Special Education

The Special Education Program offers coursework options at the graduate and
undergraduate levels for individuals interested in pursuing licensure in either Early Childhood Special Education (birth to five years) or K-12^th grade, students with disabilities accessing the general curriculum. In addition to our licensure programs, options exist for persons interested in learning more about individuals with disabilities and their educational needs.

Licensure Programs

The Special Education Program offers two routes to initial licensure.

     ♦   Five year M.A.T. initial licensure programs  in which coursework is
          integrated throughout a student's undergraduate and graduate experience
               ο   K-12th Grade Special Education 5 year program
               ο   Early Childhood Special Education 5 year program

     ♦   Post-baccalaureate M.A.T. programs  in which students begin
          coursework towards licensure after they have earned a bachelor's degree
               ο   K-12th Grade Special Education post-baccalaureate program
               ο   Early Childhood Special Education post-baccalaureate program

Non-Teaching Programs

The undergraduate Non-Teaching minor is designed for students from programs outside of Special Education who desire to learn more about persons with disabilities and their educational needs.

The Master's of Education (M.Ed.) - Special Education Non-Teaching program is designed for licensed teachers who wish to further their knowledge in the area of special education or individuals who wish to work with learners with disabilities but not as a teacher.

Autism Certificate

A certificate program in Autism is offered at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. These courses were designed for individuals desiring to increase their knowledge and understanding of students with a disability in the autism spectrum, including those with Asperger syndrome. All graduate level courses are offered on-line.

Coursework in Vision Impairments

The Special Education Program offers courses through the Virginia Consortium for Teacher Preparation in Visual Impairments. All courses specific to vision impairments are offered in a distance education format.