Special Education
A Special Education degree will provide you with the content knowledge and effective teaching skills to become a special educator for students with mild to moderate disabilities. Our Teacher Education Program has achieved the high standards required to maintain accreditation by The Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC)/Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI). Building on the liberal arts core curriculum, the program curriculum has a balance of philosophy, theory and practice for effective teacher preparation.
FAST FACTS
The special educator is the most sought after teaching position in North Carolina.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Job Outlook, “Better screening and identification of various disabilities in children are expected to increase the demand for special education from 2012 to 2022. In addition, children with disabilities are being identified earlier and enrolled into special education programs, increasing the need for special education teachers in schools for the long term.”
What You'll Study
In the Elementary Education program, you'll study a variety of topics including educational philosophy, managing environments for diverse learners, classroom management, behaviors, educational psychology, foundations of American publich school education, children's literature and more.
Beyond the Classroom
- K-6 classroom observations (50 hours) to be completed during your first 2 semesters in our program
- K-6 classroom internship (150 hours) to be completed during your third semester in our program
- K-6 student teaching during your fourth and final semester in our program
- International travel and service opportunities are also available.
Popular Minors
After Graduation
Common Career Areas
Special Education Teaching
Speech Therapy
Counseling
Meet the Faculty
Dr. Pamela Vesely
Dean of Arts, Humanities and Education, Director of Education
Dr. Lynn Swann
Program Coordinator of Education, Associate Professor of Teacher Education
Dr. Susan Dean
Professor of Teacher Education