Special Education (B.S.)
The special education curriculum leads to a bachelor’s degree in education and certification in the area of cognitive impairment.
Admission: Level 1
Entry to the College of Education
All students intending to pursue a teaching curriculum who enter the University directly from high school, or transfer from other colleges are directly admitted by the University Admissions Office into the College of Education in Level 1 status.
Admission: Level 2
Entry to Professional Education Sequence
The standards listed below apply to those students entering the College of Education at Level 2: those working for a secondary or elementary school teaching certificate; those in a combined degree program; and those previously admitted at the freshman or sophomore level to the College of Education.
Eligibility for admission is based on the following criteria:
- Satisfactory completion of fifty-three semester or eighty quarter credits of course work with an overall grade point average of 2.5 or above. In addition, the grade point average for any courses taken at Wayne State University must be 2.5 or above. This coursework should generally conform to the Level 1 courses prescribed by the College for students who expect to prepare for teaching. The quality of work, especially in the major area, must indicate a strong potential for success in a teacher-education program.
- Intermediate Composition Competency Requirement: All Education students must satisfactorily complete the University intermediate composition competency requirement prior to admission.
- Physical Health: Definite standards of health must be met by all students entering the College. All students are required to present a negative tuberculosis (T.B.) test prior to admission.
- Group Work Experience: All students must have verifiable successful group work (forty hours) experience with children.
- Criminal History Check: All students must submit a current (within the last six months) statewide criminal history check.
- Elementary Education: Students seeking admission to Elementary Education must complete MAT 1110
- Special Education: Students seeking admission to Special Education must have completed the following courses:
Course List Code Title Credits MAT 1110 Mathematics for Elementary School Teachers I (or have appropriate prerequisite math course in progress) 3 PSY 1010 Introductory Psychology 4 PSY 2400 Developmental Psychology 4 Select one of the following: 3-4 Biology Today An Introduction to Life Basic Life Diversity Basic Life Mechanisms Biological Sciences for Elementary and Middle School Teachers - Secondary Education: Students seeking admission to Secondary Education must have twelve-semester credits completed in the major
- Specific Prerequisites or other special requirements of the curriculum area for which the student is applying.
Application for Level 2 Standing
Upon completion of a minimum of fifty-three-semester credits of college coursework and all other Level 2 admission requirements, students should apply for College of Education Level 2 standing. Applicants who have completed college work in institutions other than Wayne State must first apply for admission through the University Office of Admissions.
Students who intend to receive degrees from other colleges in the University AND a teaching certificate from the College of Education must apply to the Combined Program through Academic Services, 489 Education Building. All applicants to Level 2 must attend Cornerstone Welcome.
All students must complete University General Education Requirements, the Special Education Comprehensive Major (some of these courses may also satisfy the University General Education Requirements), Professional Education Requirements and the major area of study (Special Education Cognitive Impairment) as outlined below. The total number of credit hours for the degree varies from 141 to 144 depending on how General Education Requirements are met.
No grade below ‘C’ may be used to meet any requirement specific to the Comprehensive Major, Professional Education Sequence and the Special Education major.
General Education Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Written Communication | ||
Basic Composition (BC) | ||
Intermediate Composition (ICN) | ||
| Oral Communication (OC) | ||
| Quantitative Experience (QE) | ||
| Mathematics for Elementary School Teachers I | ||
| Natural Science Inquiry (NSI) | ||
| Two courses required (select one from PSY and one from BIO). One course must include a lab. | ||
| Introductory Psychology | ||
or PSY 1020 | Elements of Psychology | |
| Biology Today | ||
or BIO 1050 | An Introduction to Life | |
or BIO 1500 | Basic Life Diversity | |
or BIO 1510 | Basic Life Mechanisms | |
| Civic Literacy Inquiry (CIV) | ||
| American Government | ||
or PS 1030 | The American Governmental System | |
| Social Inquiry (SI) | ||
| World Regional Patterns | ||
| Cultural Inquiry (CI) | ||
| Integrating the Arts into the Elementary Classroom (Completed after admission to Level 2) | ||
| Diversity Equity and Inclusion Inquiry (DEI) | ||
| Global Learning Inquiry (GLI) | ||
| World Civilization to 1500 | ||
or HIS 1400 | The World Since 1945 | |
Special Education Comprehensive Major
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ELE 6200 | Diverse Children’s Literature for Elementary Teachers | 3 |
| GPH 1100 | World Regional Patterns | 4 |
| HIS 2040 | American Foundations to 1877 | 3-4 |
| HIS 2050 | Modern America: Since 1877 | 3-4 |
| HIS 2240 | History of Michigan | 3-4 |
| MAT 1110 | Mathematics for Elementary School Teachers I | 3 |
| MAT 1120 | Mathematics for Elementary School Teachers II | 3 |
| PSY 1010 | Introductory Psychology | 4 |
| or PSY 1020 | Elements of Psychology | |
| PSY 2400 | Developmental Psychology | 4 |
| ECO 1000 | Survey of Economics | 4 |
| or ECO 2010 | Principles of Microeconomics | |
| or ECO 2020 | Principles of Macroeconomics | |
| HIS 1000 | World Civilization to 1500 | 4 |
| or HIS 1300 | Europe and the World: 1500-1945 | |
| or HIS 1400 | The World Since 1945 | |
| PS 1010 | American Government | 4 |
| or PS 1030 | The American Governmental System | |
| BIO 1030 | Biology Today | 3 |
| or BIO 1050 | An Introduction to Life | |
| or BIO 1500 | Basic Life Diversity | |
| or BIO 1510 | Basic Life Mechanisms | |
| or SCE 5010 | Biological Sciences for Elementary and Middle School Teachers | |
| SCE 5020 | Physical Sciences for Elementary and Middle School Teachers | 3 |
| SCE 5030 | Earth/Space Science for Elementary and Middle School Teachers | 3 |
| KIN 5550 | Health and Physical Education for the Elementary School Teacher | 3 |
| Total Credits | 54-57 | |
Professional Education Sequence
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| The following course must be completed in Level 1: | ||
| TED 2250 | Becoming an Urban Educator | 3 |
| The following courses may be completed in Level 1 or 2: | ||
| BBE 5000 | Multicultural Education in Urban America | 2 |
| EDP 3310 | Educational Psychology | 3 |
| ELE 6070 | Family, Community and School Partnerships: Supporting Children's Learning | 3 |
| TED 6020 | Computer Applications in Teaching I | 3 |
| The following courses must be taken prior to TED 5150 Pre-Student Teaching: | ||
| ELE 6220 | Literacy I | 3 |
| One additional method course (see Advisor) | ||
| Pre-Student Teaching Experience | ||
| TED 5150 | Analysis of Elementary Teaching | 5 |
| The following courses may be elected at any time after admission to the College of Education Level 2 and must be completed prior to taking TED 5790 | ||
| ELE 6240 | Literacy II | 3 |
| ELE 6260 | Literacy III | 3 |
| ELE 6390 | Mathematics Instruction: P-8 | 3 |
| ELE 6500 | Science Curriculum: P-8 | 3 |
| ELE 6600 | Social Studies Curriculum: PK-6 | 3 |
| AED 5050 | Integrating the Arts into the Elementary Classroom 1 | 3 |
| Elementary Field Experience | ||
| TED 5780 | Directed Teaching and Conference | 5 |
| Special Education Field Experience | ||
| Directed Teaching and Conference for Special Groups | ||
| Total Credits | 45 | |
| 1 | Prereq: ELE 6220 and two additional Elementary Methods courses |
Major Areas of Study (Special Education)
Students pursuing a bachelor's degree in education leading to an endorsement in Cognitive Impairment must complete the following major requirements. The courses cited in the major, with the exception of SED 5000 and SED 5010, may be completed only after admission to the Special Education Level 2 Program.
Cognitive Impairment (a minimum of thirty credit hours)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| SED 5000 | History, Philosophy, and Ethics of Teaching Students with Disabilities | 2 |
| SED 5010 | Inclusive Teaching | 2 |
| SED 5075 | Consultation and Collaboration for Inclusive Teaching | 2 |
| SED 5080 | Supportive Environments, Engaged Learning | 2 |
| SED 5090 | Transitions for Students with Disabilities | 2 |
| SED 5110 | Introduction to Teaching Students with Moderate/Significant Support Needs | 3 |
| SED 5115 | Observation and Assessment of Students with Moderate/Significant Support Needs | 3 |
| SED 5121 | Language Development and Instruction for Students with Moderate/Significant Support Needs | 2 |
| SED 5125 | Teaching Students with Significant/Multiple Support Needs | 3 |
| SED 5130 | Teaching Students with Moderate Support Needs | 3 |
| TED 5790 | Directed Teaching and Conference for Special Groups | 6 |
| Total Credits | 30 | |