Course Information Suite

Special Education

http://education.illinois.edu/SPED
Interim Head of Department: Michaelene Ostrosky
288 Education Building, 1310 South Sixth, Champaign, (217) 333-0260

Curriculum Preparatory for Learning and Behavior Specialists in Special Education

For the Degree of Bachelor of Science in Special Education

Illinois law and Council on Teacher Education policy require that all candidates for admission to a teacher education program pass the Illinois Certification Testing System test of Basic Skills prior to admission. This three-year curriculum is designed to prepare individuals to teach students with learning and behavior problems ages 5-21. An applicant must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.5 (A = 4.0), have prior experience with individuals with disabilities1, and have attained sophomore standing upon enrollment in the program. A minimum of 125 semester hours of credit, excluding basic military science, is required for graduation.

To allow for completion of degree requirements within three years, applicants must have earned 30 hours and must have fulfilled all or most of the following general education requirements identified for the first year of study prior to enrollment. Priority will be given to those students who make a formal application for admission during the spring semester of their freshman year. Depending upon enrollment, a second formal application period will be offered early in the fall semester for those who did not apply or missed the spring deadline. 

In order to be recommended for certification, candidates are required to maintain University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, cumulative, content area, and professional education grade-point averages of 2.5 (A = 4.0). Grades in courses of C- or lower may not be used for State of Illinois Certification, Endorsements, or Approvals. Candidates should consult their advisor or the Council on Teacher Education for the list of courses used to compute these grade-point averages. For teacher education certification requirements applicable to all curricula, see the Council on Teacher Education.

Certification requirements are subject to change without notice as a result of new mandates from the Illinois State Board of Education or the Illinois General Assembly.

Degree Requirements

Hours Orientation Seminar
1 EDUC 101, Education Orientation Seminar

The following degree requirements also meet general education course requirements and must be selected from the campus general education course list.  (A list of courses approved for the laboratory, speech performance, and health/physical development requirements may be obtained from the college office.)

Hours Composition
4-6 Composition I
0-4 Advanced composition. Students are encouraged to select a course that will also meet a requirement in another general education area.
4-10 Total

Hours Language other than English
0-12 Three years of one language other than English in high school or completion of the third semester of college-level language

Hours Humanities/Arts
3 SPED 117 - The Culture of Disability
3 Elective2
6 Total

Hours Cultural Studies2
0-8 One Western/Comparative Culture(s)
0-8 One Non-Western/US Minority Culture(s)
0-8 Total

Hours Natural Sciences and Technology2
6 Life and/or Physical Sciences
6 Total

Hours Social/Behavioral Sciences
4 PSYC 100 - Intro Psych
3 KIN 262 - Motor Develop, Growth & Form
7 Total

Hours Quantitative Reasoning2
3-4 Quantitative Reasoning I. (MATH 103 is recommended)
3 Quantitative Reasoning II.
6-7 Total

Hours Professional Education Requirements
3-4 EPS 201 or 202 - Foundations of Education
3 Human Development – Select from PSYC 216, EPSY 236, HDFS 105 or other approved course
3 SHS 320 - Development of Spoken Language
3 SPED 312 - Intro to Ed Technology
4 EDPR 250 (LBS) - School & Community Experiences
6 EDPR 420 (LBE) - Ed Prac Students with Sp Needs
6 EDPR 420 (LBS) - Ed Prac Students with Sp Needs
6 EDPR 420 (LBT) - Ed Prac Students with Sp Needs
4 CI 431 - Tchg Elementary Mathematics
4 CI 475 - Teach Elem Rdg & Lang Arts, I
42-43 Total

Hours Special Education Core Requirements
3 SPED 317 - Characteristics & Eligibility
2 SPED 424 - Formal Assessment in SPED
4 SPED 426 - Collaboration and Teaming
2 SPED 431 - Assistive Tech & Phys Disab
3 SPED 438 - Collaborating with Families
4 SPED 440 - Instructional Strategies I
4 SPED 441 - Instructional Strategies II
1 SPED 444 - Career Dev & Indiv with Disab
4 SPED 446 - Curriculum Development I
4 SPED 447 - Curriculum Development II
4 SPED 448 - Curriculum Development III
2 SPED 450 - Introduction to ECSE
2 SPED 461 - Augmentative Communication
3 SPED 470 - Learning Environments I
3 SPED 471 - Learning Environments II
45 Total

125 TOTAL minimum hours

1. Applicants may contact the Department of Special Education for further information on the prior experience requirement. 
2.  General Education Requirement. Courses must be selected from the Campus General Education Approved Course List.
3. The total hours required for the degree may be higher for students who do not complete the language other than English requirement in high school.