DEPARTMENT OF SPECIAL EDUCATION
Chair: Terry G. Cronis
Professor: Cronis
Associate Professors: Ellis, Sachs
Assistant Professor: Shank
The Department of Special Education prepares teachers who
will work with exceptional infants, toddlers, children and youth. Persons who have a
strong desire to aid the personal and educational development of students with special
learning needs and capacities would find the area of Special Education gratifying and
fulfilling. Assisting students who have the greatest educational needs can provide much
personal and professional award.
As a result of many recently passed laws, standards, and
educational policies, there has developed a tremendous increase in the demand for teachers
trained to work with the mentally retarded, emotionally disturbed, learning disabled,
blind, deaf, speech impaired, physically disabled, or gifted students. The special
education teacher training programs at the University of South Alabama are responding to
the many and varied needs for well-trained teachers that school systems and agencies are
currently experiencing.
UNDERGRADUATE
The Department of Special Education has two undergraduate specializations,
each leading toward a Bachelor of Science Degree: Early Childhood Special Education and
Collaborative Teaching.
The programs in Special Education are designed to prepare
teachers to function in a variety of settings with birth-through-high-school-level
students.
Students must obtain a minimum grade of "C" in
all professional (block) courses in the area of Special Education (i.e., 300-level or
above courses which carry the SPE prefix and are restricted to candidacy).
Non-majors seeking enrollment in courses restricted to
candidacy should obtain permission from department chair in Special Education. Successful
completion of the program and eligibility for the Bachelor of Science degree and/or
teaching certificate necessitates that requirements of the Department of Special
Education, the College of Education, the University of South Alabama, the Alabama State
Department of Education, and NCATE be met.
The Department of Special Education places particular
emphasis upon the student-advisor relationship. Each advisor has detailed information to
aid the student's progress and to ensure that the many and various requirements are met.
THE BACHELOR'S DEGREE PROGRAM
All Special Education undergraduate majors' programs include a minimum of
131 semester hours. Differences in course work exist within the teaching areas and
advisors provide the specific course information for each student. Worksheets are
available from the Department or from the Education Certification and Student Services
Office, College of Education, UCOM 3020.
ADMISSION TO CANDIDACY
Students must apply at the Education Certification and Student Services
Office, College of Education, for admission to teacher candidacy upon meeting candidacy
requirements and should have completed SPE 301 (or 400). All previously listed
requirements of the University and College must have been met also. Students must apply as
early as possible preferably by the end of the sophomore year. Professional courses are
organized into sequenced blocks all of which require both SPE 312 and SPE 313 as
prerequisites.
Minimum General Studies (64 hours)
SEE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION SECTION OR DEPART-MENTAL ADVISING SHEETS FOR GENERAL STUDIES
REQUIREMENTS.
Professional Studies (39 hours minimum)
To include: SPE 301 or 400, EDF 315, 211, EPY 251.
Additional Professional Studies; SPE 200, 205, 311, 362, 363, 410, 432 (EC SE) or 484
(CT), 495, EDM 310, or 312 or 385.
AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION 28 hours
COLLABORATIVE TEACHING
SPE 200, 312, 313, 342, 364, 373, 414, 443, 454, and SPA 290.
Collaborative Teaching majors must choose an Internship at
K-6 or 6-12 level.
AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION 28 hours
EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION
SPE 200, 312, 313, 342, 364, 373, 414, 433, 454, and SPA 290.
GRADUATE
The graduate program in Special Education prepares individuals with
or without special education backgrounds to work with exceptional
children and youth. Students seeking Alabama Class A professional certification may select
programs of study in the areas of Collaborative Teaching, Early Childhood Special
Education, and Gifted and Talented provided they already have certification in any area of
education.
Post-master's or Sixth-Year Graduate Programs which lead to
AA (State of Alabama) Professional Certification and an Educational Specialist (Ed.S.)
degree are available for qualified individuals. Certification programs are available in
Collaborative Teaching and Gifted Education.
ADMISSION TO CANDIDACY - M.Ed.
Programs
Previous admission to a regular admission status.
The completion of a minimum of 9 semester hours (but not
more than 18 semester hours) of graduate credit with a minimum grade of B in all courses.
Courses are to be designated by the student's advisor.
Completion of IDE 510.
Successful completion of Departmental Candidacy
Examination.
Approval of advisor and department chair on the student's
Candidacy Application Form.
All previously listed requirements of the University and
College must be addressed as well. Cut off scores for the NTE, GRE, and MAT tests are
available in the departmental office from graduate program coordinators.
ACADEMIC STANDARDS AND STUDENT
RESPONSIBILITY
Students should be aware that the Department requires that certain courses
be taken in sequence. Advisors should be consulted to obtain information about sequencing
and prerequisite course work.
A committee consisting of graduate faculty members within
the Department will be selected by program advisors to assist in planning students'
courses of study. Such planned programs should be effected before the completion of 9
semester hours of work. Planned programs will also indicate prerequisite courses.
The Special Education Department requires that students who
receive a grade of C in their major area (i.e., Early Childhood SPE, Collaborative
Teaching or Gifted) must repeat that course and attain a grade of B or better.
Satisfactory performance in all course work (an average of
B or better) is required of all graduate Special Education majors; in the event of
unsatisfactory performance in a course not in their major area, a students' Graduate
Program Committee selects the option of repeating the course and demonstrating
satisfactory performance or demonstrating satisfactory performance in an approved
alternate course.
Students may be permitted to do their internship during one
of their two final semesters in residence. This is a joint decision between student and
advisor.
Students are assigned to advisors in their respective
program areas. No faculty member other than the assigned advisor may advise Special
Education students.
The student has the sole responsibility for initiating
applications and meeting test and other deadline requirements.
WRITTEN COMPREHENSIVE
EXAMINATION
Satisfactory performance on a written comprehensive examination is required
of all graduate students prior to the completion of their program.
MASTER OF EDUCATION DEGREE PROGRAM
IN SPECIAL EDUCATION
The requirements for the Master of Education include IDE 510, Educational
Research and Evaluation and a minimum of 33 semester hours in the program specialization,
as determined by the student's graduate faculty committee. Students already certified in
the same field of special education as their graduate major (e.g., Collaborative Teaching)
may qualify for a 36 semester hour minimum program. Students changing fields of study
within special education qualify for a 39 semester hour minimum program. Students with no
prior special education certification qualify for a 45 semester hour minimum program.
These students seeking teacher certification must complete
one of the program areas detailed as follows:
PROGRAM FOR COLLABORATIVE TEACHING
The 36 semester hour minimum program for the M.Ed. in the area of
Collaborative Teaching includes:
CURRICULUM AND TEACHING (6 semester hours)
SPE 512 Ecological Curriculum and Methods
SPE 516 Methods for Special Needs Learners
EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATIONS (6-9* semester hours)
* SPE 500 Nature and Needs of Exceptional Children and Youth
SELECT ONE:
EDF 501 Culture Foundations of Education
EDF 515 Multicultural Education
SELECT ONE:
EPY 502 Psychological Principles of Learning
EPY 521 Human Development and Behavior
RESEARCH AND EVALUATION
(3 semester hours)
IDE 510 Educational Research and Evaluation
TEACHING FIELD (21 semester hours)
SPE 510 Introduction to Learning Characteristics and Teaching in Special Education
SPE 511 Curriculum: Regular Class and Adaptations
SPE 514 Teaming and Collaboration
SPE 515 Data-Based Behavior Management of Exceptional Children
SPE 517 Communication: Language and Reading
SPE 591 Multicategorical Practicum/Seminar
SPE 592 Collaborative Practicum
ELECTIVES (0-9 semester hours)
Guided electives to be selected with advisor approval.
* SPE 500 is taken only if the student has not had a recent undergraduate equivalent. It
becomes an additional part of the program.
PROGRAM FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD
SPECIAL EDUCATION
The 36 semester hour minimum program for the M.Ed. in the area of Early
Childhood SPE:
CURRICULUM AND TEACHING (6 semester hours)
SPE 512 Ecological Curriculum and Methods
SPE 516 Methods for Special Needs Learners
EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATIONS (6-9 semester hours)
* SPE 500 Nature and Needs of Exceptional Children and Youth
SELECT ONE:
EDF 501 Cultural Foundations of Education
EDF 515 Multicultural Education
SELECT ONE:
EPY 502 Psychological Principles of Learning
RESEARCH AND EVALUATION (3 semester hours)
IDE 510 Educational Research and Evaluation
TEACHING FIELD (21 semester hours)
SPE 432 Impact of Typical and Atypical Development on Education
SPE 433 Issues in the Education of Young Children with Disabilities
SPE 510 Introduction to Learning Characteristics and Teaching in Special Education
SPE 515 Data-Based Behavior Management of Exceptional Children
SPE 517 Communication: Language and Reading
SPE 534 Assessment of the Developmentally Young
SPE 535 Collaborating with Families
ELECTIVES (0-9 semester hours)
Guided electives to be selected with advisor approval.
* SPE 500 is taken only if the student has not had a recent undergraduate equivalent.
PROGRAM FOR TEACHERS OF THE
GIFTED AND TALENTED
The 36 semester hour minimum program for the M.Ed. in
the teaching of the gifted and talented includes:
CURRICULUM AND TEACHING (6 semester hours)
SPE 593 Classroom Experience Practicum
SPE 523 Teaching Children with High Potential
EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATIONS (6-9 semester hours)
* SPE 500 Nature and Needs of Exceptional Children and Youth
SELECT ONE:
EDF 501 Cultural Foundations of Education
EDF 515 Multicultural Education
SELECT ONE:
EPY 502 Psychological Principles of Learning
EPY 521 Human Development and Behavior
EPY 568 Teacher Training in Multiple Talent Development
RESEARCH AND EVALUATION (3 semester hours)
IDE 510 Educational Research and Evaluation
TEACHING FIELD (21 semester hours)
SPE 521 Children with High Potential
SPE 522 Creative and Productive Thinking
SPE 511 Curriculum: Regular Class and Adaptations
SPE 514 Teaming and Collaboration
SPE 515 Data-Based Behavior Management of Exceptional Children
SPE 518 Assessment
SPE 592 Collaborative Practicum
ELECTIVES (0-9 semester hours)
Guided electives to be selected with advisor approval.
* SPE 500 is taken only if the student has not had a recent undergraduate equivalent.
The course then becomes an added course to the program.
PROGRAM FOR TEACHERS OF SPEECH
PATHOLOGY
See the College of Allied Health section of this Bulletin for program
information.
ADVANCED GRADUATE STUDY: SIXTH-YEAR
(POST-MASTER'S) PROGRAMS IN SPECIAL EDUCATION
Post-master's or Sixth-Year Graduate Programs which lead to AA (State of
Alabama) Professional Certification and to an Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) degree are
available for qualified individuals. Certification programs are available in Collaborative
Teaching and Gifted Education.
In addition to college requirements previously stated,
students seeking certification in Collaborative Teaching, will have a graduate program
committee plan a program based upon the student's training, experience and needs.
EDUCATIONAL SPECIALIST (Ed.S.)
DEGREE PROGRAMS
The requirements for the Educational Specialist Degree include IDE 692,
Research Project Seminar; SPE 699, Research Project; IDE 620*, Quantitative Methods I; and
a minimum of 18 additional semester hours in program specialization as determined by the
student's graduate faculty committee.
Those students seeking teacher certification must also
complete one of the program areas detailed below under Certification Options.
*IDE 510 may be required as a prerequisite for IDE 620.
CERTIFICATION OPTIONS
COLLABORATIVE TEACHING
(36 semester hour minimum)
CURRICULUM AND TEACHING (6 semester hours)
IDE 640 Instructional Development
IDE 650 Instructional Techniques
EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION (6-9 semester hours)
* SPE 500 Nature and Needs of Exceptional Children and Youth
SELECT ONE:
EDF 610 History of American Education
EDF 615 Education and Anthropology
REQUIRED:
EPY 602 Psychological Aspects of Teaching and Learning
RESEARCH AND EVALUATION (9 semester hours)
IDE 660 Instructional Evaluation
IDE 620 Quantitative Methods I
IDE 692 Research Project Seminar
TEACHING FIELD (15 semester hours)
SPE 671 Seminar in MR Education
SPE 699 Research Project
Balance of course work to be approved by student's graduate program committee.
*SPE 500 is taken only if the student has not had a recent equivalent. The course then
becomes an added course to the program.
**Not required for students seeking AA Certification only.
GIFTED AND TALENTED EDUCATION
(36 semester hours minimum)
CURRICULUM AND TEACHING (6 semester hours)
IDE 640 Instructional Development
IDE 650 Instructional Techniques
EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATIONS (6-9 semester hours)
* SPE 500 Nature and Needs of Exceptional Children and Youth
SELECT ONE:
EDF 610 History of American Education
EDF 615 Education and Anthropology
SELECT ONE:
EDF 521 Human Development and Behavior
EPY 568 Teacher Training in Multiple Talent Divisions
EPY 602 Psychological Aspects of Teaching and Learning
RESEARCH AND EVALUATION (9 semester hours)
IDE 660 Instructional Evaluation
IDE 620 Quantitative Methods I
IDE 692 Research Project Seminar
TEACHING FIELD (15 semester hours)
SPE 699 Research Project
Balance of course work to be approved by student's graduate program committee.
*SPE 500 is taken only if the student has not had a recent equivalent. The course then
becomes an added course to the program.
DESCRIPTIONS
OF ALL SPECIAL EDUCATION (SPE) COURSES
College
of Education
 |
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA
We welcome your questions and comments
about our site. Please E-mail the Webmaster.
Last changed: Wednesday, June 16, 1999 03:25:51 PM
URL: http://www.southalabama.edu/bulletin/bulletin9899/edspe.htm |
|
