Post-Baccalaureate Special Education Certification

Certification: Type-10, Special Education - 73 hours

Degree Requirements
Complete 73 semester hours of course work as indicated, including all general education competency requirements. Upon acceptance, previous course work and life experience of the student will be evaluated to determine if additional hours will be needed. Students who complete the program will be eligible to apply for a Special Education (Type 10) teaching certificate.

Refer to the College of Education Handbook for information related to additional program requirements.

General Education Competencies

• Communication Skills
• 3 semester hours – English Composition II or equivalent
• 3 semester hours – Fundamental of Speech of equivalent
• 2 semester hours – Electronic Communication Requirement
• Choose a method:
• CSC-1100 Electronic Communication (undergraduate course)
• Web-based section of the above course
• Timed, in-lab Electronic Communication exam (offered two times per semester)
  (In preparation for this exam, students may attend any or all of a 4-session, 4-hour modular seminar to assist in improving the skills not currently possessed.)
• Mathematics
• 3 semester hours above Intermediate Algebra
• Natural Science (one lab science course required)
• 3 semester hours – Physical Science
• 3 semester hours – Biological Science
• Humanities*
• 9 semester hours in at least two different areas
• Social Science*
• 9 semester hours in at least two different areas

*One of the courses in these two areas must be classified as a Non-Western course. Students also must complete American History or American Government from these areas. Student may meet competencies in each of these areas via the successful completion of appropriate course work, through assessment of life experiences, i.e. credit for prior learning (CPL) or CLEP exams. General Education Competencies do not need to be taken prior to admission to the program.

Admission to the College of Education and to the Program
Special Education post-baccalaureate candidates must meet all of the requirements of the College of Education of the University as a condition of admission along with additional specific requirements. These requirements include

• A cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 in the following prerequisite courses:
• EDU-2020 Principles and Technology in Education
• PSY-2400 Educational Psychology
• Successful completion of the Illinois Certification Testing System Basic Skills Test.
• Completion of required intensive and extensive hours of field observations in special education and regular education classrooms and initiation of the special education program portfolio (Checkpoint 1).
• Submission of written substantiation of prior experiences in the education and special education fields.
• Completion of a written personal goal statement.
• Submission of a letter of recommendation from a professional in the teaching field.

Certificate Requirements

• The student must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 in all professional course work.
• Candidates must complete 24 hours of course work at Concordia prior to student teaching.
• Candidates must take a minimum of 50% of the course work in the program at Concordia University.

Areas of Study

• Required Courses (5 hours)
• EDU-2020 Principles and Technology in Education
• EDU-2400 Educational Psychology
• Required for Admission to the Professional Semester (53 hours)
• EDU-3000 Multicultural Education
• EDU-4100 Foundations/Ethics of American Education
• EDU-4220 Reading the Content Areas
• EDU-4550 Adaptive Technologies and Equipment
• EDU-4551 Collaborative Educational Relationships with Families and Professionals
• EDU-4552 Instructional Strategies for Students with Learning and Behavioral Disorders*
• EDU-4553 Instructional Strategies for Students with Academic and Physical Challenges*
• EDU-4554 Curriculum-Based and Educational Measurements of Exceptional Learners*
• EDU-4555 Systems for Integrating Exceptional Learners*
• EDU-4900A Literacy I*
• EDU-4900B Literacy II*
• MAE-4901 Teaching Mathematics: Elementary*
• MAT-1412 Math Concepts II
• PSY-4105 Developmental Psychology: Middle Childhood
• PSY-4110 Developmental Psychology: Adolescence
• PSY-4410 Psychology and Methods of Teaching the Exceptional Learner
• PSY-4421 Characteristics/Learning Needs of Students Academically and Physical Challenged*
• PSY-4425 Characteristics/Learning Needs of Students Learning/Behavior Disorders*
• Professional Semester & Clinical Experience (15 hours)
• EDU-4952 Classroom Managements: Special Education
• EDU-4960 Student Teaching: Special Education

The candidate must complete a minimum of 100 clock hours of field experience prior to application for the professional semester. These 100 hours may be acquired through documented previous work experience and structured guided observation, instructional support, individual tutoring, or small/large/whole group instruction. The courses identified with an asterisk (*) above provide field experience hours, which are scheduled during the typical school day.

Monitoring Candidate Progress

Transition Point #1

The following criteria must be met prior to enrollment in methods courses:

• Completion of a minimum of 20 hours of clinical experience
• Successful completion of the Illinois Basic Skills
• Criminal Background Check
• 3.00 Concordia GPA in program coursework

Candidates are responsible for completing all prerequisite coursework as listed in his/her catalog. All requirements must be met prior to application. Applications are submitted to the Office of Field Experience.

Transition Point #2

Prior to student teaching, the student must be accepted for admission (and registration) into the Professional Semester. Requirements for acceptance include

• Completion of 85 pre-professional hours
• Successful completion of the Illinois Subject Matter tests for LBS I
• A 3.00 Concordia GPA in program coursework
• Verification of Portfolio Checkpoint #2
• First Aid and CPR Certification

Application for the Professional Semester must be one semester before student teaching.

Transition Point #3

Prior to the awarding of the degree, the academic record of the student will be reviewed by the Office of the Registrar and Certification Officer to ensure that all requirements have been met by the student. Prior to program completion, students must pass the Assessment of Professional Teaching: K-12.  In addition, Portfolio Checkpoint #3 will be verified.