Program Info
Program Description
Designed for students seeking teacher certification in Special Education-Elementary. Focuses on teaching students with disabilities such as mental, emotional, physical, visual or hearing impairments, learning disabilities, and autism. Transfer to and completion of a four-year university teacher preparation program is necessary for full teacher certification.
Upon successful completion of this program, students should be able to:
- Apply current educational theories and practices to a classroom setting.
- Apply humanities concepts within the pre-kindergarten through high school classroom.
- Apply knowledge of the physical, emotional, intellectual, and social development theories of the learner in a school setting.
- Apply knowledge of the exceptionalities, learning environments, and laws as they relate to special education programs.
- Develop lesson plans implementing educational software for special education students.
- Analyze elementary and middle school mathematics at the level necessary for teaching.
- Construct scientific knowledge using inquiry-based techniques.
- Follow appropriate health, physical education, nutrition, and safety practices for special education classrooms.
Pre-Special Education program graduates are able to work as para-professionals, family/hospital support personnel, before and after school care supervisors, and with community agencies specializing in providing services for children with disabilities. Students who complete a bachelor degree with teacher certification may teach special education classes in many disability areas such as mental impairments, visual impairments, learning disabilities, emotional impairments, physical impairments, hearing impairments, speech impairments, and autism.
This degree requires coursework that can be transferred to most four-year teacher preparation programs without loss of credit. The elective component of this program allows students to select courses that apply toward the bachelor's degree at their intended transfer institution. Students are encouraged to consult the university guide sheets in the University Transfer, Advising, and Career Counseling Center located in Learning Resources Center.
Admission Requirements
The law requires new teachers, school administrators, school psychologists, and other personnel to provide documentation of a completed criminal record check. Students who complete field experiences as part of their HFC coursework must provide a statewide criminal record check prior to work with children in public or non-public schools.
General Education
See General Education Requirements for details.
Program Requirements
| Course name | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| EDU-201: Introduction to Education | 3.00 |
| EDU-202: Introduction to Education Practicum | 1.00 |
| EDU-256: Educational Psychology | 3.00 |
| EDU-296: Exceptional Child | 3.00 |
| CIS-221: Instructional Technology for Educators (Pre K-12) | 3.00 |
|
Human Development: Complete one* |
3.00 |
- *Computer Technology: Consult your advisor, counselor, or transfer institution, for transfer institution major/minor requirements.
- *Human Development: Consult your advisor, counselor, or transfer institution, for transfer institution major/minor requirements.
| Course name | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| ENG-131: Introduction to College Writing | 3.00 |
| ENG-132: College Writing and Research | 3.00 |
| HPE-262: Health and Physical Education for Elementary Educators | 3.00 |
| MATH-121: Mathematics for Elementary Teachers I | 3.00 |
| POLS-131: Introduction to American Government and Political Science | 3.00 |
| PSY-131: Introductory Psychology | 3.00 |
|
|
6.00 |
|
|
4.00 |
|
Natural Sciences: Complete any one, with laboratory experience, from a different discipline, from the Michigan Transfer Agreement (MTA) list (other than SCI). |
4.00 |
- *Humanities: Consult your advisor, counselor, or transfer institution, for transfer institution major/minor requirements.
- *Mathematics: MATH-115 is highly recommended for the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC).
- *Natural Sciences: Consult your advisor, counselor, or transfer institution, for transfer institution major/minor requirements.