)

Coordinator: Kathy Ryan            
Campus Office: HH0016
E-mail: kcarterj@ius.edu
Telephone: (812) 941-2583              
Fax: (812) 941-2667      

 Program Description

Candidates for the Bachelor of Science in Special Education should first review "General Requirements for Undergraduate Degrees at IUS."

The bachelor’s degree in special education leads to an Indiana license to teach students with disabilities, grades K-12. This special education license is in the area of Mild Intervention. Guided experiences with a wide range of children and youth and master special educators are the foundation of the program.  Students have multiple and varied experiences in schools. 

There are four major summative decision points for the Special Education Program. The first decision point is admission to the program. The second decision point is at the beginning of Block 2. The third is permission to student teach. The fourth decision point is at the end of student teaching and degree completion. At each summative decision point, candidates are formally evaluated on specific criteria and a decision is made regarding each student’s status in the program. A candidate’s continuation status may be reevaluated at points other than summative decision points.

 Student Learning Goals

Candidates majoring in special education are expected to commit to demonstrating three broad program outcomes: (a) understanding their students’ needs and contexts, (b) collaboratively planning and implementing effective learning experiences, and (c) continuously assessing the effects of their professional choices. What Special Educators should know and be able to do is expressed in the standards for the Council for Exceptional Children:

  1.  Foundations
  2.  Development and Characteristics of Learners
  3.  Individual Learning Difference
  4.  Instructional Strategies
  5.  Learning Environments and Social Interactions
  6.  Language
  7.  Instructional Planning
  8.  Assessment
  9.  Professional and Ethical Practice
  10. Collaboration

Details of those standards, as well as the developmental and content standards for Exceptional Needs: Mild Intervention can be found in the program's handbook.

Program Structure

Course work leading to the B.S. in Special Education has two components:

  1. General Education - These requirements meet the campus-wide general education requirements.
  2. Professional and Pedagogical Studies - Students complete courses and experiences leading to successful demonstration of what special educators need to know and be able to do.
Degree/Certificate Requirements

For a bachelor’s degree in special education, students must satisfy all general rules for undergraduate education programs, rules for admission to the program, requirements for remaining in good standing, criteria for admission to student teaching, and eligibility for a degree described in the undergraduate general information section of the “School of Education” portion of this bulletin.  Degree completion is contingent upon students passing four summative decision points. Information about decision points can be found on the program Web site.  Completion of the degree, faculty recommendation, and passage of state-mandated tests are needed to apply for an Indiana all-grade (K-12) license in Mild Intervention or a Kentucky Learning and Behavior Disorders license for Kentucky.  NOTE:  To be apprised of changes in licensure rules for both states, seek regular advisement from the program coordinator and School of Education.

Degree Program Admission Requirements

In addition to completing the following courses, students must also meet these requirements for admission:

  1. Have an overall GPA of 2.5 or higher
  2. Completed or be enrolled in all required language arts courses.
  3. Have a C or better in all core language arts and math courses completed.
  4. Have passing scores (as determined by the IU system and/or the Indiana Department of Education) on the Praxis 1/CASA, ACT, or SAT, or a Masters Degree.
  5. Have a sufficient number of general education courses that would predict completion of all before Block 4, and the three mathematics courses before Block 3.

A total maximum of 50 Special Education and Elementary Education candidates will be admitted to the cohort each semester.  If more than 50 applicants meet the minimum criteria for admission, student acceptance will be determined based on a point system which is described on the program's website.

All admitted students are in a conditional status until all grades are posted and a 2.5 minimum GPA is verified for the semester prior to starting Block 1.  If a student is initially admitted to the cohort as a Special Education major and subsequently changes to Elementary Education, she/he will be held to all requirements for the Elementary Education program.

General Education Component

Careful selection and completion of 30 credit hours of courses may allow double counting within General Education and requirements for the Special Education major.  Courses within General Education marked with (M) or an approved alternative can be counted for the major and General Education.

Dept

Course Number

Title

Credit Hours

Minimum Grade

Information Literacy/FYS (1 cr.)

 

 

COAS-S

104

First Year Seminar

1

D

 Written Communication (6 crs.)

 

 

ENG-W

131

Elementary Composition (M)

3

C

One of the following:

 

 

ENG-W 

234 

Technical Report Writing

3

 C 

ENG-W

250

Writing in Context

 3 

C

ENG-W 

270 

Argumentative Writing

 3 

C

ENG-W 

290 

Writing in Arts & Sciences (M)

 

 

Speaking & Listening (3 crs.)

 

 

SPCH-S

121

Public Speaking (M)

3

C

 Quantitative Reasoning (3 crs.)

 

 

MATH-T 101

Mathematics for Elementary Teachers I (M)

 3 

C

Scientific Ways of Knowing (5 crs. with lab)

 

 

BIOL-L 100

 OR

 5 

C

CHEM-C 101/121

Elementary Chemistry + Lab OR 

3/2 

 C 

CHEM-C 104

Physical Science & Society (M)

 5 

C

Social & Behavioral Ways of Knowing (6 crs.)

 

 

One of the following:

 

 

POLS-Y

103

Introduction to American Politics

3

D

POLS-Y

107

Introduction to Comparative Politics

3

D

POLS-Y

109

Introduction to International Relations (M)

3

D

One of the following:

 

 

HIST-H

105

American History I

3

D

HIST-H

106

American History II

3

D

GEOG-G

110

Introduction to Human Geography (M)

3

D

(NOTE: Cannot use G110 & G201; only 1 allowed)

 Humanistic & Artistic Ways of Knowing (3 crs.)

 

 

One of the following:

 

 

FINA-F

100

Fundamental Studio

3

D

FINA-H

100

Introduction to Art History and Visual Culture

3

D

FINA-N

110

Introduction to Studio Art for Non Majors

3

D

MUS-E

241

Introduction to Music Fundamentals

3

D

MUS-M

174

Music for the Listener

3

D

THTR-T

105

Theatre Appreciation

3

D

THTR-T

120

Acting

3

D

Reasoning About Ethical Issues or Diversity (3 crs.)

 

 

One of the following:

 

 

SOC-S

163

Social Problems

3

D

GEOG-G

201

World Regional Geography*

3

D

EDUC-M 

300 

Teaching in a Pluralistic Society (M)

3

C

*(NOTE: Cannot use G110 & G201; only 1 allowed)

Program Requirements

Dept

Course Number

Title

Credit Hours

Minimum Grade

MATH-T

102

Mathematics for Elementary Teachers II

3

C

MATH-T

103

Mathematics for Elementary Teachers III

3

C

One of the following (Different Discipline than used for Scientific Ways of Knowing):

 

 

BIOL-L

101

Humans & the Biological World

3

D

CHEM-C

101

Elementary Chemistry

 3 

D

AST-A

100

The Solar System

 3 

D

GEOG-G

107 

Physical Systems of the Environment 

 3 

D

One of the following:

 

 

PHIL-P

100

Introduction to Philosophy

3

D

PHIL-P 

140 

Introduction to Ethics

 3 

 D 

One of the following:

 

 

ENG-L 101

Western World Masterpieces I

 3 

D

ENG-L 102

Western World Masterpieces II

 3 

D

ENG-L 104

Introduction to Fiction

 3 

D

ENG-L 106

Introduction to Poetry

3

 D 

ENG-L 297

English Literature to 1600

 3 

 D 

ENG-L 299

British Literature 1800-Present 

 3 

 D 

ENG-L 352

American Literature 1865-1914

 3 

 D 

ENG-L 354

American Literature since 1914

 3 

D

HUMA-U 101

Introduction to Humanities

 3 

 D 

HUMA-U 102

Introduction to Modern Humanities

 3 

 D 

Major Requirements

Exploration & Technology Area (6 credit hours)

EDUC-F

200

Examining Self as Teacher

3

C

EDUC-W

200

Using Computers in Education

3

C

Block 1 Child as Learner (14 credit hours)

EDUC -P

250

General Educational Psychology

3

C

EDUC-M

310

General Methods

2

C

EDUC-K

205

Introduction to Exceptional Children

3

C

EDUC-F

401

Child as Learner Seminar

1

C

EDUC-M

301

Block 1 Practicum

0

S

EDUC-K 

453 

Management of Academic and Social Behavior 

3

B

EDUC-K

200 

Introductory Practicum in Special Education 

2

S

Block 2  The Literate Child (14 credit hours)

EDUC-E

339

Methods of Teaching Language Arts

3

C

EDUC-E

340

Methods of Teaching Reading 1

3

C

EDUC-E

495

Workshop in Elementary Education VT: Classroom Learning Environments

2

C

EDUC-F

401

The Literate Child Seminar

1

C

EDUC-M

301

Block 2 Practicum

0

S

EDUC-K

495

Lab/Field Experience in Special Education VT: Block 2

2

S

And 1 of the following:

 

 

EDUC-K

344

Education of the  Socially  & Emotionally Disturbed 2 (spring)

3

 B-

EDUC-K

490

Special Topics: AT, TBI, and Autism (fall)

3

 B-

Block 3 Specific Methods (17 credit hours)

EDUC-E

328

Science in the Elementary School

3

C

EDUC-E

343

Mathematics in the Elementary School

3

C

EDUC-E

325

Social Studies in the Elementary School

3

C

EDUC-E

341

Methods of Teaching Reading II

3

C

EDUC-F 

401 

Integration Across the Curriculum Seminar

 0 

 C 

EDUC-M

301

Block 3 Practicum

0

S

EDUC-M

495

Lab/Field Experience in Special Education VT: Block 2

2

S

And 1 of the following:

 

 

EDUC-K

344

Education of the  Socially  & Emotionally Disturbed 2 (spring)

3

B-

EDUC-K

490

Special Topics: AT, TBI, and Autism (fall)

3

B-

Summer Block (9 credit hours)

 

 

EDUC-K

352

Education of Children with Learning Problems

3

B-

EDUC-K

345

Academic & Behavioral Assessment

3

B-

EDUC-K

490

Special Topics: Partnerships

3

B-

Block 4 Student Teaching (9 credit hours)

EDUC-K

480

Student Teaching in Special Education

9

S

Electives

Dept.

Course Number

Title

Credit Hours

Minimum Grade

5 credit hours or enough to have a total of 120 credit hours

5

D-


Performance-Level Requirements

In order to complete the degree, special education majors must:

  1. pass the First-Year Seminar and complete the degree with at least a 2.5 GPA;
  2. earn a grade of B- or higher in all specialty area content courses;
  3. have a grade of C or higher in each Education course;
  4. have a Satisfactory in all courses graded S/F;
  5. have no less than a 2.5 GPA in the required mathematics courses (each with a grade of C or higher), the communication cluster (i.e., S 121, W 131, and second writing course) and each general education group (i.e., Arts and Letters, Social Science, and Natural Science); and
  6. pass all four summative decision points.

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