Program Rationale:
This interdisciplinary program is designed for students who already hold a bachelor’s degree and/or certification in special education. In this specialization students take course work designed to broaden and/or deepen their knowledge of the field in one of three tracks: Language Arts Instruction for Exceptional Learners, STEM Instruction for Exceptional Learners, or Advanced Studies in Disability. The candidate’s Planned Program of Graduate Study is developed by the candidate and their assigned Academic Advisor to fulfill professional and personal goals. Courses for this program are aligned with the Advanced Preparation Standards of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC).
Program Learning Outcomes:
1. Possess strong knowledge of content, content pedagogy, and learner development (typical and atypical).
2. Create an inclusive and culturally responsive learning environment.
3. Use data, content knowledge, and evidence-based pedagogical content knowledge to critically examine practice for the purpose of improving student learning.
4. Design and deliver instructional and assessment strategies that facilitate significant learning for all students including struggling learners and those with disabilities.
5. Design, deliver, and assess individualized instructional strategies to deepen literacy and content learning.
6. Act collaboratively, ethically, and responsibly to ensure student growth and advance the profession.