Special Education - B.A./M.S. or B.S./M.S. with Certification

Program Requirements:

Learning Behavior Specialist I

Undergraduate students interested in becoming certified special education teachers have the opportunity to apply for the combined BA/MS SPED or BS/MS SPED program. This program allows candidates to obtain a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree in a chosen major and a Master of Science in Special Education with Type 10 Learning Behavior Specialist I certification in special education in approximately five-and-one-half to six years. Qualified candidates complete their Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree program with an undergraduate major and begin the graduate program in the semester following their graduation from the undergraduate program. Students interested in the combined BA/MS SPED or BS/MS SPED program may also choose to seek certification in elementary or secondary education at the undergraduate level or choose to work only toward certification in special education (completed at the graduate level).

Candidates electing to work only toward certification in special education during their undergraduate program take EDUC 200 , apply for acceptance into the teacher education program, and, if accepted, take the foundational courses in education. They then apply for the combined BA/MS SPED or BS/MS SPED program in their junior year. If accepted, they may enroll in one graduate special education program course each semester of their senior year. The remaining graduate course work is taken in the semesters following their undergraduate graduation. For more information on this program, contact the division chairperson for specialized programs.

Candidates seeking certification in elementary, secondary or K-12 education complete the requirements for the first certification program and apply for the BA/MS SPED program in their junior year. They complete the graduate course work in the semesters following their undergraduate graduation.