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Special Education (PreK–Age 21) ACCREDITATIONS The University of St. Francis is accredited by both the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org) and the Illinois Board of Higher Education (ibhe.org). College of Education programs are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (ncate.org).
As a Special Education major, you’ll learn how to reach and teach students from kindergarten through age 21, of varied abilities and diverse needs. You’ll interact with experienced instructors who model research-based practices so learning is stimulating, engaging and directly applicable to the classroom. A testament to our student-centered approach, students benefit from full-time advisors and personal attention in small classes. As a teacher candidate, you’ll observe and assist in a variety of classroom settings, addressing topics such as life skills, behavior disorders, transition services and more. You’ll have opportunities for collaboration, mentoring and networking with teaching professionals and school districts in surrounding communities. You’ll also have the opportunity to earn an Elementary Education endorsement with no additional coursework. USF works hard to prepare teacher candidates to successfully complete the edTPA, a national assessment designed to lead student teachers to a high level of professional performance. When you graduate, you’ll be highly employable after benefiting from exceptional learning experiences and the College of Education’s excellent reputation.
Special Education (PreK–Age 21)
The College of Education helped me find myself, and more importantly, I learned what it takes to be an exceptional teacher. I learned how to express my love for what I do within the classroom walls and let my passion shine through. I have received endless support with coursework, field experiences, and job searches from all COE faculty members. I do not feel that I would have obtained my dream job if it weren’t for my time at USF! Kelly McKay ’15
W H AT C A N YO U D O W I T H THIS DEGREE?
G R O W T H R O U G H R E A L- W O R L D EXPERIENCE
The Special Education degree at USF will prepare you to teach students with special needs from kindergarten through age 21, across a range of disabilities from mild to severe. There’s a lot more you’ll do than take attendance, make lesson plans and grade papers. As an excellent teacher with a true teacher’s heart, you’ll grow to understand students, serve the community and find your professional self. You’ll also become a better communicator, develop creativity, introduce exciting new ideas, inspire minds, mentor others, instill a sense of value and purpose in your students, initiate positive change and shape the future of our communities and our world.
Special Education teacher candidates get a world of experience as they learn. Through beginning field experience, the candidate is placed in a special education classroom for approximately 12 weeks. Experiences can include working with small groups or individual students, assessing student work and supporting the classroom environment. In the school-based practicum, candidates enroll in a one-credit hour course in a setting that will broaden their teacher preparation experiences. Finally, through year-long internships, candidates spend a year in a special education classroom, where they get to apply their knowledge and implement their skills in a carefully supervised setting.
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