Student ID:__________________________ Student Name:_______________________ Advisor Name:_______________________ | Catalog: 2015-2016 Course Catalog Program: Special Education, B.S. with Teacher Licensure | |||||
Special Education, B.S. with Teacher Licensure
The mission of the Department of Special Education is to prepare highly effective practitioners whose work is grounded in current research, theory, and evidence-based practice. This is accomplished through close faculty mentorship, rigorous coursework, and supervised fieldwork. Candidates develop professional skills and dispositions to effect positive change for students with specialized learning needs. Program Outcomes for Special Education MajorThe candidate will:
The Special Education major is a distinctive program grounded in evidence-based theory and practice. Formal study examines individuals with exceptional learning needs from multi-dimensional perspectives: cognitive, academic and social learning, language, communication, behavior and attention. Applications occur in varied settings and contexts: schools, the community and at home, across the lifespan. Concepts of social justice, current law and policies, and growth and development underlie coursework. Program Outcomes for Special Education Teacher LicensureThe candidate will:
The Special Education teacher licensure program prepares candidates to teach children with disabilities. Candidates who seek initial licensure in Special Education will major in Special Education. This plan of study allows the candidate to teach students with disabilities in grades K through 12, after passing the Praxis II assessment in Special Education and the Foundations of Reading examination. The program features a carefully sequenced plan of field-based experiences, ranging from focused observations to supervised assessments, culminating in student teaching. Prospective candidates work closely with University advisement staff to apply to the School of Education, including the successful completion of the Praxis I assessment requirement by the fall of the sophomore year. Candidates may also qualify for a waiver based on SAT/ACT scores. As required by the Connecticut State Department of Education, candidates may only complete two professional education courses before acceptance into the teacher licensure program. The state Department of Education regulates initial licensure requirements. The University recommends candidates for initial licensure. The state Department of Education is responsible for the awarding of cross-endorsements in a second teaching field, beyond the initial license. Admission RequirementsThese must be completed by April 1 of sophomore year
By April 1 of sophomore year, the candidate will complete and file a declaration for the Special Education major with the faculty advisor in the Special Education department. The declaration status of a transfer candidate will be determined when meeting with the University advisement office. After being admitted to the teacher licensure program, the candidate will maintain no less than a 2.67 cumulative GPA and earn no less than a C+ in Special Education and Education courses, and required general education courses. Program SequenceCandidates in the Special Education major with teacher licensure complete a carefully designed sequence of coursework before student teaching. These experiences include opportunities to interact and instruct students with and without disabilities in the general education classroom and in specialized settings, beginning sophomore year and continuing through junior year. A coordinating seminar in the final semester is a capstone course for the major. During sophomore year, candidates are introduced to programs and services for children and youth with a range of abilities and disabilities, in a variety of settings - at school, home and the community. Field assignments acquaint candidates with the needs of students who may require specialized instruction in academic or non-academic areas and the programs that serve them. In junior year, candidates participate in intensive, supervised clinical experiences in educational assessment and research-based interventions. Junior year courses prepare candidates to meet the rigors of student teaching, with a focus on: the development and implementation of Individual Education Plans (IEPs), co-teaching and differentiation in the general education classroom, and positive behavior support. These experiences are applied to students with a range of disabilities, including learning disabilities, intellectual disabilities, social/emotional disabilities, attention disorders and autism spectrum disorders. In senior year, candidates are placed in public schools for a 10-week, full-time student teaching experience in Special Education. Candidates will also be placed in a general education classroom for a field experience. For most candidates, placements in both the special and general education classroom are in the same building. During the second semester of senior year, candidates enroll in SPEC 499 - Coordinating Seminar. This course is a culminating experience in which candidates synthesize the knowledge and skills they have acquired throughout the program, connecting theory and practice as they prepare to enter Special Education. As part of this seminar, candidates complete education evaluations of students in an on-site assessment clinic under the direct supervision and mentorship of Special Education faculty. |
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CourseworkSpecial Education teacher licensure and cross endorsement in Elementary Education | ||||||
Degree Requirements | ||||||
Supporting coursework (29 credits)General Education coursework including a survey course in United States History (3 Credits) and COMP 100 - Introduction to Computers | ||||||
Required courses and Plan of Study | ||||||
Sophomore year | ||||||
Course Name | Credits | Term Taken | Grade | Gen Ed | ||
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SPEC 217 - Teaching Students with Mild Disabilities (fall) | 3 Credits | |||||
SPEC 218 - Teaching Students with Significant Disabilities (spring) | 3 Credits | |||||
Junior year | ||||||
Course Name | Credits | Term Taken | Grade | Gen Ed | ||
SPEC 343 - Educational Assessment (fall) | 3 Credits | |||||
SPEC 275 - Curriculum and Instruction in Special Education (fall) | 3 Credits | |||||
SPEC 346 - Differentiated Instruction (spring) | 3 Credits | |||||
SPEC 383 - Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (spring) | 3 Credits | |||||
Senior year | ||||||
Course Name | Credits | Term Taken | Grade | Gen Ed | ||
SPEC 447 - Student Teaching and Student Teaching Seminar: Students with Disabilities (fall) | 9 Credits | |||||
SPEC 499 - Coordinating Seminar (spring) | 3 Credits | |||||
Required Courses for Special Education licensure | ||||||
Sophomore year | ||||||
Course Name | Credits | Term Taken | Grade | Gen Ed | ||
EDUC 251 - Teaching in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Classrooms | 3 Credits | |||||
SPEC 265 - The Elements of Teaching (fall) | 3 Credits | |||||
EDUC 205 - Foundations of Education (spring) | 3 Credits | |||||
PSYC 220 - Child Development | 3 Credits | |||||
Junior year | ||||||
Course Name | Credits | Term Taken | Grade | Gen Ed | ||
EDUC 322 - Developmental Reading in the Elementary School (fall) | 3 Credits | |||||
Additional courses for cross-endorsement in Elementary Education | ||||||
Sophomore year | ||||||
Course Name | Credits | Term Taken | Grade | Gen Ed | ||
One additional child development course: | ||||||
HDFS 250 - Ways of Studying the Developing Child or | 3 Credits | |||||
HDFS 450 - Cross-Cultural Studies of Children and Families | 3 Credits | |||||
Junior year | ||||||
Course Name | Credits | Term Taken | Grade | Gen Ed | ||
EDUC 341 - Effective Teaching of Mathematics (fall) | 3 Credits | |||||
EDUC 370 - The Language Arts (spring) | 3 Credits | |||||
Senior year | ||||||
Course Name | Credits | Term Taken | Grade | Gen Ed | ||
EDUC 430 - Practicum: Elementary (fall) | 3 Credits | |||||
Continuation requirementsThroughout the teacher licensure sequence, the Department of Special Education reserves the right to recommend withdrawal of candidates who fail to show ability to meet pre-professional expectations and dispositions. For candidates who demonstrate difficulty, an improvement plan will be developed and progress towards goals will be monitored. A list of expected academic skills and professional dispositions include:
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Requirements for application to Student TeachOnly candidates who have been accepted into the Teacher Licensure Program are eligible to apply for student teaching. An application to student teach from the Office of Student Teaching and Clinical Experiences must be submitted by February 1 for fall placements and September 15 for spring placements.
Candidates will provide the Licensure Office with copies of Praxis II and FOR score reports before a recommendation is made to the state Department of Education for initial special education teacher licensure. Candidates seeking cross-endorsement in elementary education must submit successful results in all required elementary tests. The state Department of Education has the sole authority to issue cross-endorsements. | ||||||
Comprehensive exam for Special Education majorAll students must pass a comprehensive exam to be awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in Special Education. The exam is given during January break of the senior year and involves the completion of two case studies. The comprehensive exam requires candidates to analyze, synthesize and interpret student performance data from multiple sources. The candidate must demonstrate the ability to integrate the data with theory and research to formulate conclusions and propose actions. | ||||||
Exit from Teacher Licensure ProgramOnce you have met all the requirements of a state-approved teacher preparation program for initial certification, you are a “Licensure Program Completer.” Program completers include all those who are documented as having met the requirements. Documentation may take the form of a degree, institutional certificate, program credential, transcript or other written proof of having met the program’s requirements. In applying this definition, the fact that an individual has or has not been recommended to the state for initial certification or licensure may not be used as a criterion for determining who is a program completer. To be recommended to the state Department of Education for licensure in Special Education, candidates must:
After completing entrance requirements, the prescribed programs and exit requirements, candidates will be recommended to the state education department for initial licensure in special education. For the state to issue a cross-endorsement in elementary education, candidates must complete the requirements above and submit successful Praxis II tests in Elementary Education, 5031, Multiple Subjects Subtests. | ||||||
Other Opportunities In EducationCross-EndorsementLicensed teachers who wish to add an additional area of endorsement to their teaching credentials have several options. Only the Connecticut State Department of Education can determine required coursework. To pursue cross-endorsement, please contact the Connecticut Department of Education, Bureau of Educator Preparation and Licensure, to obtain a list of required courses for the desired cross-endorsement. Laboratory SchoolsThe School of Education benefits from two laboratory schools. The Gengras Center, an on campus school for students with significant disabilities, and the School for Young Children, an early childhood school nearby, offer opportunities for on-site observations, field work, practicum, internships and course-related applications. Kappa Delta Pi Honor SocietyKappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education has been active at USJ since 2009. The society has a long-standing commitment to “recognizing excellence and fostering mutual cooperative, support, and professional growth for educational professionals.” Letters of invitation are sent in February to students eligible for membership informing them of a March orientation meeting and an initiation ceremony in the spring. PartnershipsThe School of Education has partnerships with several school districts and agencies, which provide candidates the opportunity to interact with K-12 students under faculty supervision. Longstanding partnerships include: Bloomfield School District, Connecticut Department of Children and Family Services, and West Hartford Schools. Candidates are provided authentic opportunities to assess, teach and collaborate with others. InternshipsLiteracy InternshipThis internship is for licensed teachers. Selected interns, with a minimum GPA of 3.25, receive 15-30 credits of coursework plus a stipend for working in a school district as a reading tutor for up to two years. The program places an emphasis on developing candidates’ reading intervention skills. This program is directed by the teacher licensure officer. Also see Education - Literacy Internship, M.A. for details. Internship in Pre K-12 SchoolsThe University of Saint Joseph provides opportunities for students completing graduate studies or licensure courses to serve as interns in public school classrooms during the school year. The participating schools provide 18 graduate credits that the intern may apply to tuition costs at the University of Saint Joseph. In addition, a small stipend is provided for books and materials each semester. Contact the director of student teaching and clinical experiences for more information. | ||||||
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