Special Education (Bachelor of Science in Education, B.S.E.)
The Department of Education faculty is committed to the professional preparation of teachers for employment in special education programs. The goals are to prepare teachers who are:
- Classroom leaders, professionally prepared to accept responsibility for student learning (MWSU Conceptual Framework);
- Highly knowledgeable in their cognitive areas (MoSPE/MWSU/INTASC Standards);
- Skilled in the techniques and methods of teaching across a diverse student population (MoSPE/MWSU/INTASC Standards);
- Practiced in the application of six domains of positive teacher dispositions (MWSU Disposition).
The Professional Semester – Special Education
A student enrolled in Cross Categorical Disabilities Student Teaching will assume the daily teaching schedule of the cooperating teacher.
EDU 427 Cross Categorical Disabilities Student Teaching is to be taken during the student’s senior year. EDU 403 Seminar in Elementary Education and Human Relations is to be taken concurrently with Cross Categorical Disabilities Student Teaching. A passing score on the appropriate Content Area Assessment is required before enrollment in EDU 403 Seminar in Elementary Education and Human Relationsand EDU 427 Cross Categorical Disabilities Student Teaching .
Coursework during the professional education semester is usually limited to EDU 403 Seminar in Elementary Education and Human Relations and EDU 427 Cross Categorical Disabilities Student Teaching. Petition for any additional course work must be submitted to the Education Department in the semester prior to Student Teaching.
Admission Requirements
- ACT composite score of 17 or higher
- Overall GPA of 2.50
- Professional GPA of 3.0
- Content GPA of 3.0
- Completion of EDU 202 with a C or higher and credit in EDU 203
*Contact the Department Chairperson for guidelines and procedures regarding alternative pathways to certification.
Students who choose this bachelor degree program will have no more than 6 years from admission or subsequent declaration to meet the requirements listed below. If certification, accreditation or statutory requirements change and additional requirements become effective during this time, the new requirements take precedence.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Studies | 42 | |
| Students must complete General Studies courses | ||
| Major Requirements | 78 | |
| EDU 150 | Psychological Development for Children & Adolescents for Educators | 3 |
| EDU 202 | Introduction to Education | 3 |
| EDU 203 | Participation in Teaching I | 1 |
| EDU 225 | Educational Psychology | 3 |
| EDU 308 | Multicultural Education | 3 |
| EDU 315 | Psychology and Education of the Exceptional Child | 3 |
| EDU 325 | Introduction to Reading and Language Arts Methods | 5 |
| EDU 328 | Children's Literature | 3 |
| EDU 330 | Science Methods for Elementary Teachers | 3 |
| EDU 340 | Social Studies Methods for the Elementary and Middle School Teacher | 2 |
| EDU 342 | Evaluation of Abilities and Achievement | 2 |
| EDU 348 | Language Development for Educators | 3 |
| EDU 351 | Mathematics Methods for Early Childhood and Elementary Educators | 3 |
| EDU 352 | Mild/Moderate Disabilities: Law, Characteristics, and IEPs | 3 |
| EDU 355 | Teaching Students with Deficits in Mathematics | 3 |
| EDU 360 | Assessing and Individualizing Reading | 3 |
| EDU 370 | Behavior Management | 3 |
| EDU 375 | Teaching Reading in the Elementary School | 3 |
| EDU 403 | Seminar in Elementary Education and Human Relations | 3 |
| EDU 411 | Methods of Teaching the Student with Cross-Categorical Disabilities | 3 |
| EDU 426 | Experience Teaching Cross-Categorical Disabilities | 2 |
| EDU 427 | Cross Categorical Disabilities Student Teaching | 9 |
| EDU 430 | Teaching Students with Reading Deficits | 3 |
| EDU 473 | Preparing Students and Families for Transitions and Careers | 3 |
| EDU 474 | Collaborating with Families and School Personnel for Inclusion | 3 |
NOTE: In addition to the above major coursework, students may be required to take an Orientation Workshop, EDU 110. Also, upon Education Department determination, some students will be required to enroll in EDU 200 for state certification requirements.
Program Graduation Requirements
- Earn a grade of C or higher in all major and concentration coursework.
- Earn an overall GPA of at least 2.50, and a major GPA of 3.0.
University Graduation Requirements
- Earn a minimum of 120 credit hours (100 level and higher, maximum of 6 CED credit hours applicable).
- Earn a minimum of 30 credit hours in upper-division courses. Lower-division transfer courses accepted as meeting upper-division departmental course requirements cannot be used to fulfill this requirement.
- Earn 30 of the last 45 credit hours at MWSU in institutional coursework (exclusive of credit by examination).
- Participate in required departmental and campus wide assessments.
- Fulfill the Missouri Constitution requirement.
- Successfully pass the Missouri Higher Education Civics Achievement exam.