Special Education, BAE

Department of Education Leadership and Inclusive Teaching, Woodring College of Education

114 credits

Introduction

Special Education is an important and rewarding field. As a teaching endorsement area, candidates are prepared to work with a variety of students who exhibit a diversity of abilities and needs. Special education teachers are experts in curriculum, instruction, assessment, advocacy, and of course relationships with students and their families. As a future special education teacher, you will be a core facilitator of high quality and individualized learning for students with disabilities. And, perhaps most importantly, you will be a key stakeholder in the long-term education planning for students with complex needs.

Special Education teachers fill a variety of positions in our P-12 schools. They work as collaborative early childhood teachers, elementary and middle school teachers, high school teachers, transition specialists, family and disability law advocates and of course special education experts.

Special Education teachers must acquire extensive knowledge in major teaching and learning areas. For example, they must understand typical and atypical human development, recognize the foundations and provisions of education and special education laws and legislation, and embrace and affirm the diversities among P-12 classrooms. Further, Inclusive Educators must become experts in curriculum and assessment and instructional methodology, as effective teaching requires expert and relational teaching.

Training to become a Special Education teacher includes coursework and extensive supervised practicum experiences in the public schools. The program is rigorous, and the expectations are high. However, the rewards are also high. This program will prepare you to be an excellent and compassionate teacher. Our special education graduates are actively recruited by school districts, and many receive job offers prior to graduation.

Why Consider a Special Education Major?

Do you want to be a teacher? Specifically, do you want to be a teacher who has expertise in individualized instruction, curriculum assessment, behavior management, and typical and atypical human development? Then you should consider becoming a Special Education teacher through our Special Education major!

A significant interpretation of Special Education is the application of effective, evidence-based, and individualized teaching that results students’ personal and academic growth.

It is our mission to prepare exceptional teachers and, while students with disabilities often require the services of Special Education teachers, we also believe that there are many other students who benefit from high quality instruction. Therefore, educators who are prepared to teach ALL students, including students with disabilities, tend to be the most effective and sought after teachers within districts. Our Special Education program teaches candidates to become experts in education law, disability, human development, universal design instruction, and curriculum assessment. Special education is the education endorsement area with greatest national job need, meaning, our graduates often receive job offers prior to completing their internship.

How to Declare (Admission and Declaration Process):

Admission to Western Washington University and admission to the Department of Special Education are required before a student may begin taking courses in education. Requirements include:

• completion of a minimum of 45 credits (see list of recommended GUR courses).
• cumulative grade point average of 2.75 or higher for the last 45 credits.
• completion of an English composition course, with grade of B- or higher.
• Meet the basic skills requirement. This may be met by: a) Taking the West-B exam, b) SAT  scores, c) ACT  scores. There is no minimum score requirement for admission. See the Woodring admissions website: wce.wwu.edu/admissions/basic-skills.

Enrollment restrictions apply in all teacher education programs. Meeting the above criteria makes the applicant eligible for admission but does not guarantee admission. Students who meet all criteria are further evaluated by the Department to determine the most qualified applicants. For more information on the application process, contact Teacher Education Admissions in Miller Hall 254F, call 360-650-6161, or visit the website at wce.wwu.edu/admissions/contact.

Retention in the program requires continuous demonstration of competence in standard oral and written English in all coursework. Retention also requires maintenance of a 2.75 quarterly GPA including the quarter in which the application was reviewed by the department. The State of Washington requires students to earn a “C” or better in all major endorsement and education courses.

See the Education Leadership and Inclusive Teaching  section of this catalog for program admission, completion, and teacher certification requirements.

Certification Advisement

Each student will be assigned an adviser when admitted to the department. Students will be assisted and monitored by their adviser on a regular basis throughout their program.

Grade Requirements

Students must earn a grade of C (2.0) or better in the special education professional program and in all courses required for the endorsement.