Special Education, BA with added Elementary Education Endorsement
Introduction
Please click here to see School of Education & Human Development information.
The need for highly qualified, culturally and linguistically responsive special education teachers is on the rise in Colorado and the nation. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, it is estimated that nearly 280,000 special education teaching positions will need to be filled over the next decade (2016). The Special Education track of CU Denver's bachelor's degree in Education and Human Development prepares students to step into these roles and address the exceptional learning needs of individuals ages five to 21.
The Special Education program combines cutting-edge research with real classroom experiences. You will learn from faculty who are locally, nationally and internationally recognized for their research and innovation. They will provide you with critical knowledge and interventions to teach students with exceptional learning needs. You will be able to apply your new knowledge through frequent, powerful hands-on classroom experiences, and benefit from the advantage of our rich 20-year history of school and community partnerships.
The program is designed to enhance your ability to effectively support diverse, urban students with disabilities in K-12 public schools and alternative settings. Faculty members will foster your growth as a teacher and educational leader who promotes inclusion and equity for all. This program strives to help you:
- Gain a holistic understanding of special education
- Collaborate with schools and communities
- Engage in culturally and linguistically responsive teaching and leadership
A unique feature of this pathway is that you will be able to add the Colorado Department of Education's elementary endorsement to your credentials. Essentially, you'll leave this program with both the Special Education License and Elementary Education Endorsement through the Colorado Department of Education. This means you are prepared to teach Special Education AND K-6, making you highly employable and desirable to schools!
Students in this track have the opportunity to apply for the Bachelors to Masters Program (BAMA) during their junior year. The BAMA allows students to take 9 credits of their professional year program at the graduate level and apply them to one of 8 MA degrees in the SEHD.
Program Delivery
- This is an on-campus program with a variety of delivery options for many of our courses including hybrid, evening, weekend and online courses.
Declaring This Major
- Click here to go to information about declaring a major.
General Requirements
To earn this 126 credit hour BA, students must satisfy all requirements in each of the three areas below, in addition to their individual major requirements. Students should declare their intent to pursue this degree as early as possible to avoid taking classes that not count toward their degree.
- CU Denver General Graduation Requirements
- CU Denver Core Curriculum
- School of Education and Human Development Graduation Requirements
- Click here for information about Academic Policies
Program Requirements
- Students must complete a total of 126 semester hours for the Education and Human Development, EDHD, - BA Special Education Track
- Students must take the appropriate Praxis Test during their Junior year to complete licensure requirements.
- An application process is required to continue into your last year/Professional Year. After successfully completing the first three years of the program, all students must apply for admission into the Professional Year. Requirements for admission include a 3.0 GPA, positive letters of recommendation, successful evaluations of earlier clinical experiences, and a successful interview. (Students with a lower GPA may be considered under certain conditions. Please see SEHD website.)
- A minimum GPA of 2.0, grade of C or better, is required for all major courses applying to EDHD BA Special Education.
- Students must complete and maintain a 3.0 minimum grade point average in Professional Year coursework to complete licensure requirements. Please see an advisor for more information on this requirement.
- Transfer courses must be approved by faculty and/or advisor to apply to the major.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Major Courses | ||
| A grade of C or better is required for all courses. | ||
| CLDE 2000 | CLDE Foundations 1 | 3 |
| CLDE 4020 | Responsive Classroom Communities 1 | 3 |
| EDFN 1000 | Equality, Rights & Education | 3 |
| EDFN 4010 | Social Foundations and Cultural Diversity in Urban Education 1 | 3 |
| HDFR 2110 | Child Ecology | 3 |
| or HDFR 3050 | Children's Thinking and Assessment | |
| INTE 2000 | Digital Teaching and Learning | 3 |
| LCRT 3720 | Introduction to Writing Development and Teaching | 3 |
| LCRT 4710 | Inclusive Early Literacy Development and Instruction | 3 |
| MTED 3040 | Mathematics for Elementary Teachers 1 | 3 |
| SPED 4030 | Understanding (dis)Ability in Contemporary Classrooms 1 | 3 |
| EDHD 1930 | Community Based Field Experience & Seminar 1 | 3 |
| EDHD 2930 | Learning & Development Field Experience & Seminar 1 | 3 |
| EDHD 3930 | Diverse Learners Field Experience & Seminar 1 | 3 |
| SPED 4151 | Slashing Stigmas: Promoting Positive Behaviors | 3 |
| SPED 4300 | Family, Professional, and Community Collaboration | 3 |
| SPED 4400 | Universal Design for Learning (UDL) | 3 |
| SPED 4740 | Intersections of Literacy, Culture, & Exceptionality | 3 |
| or CLDE 3830 | Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching through STEM | |
| SPED 4780 | Literacy Intervention for Exceptional Learners | 3 |
| Professional Year Courses | ||
| A minimum grade of B- is required in each course. | ||
| LCRT 4000 | Elementary Literacy Instruction and Assessment Part 1 | 3 |
| MTED 4002 | Elementary Mathematics Teaching I | 3 |
| MTED 4003 | Elementary Mathematics Teaching II | 3 |
| SPED 4010 | Intentional Interventions for Exceptional Learners | 3 |
| SPED 4140 | Assessment: Inquiry, Instruction, & Intervention | 3 |
| SPED 4500 | Transition and Secondary Methods in Special Education | 3 |
| UEDU 4040 | Planning for Learning | 3 |
| SPED 4931 | Internship & Learning Community I | 2 |
| SPED 4932 | Internship & Learning Community II | 2 |
| SPED 4933 | Internship & Learning Community III | 6 |
| General Electives | ||
Additional General Electives hours may be needed to reach the required 126 hours for the EDHD - BA Special Education. | ||
| Total Hours | 85 | |
- 1
Courses require a grade of B- or better
To review the Degree Map for this program, please visit our website.