Special Education - B.A.

The major in Special Education prepares candidates for teaching students with disabilities in preschool through grade 12 in all academic subject areas as well as non-academic subjects including social skills and functional life skills. Through a carefully planned set of coursework, field, and clinical experiences, special education candidates develop knowledge and gain experience in the practices of effective special education teachers including implementing evidence-based interventions; collaborating with general educators, related service providers, and parents and families; administering assessments; and interpreting data to monitor student progress and the effectiveness of their own teaching practices.

Candidates who complete the major in special education are eligible for a Professional Educators License (PEL) from the Illinois State Board of Education with a Learning Behavior Specialist I endorsement and an ESL approval. Students majoring in the special education and earning the Learning Behavior Specialist I (K-22) Professional Educator Licensure program will earn the Early Childhood Special Education Approval.