Special Education (Pre K-12) Major
Saint Joseph’s University Department of Special Education centers its philosophical and practical mission on attaining social justice and democracy through the education of reflective, activist-oriented teacher candidates and practicing teachers. Faculty members are committed to a disposition of academic rigor and professional integrity across our undergraduate, post- baccalaureate, and graduate programs. .
The Special Education Department is focused on helping teachers respect the knowledge traditions of students from non-dominant cultural communities as these students have been historically excluded from educational curricula. Such practices provide a framework that incorporates all aspects of learning, cognitive, linguistic, social-emotional, and cultural variables. This includes recognizing students’ “funds of knowledge” and the diversity of cultural capital that exists in all homes and communities. Department faculty strive to support future teachers’ adoption of practices that celebrate the unique personality traits, talents and learning differences of individual learners. This will prepare future teachers to help their students become resilient to unwanted peer pressure and bullying, and who actively challenge these and other negative influences.
Special Education PK-12 must be a double major with Elementary PK-4.
The traditional undergraduate programs include 40 courses distributed across three components: A General Education component divided into Signature Courses, Variable Courses, and an Integrative Learning requirement; a Major and Divisional component; and Free Electives. In addition to course requirements as specified in each area, students must complete one certified course in each of the following overlay areas:
- Diversity, Globalization or Non-western Area Studies,
- Ethics Intensive, and
- Writing Intensive. Overlay requirements are part of the forty-course requirement.
General Education Signature Courses
See this page about Signature courses. Six courses
General Education Variable Courses
See this page about Variable courses. Six to Nine courses
General Education Overlays
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Diversity Intensive | 3 | |
| Schools in Society w/ Field | ||
| Language and Culture w/ Field | ||
| Writing Intensive | 3 | |
| Cognition & Learning w/ Field | ||
| Ethics Intensive | 3 | |
| Intro to Special Education | ||
| Total Hours | 9 | |
General Education Integrative Learning Component
See this page about Integrative Learning Component. Three courses:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| HIS 201 | U.S. History to 1877 | 3 |
| or HIS 202 | U.S. History since 1865 | |
| MAT 111 | The Mathematics of Patterns | 3 |
| or MAT 118 | Introduction to Statistics | |
| SPE 160 | Intro to Special Education | 3 |
| Total Hours | 9 | |
BS in Education with Special Education PK-12 Certification
(Special Education PK-12 must be a double major with Elementary PK-4)
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| EDU 121 | Child Development | 3 |
| EDU 150 | Schools in Society w/ Field | 3 |
| EDU 151 | Cognition & Learning w/ Field | 3 |
| EDU 155 | Found of Early Child w/ Field | 3 |
| EDU 231 | Assessment and Evaluation | 3 |
| EDU 232 | Literacy/Literature I w/ Field | 3 |
| EDU 240 | Literacy/Literature II w/Field | 3 |
| EDU 242 | Tech Enhan Curr & Inst w/Field (Students entering the program in 2023-2024 will take EDU 265 and 366. They will not take EDU 242 and 365.) | 3 |
| EDU 246 | Language and Culture w/ Field | 3 |
| EDU 362 | Soc Stud Thru Arts PK4 w/Field | 3 |
| EDU 363 | Science Methods PK-4 w/ Field | 3 |
| EDU 365 | Math & Technology PK4 w/Field (Students entering the program in 2023-2024 will take EDU 265 and 366. They will not take EDU 242 and 365.) | 3 |
| SPE 160 | Intro to Special Education | 3 |
| SPE 205 | Inclusive Classrooms w/ Field | 3 |
| SPE 320 | Progress Monitoring w/ Field | 3 |
| SPE 329 | Educ Stds w/High Incid Disabil | 3 |
| SPE 339 | Educ Stds w/Low Incid Disabil | 3 |
| SPE 349 | Literacy & Intervention Strat | 3 |
| SPE 359 | Math & Content Area Interv Str | 3 |
| SPE 369 | Ed Stds w/Emot-Social Beh Disb | 3 |
| SPE 379 | Fam School & Comm:Diverse Soc | 3 |
| SPE 495 | Special Ed. Student Teaching | 6 |
| EDU 498 | Dual Major Student Teaching | 6 |
| Total Hours | 75 | |
Learning Goals and Outcomes
Goal 1: Students will demonstrate knowledge of PK-12 learner development and curricular content
Objective 1.1: The student will be able to identify individual differences and to respond to the needs of individuals with exceptionalities.
Objective 1.2: The student will be able to use general and specialized content knowledge for teaching across curricular content areas to individualize learning for individuals with exceptionalities.
Goal 2: Students will demonstrate the ability to create positive PK-12 learning environments
Objective 2.1: The student will demonstrate the ability to use motivational and instructional interventions to teach individuals with exceptionalities how to adapt to different environments.
Objective 2.2: The student will demonstrate an understanding of ways to collaborate with general educators and other colleagues to create safe, inclusive, culturally responsive learning environments to engage individuals with exceptionalities in meaningful learning activities and social interactions.
Goal 3: Students will demonstrate the use of assessment for diagnosis and progress monitoring
Objective 3.1: The student will be able to select and use technically sound formal and informal assessments that minimize bias.
Objective 3.2: The student will assess performance and provide feedback.
Goal 4: Students will demonstrate knowledge of research-based instructional planning and strategies
Objective 4.1: The student will be able to identify an individual’s abilities, interests, learning environments, and cultural and linguistic factors in the selection, development, and adaptation of learning experiences for individuals with exceptionalities.
Objective 4.2: The student will be able to use strategies and technology to enhance language development and communication skills of individuals with exceptionalities.
Goal 5: Students will demonstrate knowledge of professional ethical practice
Objective 5.1: The student will demonstrate an understanding that diversity is a part of families, cultures, and schools, and that complex human issues can interact with the delivery of special education services.
Objective 5.2: The student will demonstrated the ability to develop a variety of education and transition plans for individual with exceptionalities across a wide range of settings and different learning experiences in collaboration with individuals, families and teams.