Inclusive Elementary and Special Education (Grades 1-6) B.S.

Program Overview

The Inclusive Elementary and Special Education (Grades 1-6) B.S. program prepares students to become innovative and inclusive special educators. It emphasizes engaging students with diverse backgrounds, providing a strong foundation in general and inclusive education, and fostering a commitment to equity and antiracism. The program combines coursework, field experiences, and a liberal arts concentration area, culminating in a professional block that emphasizes collaboration and practical application.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

Overview:

Inclusive Elementary and Special Education (Grades 1-6) B.S. prepares students to become innovative, antiracist, and inclusive special educators. The program emphasizes engaging students with and without disabilities, ultimately helping all children succeed.

Objectives:

• Prepare students to engage and include students with and without disabilities, non-native English speakers, LGBTQ+ youth, and those with varied socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Provide a strong foundation in general and inclusive/special education, along with a liberal arts concentration area.
• Develop students' skills in collaboration, problem-solving, and critical thinking.
• Foster a commitment to equity, antiracism, and inclusion in教育.

Program Description:

The program combines coursework and field experiences to introduce inclusive schooling, principles and practices for inclusive classrooms, disability, communication, technology, and arts in education. Students choose a liberal arts concentration area based on their interests, such as human thought and expression, people, places, and societies, mathematics, or natural sciences. The program culminates in a professional block, where students cluster coursework and student teaching field experiences to put strategies into practice.

Outline:

Professional Education Core:

• Inclusive Schooling
• Principles and Practices for Inclusive Classrooms
• Disability
• Communication and Technology
• Arts in Education

Liberal Arts Concentration:

• Human Thought and Expression
• People, Places, and Societies
• Mathematics
• Natural Sciences

Professional Block:

• Clustered coursework and student teaching field experiences
• Emphasis on collaboration among students and faculty

Faculty:

The program features internationally recognized faculty who provide personalized academic and career advising.

Unique Approaches:

• Pioneering work in clinical simulations (EDU SIMs) for realistic preprofessional practice
• Integration of media and technology into instruction
• Multilevel teaching and standards-based assessment

Careers:

Career Paths:

Graduates of the program are prepared for careers as:

• Elementary school teachers
• Special education teachers
• Educational administrators
• Education researchers
• Policymakers

Career Outcomes:

• 93% of the Class of 2021 graduates are employed or in graduate school within six months.