The B.A. in Special Education will provide you the knowledge and skills to positively impact the lives of students with diverse needs. You will become a highly qualified special educator prepared to work in schools as a multi-categorical special education teacher at all grade levels. The program emphasizes preparing future special education teachers to respect the diverse characteristics and needs of individuals with disabilities and their families by upholding the CEC professional ethical principles, practice standards, and professional policies.
Upon completing the B.A. in Special Education, you will be prepared to work as a multi-categorical special education teacher in grades PreK-12. Multi-categorical special education gives teachers the expertise to work with students with various disabilities, including students with mild intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities, and emotional behavior disorders. This concentration leads to the SC Multi-categorical Special Education certification.
Coursework and Field Experiences
You will participate in field experiences in diverse school classroom settings throughout the program, working alongside experienced special education teachers and learn evidence-based teaching methods from award-winning special education professors who will help guide you through these experiences.
You will take courses related to characteristics of mild to moderate multi-categorical disabilities; assessment for special education eligibility and student performance/progress; instructional planning, including development of Individualized Education Programs; evidence-based instructional practices; advanced behavior management; academic and individualized instructional content and curricula; and collaboration with families and other school professionals.
The curriculum meets the accreditation standards set by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and the state of South Carolina’s certification requirements for teachers. All University of South Carolina teacher preparation programs are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).