Special Education

The Department of Special Education offers undergraduate and graduate programs for people who want to make a difference in the lives of individuals with disabilities.

Students who become special educators through the University of St Thomas are part of a proud tradition that goes back over three-quarters of a century. Students complete programs that embrace the liberal arts; emphasize socioculturally sustaining, evidence-based, high-leverage, and ethical practices; and prepare highly effective educators dedicated to the success of all learners.

Students learn to assess, evaluate, identify needs, design instruction, teach, and monitor progress for individuals with disabilities in a variety of areas, including academics, behavior, cognitive, communication, functional, and social-emotional skills. The major prepares students to promote excellence, lead, connect with communities, and inspire change so that individuals with disabilities have inclusive opportunities and receive a high-quality education.

Upon completing the major, students will be prepared to work with individuals with special needs in a variety of settings including but not limited to educational settings, clinical therapy settings, group homes, transition programs, and work sites supporting individuals with disabilities. There are abundant opportunities for employment in these areas.

Our graduate programming is focused on helping adults obtain a special education teaching license and the undergraduate major provides students with a foundation for working towards an optional special education teaching license. For students not pursuing the license option, it is highly recommended that they pursue a double-major to ensure they meet minimum credit requirements for a Bachelor of Science degree.

Due to the variety of options available, it is suggested that students considering an undergraduate major in special education contact a program advisor in the School of Education as early as possible in their college careers. Ongoing state licensure rule changes make careful planning particularly important for students choosing the optional license “add-on”.

As an alternative to the major, students may choose to pursue a Special Education Exceptionalities Minor. This would be a good option for undergraduates who are Teacher Education majors, as well as those in related fields who want to expand their knowledge and their skills with regard to children/youth with disabilities and exceptionalities.

Students apply for admission to the major program while enrolled in EDUC 210. Criteria for admission to the education program include:

• Cumulative GPA of at least 2.75 for all credits earned at UST
• Positive recommendations based on a department committee review of a personal essay

Students accepted into the program must:

• Maintain a 2.75 GPA
• Earn a grade of C or better in all education courses
• Demonstrate ability to consistently exhibit all professional dispositions
• Successfully complete program Assessments at Transition Points
• For optional licensure path: Show evidence of satisfactory field experiences
• For optional licensure path: Licensure candidates will need to pass any state mandated assessments by the time of program completion to apply for licensure in the state of Minnesota. Licensure candidates will also need to take and pass the edTPA, if required by the state

The department reserves the right to dismiss candidates from the licensure programs based on violations of the professional dispositions standards.

8 courses @ 4 credits each = 32 credits

• EDUC 210 Education: Issues and Policies (4 credits)
• SPUG 250 Fundamentals of Special Education: Exceptionality, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (cross-listed with SPED 750 / REDP 631; 4 credits)
• SPUG 316 Fundamentals: Students with Mild to Moderate Needs (cross-listed with SPED 716 / REDP 621; 4 credits)
• SPUG 414 Professional Practice: Collaboration, Co-teaching, and Educational Technology (cross-listed with SPED 714 / REDP 624; 4 credits)
• SPUG 485 Applied Behavior Analysis: Behavior Interventions and Learning Environments (cross-listed with SPED 785 / REDP 625; 4 credits)
• SPUG 445 Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Individualized Planning for Diverse Learners (cross-listed with SPED 645 / REDP 622 & 623; 4 credits)
• SPUG 417 Elementary Academic Interventions and Literacy (cross-listed with SPED 717 / REDP 627 & 628; 4 credits)
• SPUG 418 Secondary Academic Interventions and Transitions (cross-listed with SPED 718 / REDP 629 & 630; 4 credits)

Undergraduate majors who wish to become a licensed special education teacher must complete “optional” special education methods courses.

The Special Education Department offers one license option at the undergraduate level:

• Academic Behavior Strategist (ABS)

Undergraduate majors who pursue the license option must complete an additional special education methods course and a student teaching experience:

• SPUG 419 Methods: Social, Emotional & Behavioral (with embedded Field Experience III) (4 credits)
• SPUG 490: Student Teaching and Seminar: Special Education (8 credits)

The purpose of this course is to provide a practicum in an educational setting working with students with disabilities that addresses competencies required for special education licensure. This course provides documentation of competencies and practical experiences gleaned from coursework and 100 hours of fieldwork experiences. An initial teaching license requires a minimum 12-week student teaching experience.

Undergraduate majors who wish to become a licensed special education teacher must complete a Teacher Education minor. The courses in the Teacher Education minor cover the Minnesota Standards of Effective Practices standards.

Note: EDUC 210 part of SPUG Major and EDUC Minor)

• EDUC 330 Psychology of Teaching and Learning + Field Experience II   (4 credits) 
• EDUC 329 Diversity and Cultural Competence    (4 credits) 
• EDUC 350/TEGR 550 Language Development, Literacy & Literature I  (4 credits)   
• EDUC 370/TEGR 570 Language Development, Literacy & Literature II   (4 credits)

20 credits

The special education exceptionalities minor supports the development of knowledge, skills, and dispositions for those adult learners who will be facilitating the learning and development of preschoolers/children/youth with disabilities, or other areas of diversity. This minor is an option for undergraduates who are teacher education majors, and those in related fields who want to expand their knowledge and skills with children/youth with disabilities and exceptionalities.

Courses required (12 credits):

• SPUG 414 Collaboration Skills for School Professionals (4 credits)
• SPUG 250 Survey of Exceptionality (4 credits)
• SPUG 485 Behavior Management (4 credits)

Choose two additional courses from the following (8 credits):

• SPUG 316: Fundamentals for Students with Mild to Moderate Needs (4 credits)
• SPUG 419 Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Interventions (4 credits)
• SPUG 421 Introduction to the Education of Twice Exceptional and Underserved GCT Learners (4 credits)
• SPUG 478: Fundamentals for Preschoolers (4 credits)

SPUG 490: Student Teaching and Seminar: Special Education (8 credits)

The purpose of this course is to provide a practicum in an educational setting working with students with disabilities that addresses competencies required for special education licensure. This course provides documentation of competencies and practical experiences gleaned from coursework and 100 hours of fieldwork experiences. An initial teaching license requires a minimum 12-week student teaching experience.