Pictured | Alyssa Kurtz | Special Education / Minor in History | Mishawaka, Indiana (hometown)

About the Bachelor of Education in Special Education

The IU South Bend School of Education offers a P-12 Bachelor of Science (BS) in Education with a major in Special Education in Mild Intervention. The special education program is designed to prepare teacher education candidates to work with students with special needs who participate in the general education setting and/or special education setting. The program emphasizes the knowledge, dispositions, and skills required of special education teachers, and incorporates the performance standards of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC).

This degree is designed to prepare individuals seeking initial licensure in mild intervention and for careers teaching children with disabilities in P-12. The professional education sequence of educational programs include coursework in professional education and pedagogy, which includes a curriculum based on practice experience, and a curriculum based on scientifically-based reading instruction, differentiation of instruction and teaching methods, cultural competency, instructional technology, classroom and behavioral management, curriculum development, and the psychology of child development.

Elementary education and secondary education teacher candidates can simultaneously work toward special education licensure in developmental levels (K-6; 5-12 grades) by completing a concentration in mild intervention.

Programs are aligned to standards for the related Special Professional Associations (SPAs).

Academic Advising

College policy on advising requires that students meet with their academic advisors at least once each year, and in some departments, prior to each semester’s to enrollment. Advising holds are placed on all School of Education students prior to advance registration and are released following advising appointments. Students with a declared major are advised in their academic units. To determine who your advisor is and how to contact them, see One.IU.

Degree Requirements (120 cr.)

Degree Map >>

Students receiving the Bachelor of Science in Education, Special Education must complete 120 total credit hours including:

• IU South Bend Campuswide General Education Curriculum (39 cr.)
• Major Requirements (66 cr.)
• Concentration Requirements (15 cr.)

• An overall GPA of 2.75 is required for admission into the Teacher Education Program (TEP).
• Prior to admission to a teacher preparation program in the state of Indiana, candidates are required to pass the Pearson Core Academic Skills Assessment (CASA) or provide documentation for passing approved alternative assessments. The CASA measures proficiency in basic academic skills and includes tests for reading, writing, and mathematics.
• Students must successfully complete EDUC-F 100, EDUC-F 201/202, EDUC-H 340, EDUC-K 205, EDUC-K 300, EDUC-M 310, EDUC-P 250, EDUC-Q 200, EDUC-W 200, and EDUC-W 310.
• All P-12 Special Education Majors must take the Pearson licensure tests in pedagogy and content prior to graduation.

Major Requirements (66 cr.)

All courses are 3 cr., unless otherwise designated

• EDUC-E 333 Inquiry in Mathematics and Science
• EDUC-E 335 Introduction to Early Childhood Education
• EDUC-E 370 Language Arts and Reading I
• EDUC-E 372 Language Arts and Reading III
• EDUC-F 100 Introduction to Teaching (1 cr.)
• EDUC-K 205 Introduction to Exceptional Children
• EDUC-K 300 Developmental Characteristics of Exceptional Individuals
• EDUC-K 305 Teaching the Exceptional Learner in the Elementary School
• EDUC-K 306 Teaching Students with Special Needs in Secondary Classrooms
• EDUC-K 343 Education of the Socially and Emotionally Disturbed
• EDUC-K 345 Academic and Behavioral Assessment of the Mildly Handicapped Child
• EDUC-K 362 Team Approaches to the Education of Students with Disabilities
• EDUC-K 370 Introduction to Language and Learning Disorders
• EDUC-K 402 Internship in Instructional Techniques for the Mildly Disabled (1 cr.)
  Course taken 3 times
• EDUC-K 452 Classroom Management
• EDUC-K 480 Student Teaching in Special Education (5 cr.)
  Course taken 2 times
• EDUC-M 301 Laboratory/Field Experience (2 cr.)
• EDUC-M 310 General Methods
• EDUC-M 420 Student Teaching Seminar (2 cr.)
• EDUC-M 464 Methods of Teaching Reading
• EDUC-Q 200 Introduction to Scientific Inquiry

Concentration Requirements (15 cr.)

Special education candidates are expected to complete courses leading to a concentration. Currently, candidates can complete a concentration/minor in Early Childhood Education, History, Math Education, English, and Psychology.

Select one of the following concentrations:

Early Childhood (with Certification)  9 cr
(18 cr. with 9 cr. fulfilled by Professional Education Requirements)

• EDUC-E 317 Practicum in Early Childhood Education
• EDUC-E 327 Social Studies Methods and the Family: Focus on Young Children
• EDUC-E 330 Infant Learning Environments AND
  EDUC-M 101 Laboratory/Field Experience (0 cr.)
• EDUC-E 333 Inquiry in Mathematics and Science
  (fulfilled by Professional Education Requirements)
• EDUC-E 335 Introduction to Early Childhood Education
  (fulfilled by Professional Education Requirements)
• EDUC-E 370 Language Arts and Reading I
  (fulfilled by Professional Education Requirements)

English (12 cr.)
(15 cr. with 3 cr. fulfilled by Professional Education Requirements)

• ENG-G 301 History of the English Language
• ENG-L 202 Literary Interpretation
• ENG-W 270 Argumentative Writing
  (fulfilled by General Education requirements)
• One additional English course at the 200- or 300-level EXCEPT ENG-W 231, ENG-W 234, or ENG-W 323

Select one of the following:

• EDUC-E 449 Trade Books and the Teacher
• EDUC-S 460 Books for Reading Instruction, 5-12
• ENG-L 290 Children's Literature

History (15 cr.)

• HIST-H 101 The World in the Twentieth Century I
• HIST-H 105 American History I
• Three additional History courses in two different geographic regions at or above the 200-level

Psychology (12 cr.)
(15 cr. with 3 cr. fulfilled by Professional Education Requirements)

• EDUC-P 250 General Educational Psychology
  (fulfilled by Professional Education requirements)
• PSY-P 103 General Psychology
• PSY-P 205 Understanding Research in Psychology
• PSY-P 316 Psychology of Childhood and Adolescence
• PSY-P 325 The Psychology of Learning

Electives (1-6 cr.)

Students are required to take 1-6 credit hours depending on concentration taken.

Photo credit | Teresa Sheppard