Special Education (B.S.Ed.) (Fall 2008)
Administered by Exceptionality Programs
Effective Fall 2008
General Education Requirements - The university requires a minimum of 50 hours of general education requirements, some of which are specifically required for this major. Core courses designated by the department as applicable to the general education requirements may be elected in partial fulfillment of that requirement. The following general education courses are required for completion of the program:
20.101 Composition I and 20.201 Composition II (or any of the writing intensive literature courses)
25.103 Public Speaking or 25.104 Interpersonal Communication
48.101 General Psychology
48.210 Life-Span Psychology
50.100 Cells, Genes, Molecules
05.321 First Aid and Safety
53.141 Introduction to Statistics or 48.160 Basic Statistics
70.101 Introduction to Exceptional Individuals
To meet state certification requirements, special education majors must have six credits of mathematics, composition and an American, English or European literature course.
Requirements for the Major - A total of 70 semester hours is required for a major in special education including professional education courses, those required for special education and electives. Fall semester incoming freshmen are required to enroll in the Department of Exceptionality Programs' University Seminar course (1 cr.).
Professional Education courses include:
Choose one of the following three courses:
- 60.251 Psychological Foundations in Education or
- 48.251 Psychological Foundations in Education or
- 60.393 Social Foundations of Education
60.406 Multicultural Education
62.302 Teaching of Science in the Elementary School or 62.390 Teaching Social Studies in the Elementary School
62.371 Teaching Reading in the Elementary School
62.398 Teaching Mathematics in the Elementary School
Choose one of the following four courses:
- 62.373 Diagnostic and Inclusive Practices
- 74.305 Introduction to Instructional Methods for the Deaf/Hard of Hearing (reserved for Deaf/Hard of Hearing area of concentration only).
- 60.497 Teaching Literacy and Literature in Diverse Classrooms
- 65.374 Teaching Reading in Academic Subjects
Special Education Courses include:
- 70.202 Technology for Exceptionalities
- 70.206 Introduction to Early Intervention
- 70.240 Foundations in Special Education
- 70.250 Behavior Intervention and Support
- 70.340 Educating Individuals with Moderate/Severe Disabilities
- 70.353 Assessment and Planning
- 70.357 Vocational Programming
- 70.401 Student Teaching With Exceptional Individuals
- 70.433 Language Arts for Students with Special Needs
- 70.450 Elementary Methods for Individuals with Mild Disabilities
- 70.451 Secondary Methods for Individuals with Mild Disabilities
- 70.461 Problems in Special Education
Elective Courses - A total of five semester hours may be taken as electives for this major.
Area of Concentration in Education of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing
Special education students may choose to take an area of concentration in education of the deaf/hard of hearing. The undergraduate curriculum in education of the deaf/hard of hearing lays the foundation for the training and education needed to prepare classroom teachers and itinerant hearing therapists to work in educational settings with deaf/hard of hearing children and adults. Students supplement the curriculum for their majors with an area of concentration in education of the deaf/hard of hearing that requires a minimum of 24 semester hours.
Certification to teach deaf/hard of hearing students in school programs is granted by the Pennsylvania Department of Education upon completion of a related graduate program.
All applicants to the graduate program in Education of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing must have completed the courses listed below. Students without an education background will need to take five education courses agreed upon by the curriculum coordinator in education of the deaf/hard of hearing.
Required Courses
The following is a suggested time sequence for courses required in the area of concentration of the deaf/hard of hearing.
Freshman Year
70.101 Introduction to Exceptional Individuals
74.201 History, Education and Guidance of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing
74.153 Introduction to Sign Language
Sophomore Year
72.200 Introduction to Audiology
75.155 American Sign Language I
75.226 American Sign Language II
Junior/Senior Years
74.305 Introduction to Instructional Methods for the Deaf/Hard of Hearing
74.461 Deaf/Hard of Hearing Based Observation