Bachelor of Arts: Special Education
Do you enjoy the challenge of using different learning styles to help children with special needs learn? The Special Education program at Concordia University Chicago may be the perfect match for you. Teachers make a critical difference in the lives of students with disabilities, and the demand for their skills has never been greater.
Program Overview
Our program trains educators to adapt and develop materials and use a variety of teaching strategies to help students with disabilities reach their full potential. We prepare special education teachers for public and Lutheran schools, as well as parish education in The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod.
First established in 1864 as Addison Teachers Seminary, CUC continues its proud legacy of educating teachers. All of our education programs exceed the requirements of the Illinois State Certification Board and meet rigorous national accreditation standards.
Hands-on experience in the classroom with students is a cornerstone of our program. You are required to earn at least 100 hours of fieldwork in schools, before starting your student teaching semester. This semester is broken into two eight-week periods: one spent working with middle and high school students, and the other with younger students. Our 16-week student teaching semester is four weeks longer than most programs, providing additional experience and confidence.
General Course Information
Coursework includes general education courses, and courses focusing on different disabilities and instructional strategies. Your degree in special education results in being certified by the state of Illinois as Learning Behavior Specialist 1. The certificate, LBS 1, entitles you to teach students ages 3 to 21 whose disabilities fall within most of the 11 categories of disabilities.
Additional coursework taken at a master’s or doctorate level will enable you to earn a Learning Behavior Specialist 2 certificate. This allows you to work in different areas of special education such as bilingual special education students or consulting fellow teachers of special education students.
For details about specific courses, please visit our online catalog pages.
Opportunities
Concordia’s location offers numerous opportunities for students to observe and teach in various special education settings throughout Chicagoland.
We offer extensive graduate-level programs in education, with options for advanced degrees and additional certificates—supporting your professional development needs throughout your teaching career.