Academic Catalog - 2024-2025

College of Education

Department of Educational Specialties

Special and Elementary Education, Bachelor of Science in Education


Academic Information

This plan is no longer offered at the Mesa Community College, NAU - North Valley, Paradise Community College, Phoenix College, or the Pima Community College - Downtown Campuses. See the Campus Availability tab below for alternate plan campus options.

Due to changes in technology and the needs of our student population, we are now offering the Special and Elementary Education BSED using technology. Students will meet remotely in a synchronous online environment at a specific time with live technology wherein the whole class can engage in learning experiences together. Students will also traverse through the course’s learning experiences at the same time, accompanied by the instructor during class times. This option is replacing teaching in-person at the Central Arizona College, Eastern Arizona College, and Pima Community College-Downtown locations in order to best serve our population.

This undergraduate program prepares students to become certified teachers of children and youth who have disabilities, as well as those who do not. The program pairs a strong background in elementary education (teaching of math, science, social studies, reading, etc.) with a rich coursework in special education. Teaching practicums and fieldwork give direct experience in classrooms throughout the program.

This program is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)

This program is nationally reconized by the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)

More Information

Academic Catalog - 2024-2025

College of Education

Department of Educational Specialties

Special and Elementary Education, Bachelor of Science in Education


Careers

What Can I Do with a Bachelor of Science in Education in Special and Elementary Education?

No job is more challenging, rewarding, or important than teaching small children. As a special and elementary educator, you’ll help shape the character—and future—of every child in your classroom. It’s a big responsibility.

If you're a prospective elementary school teacher with an interest in meeting the unique needs of children with disabilities, a degree in Special and Elementary Education will allow you to enhance your expertise. The dual certification prepares you to teach students with learning disabilities, emotional and behavioral disorders, intellectual disabilities, and orthopedic and health impairments. You'll spend one semester student teaching, dividing time between special education and elementary education classroom settings. You'll graduate with certification in special education for K-12 and elementary education in 1-8.
 

Career opportunities that might be pursued:
  • Elementary education
  • Early childhood education
  • Special education
  • Private industry

With further education, one of these paths is possible:
  • Counselor
  • School psychologist
  • Curriculum specialist
  • Private industry

More Information

Academic Catalog - 2024-2025

College of Education

Department of Educational Specialties

Special and Elementary Education, Bachelor of Science in Education


University Requirements

More Information

Academic Catalog - 2024-2025

College of Education

Department of Educational Specialties

Special and Elementary Education, Bachelor of Science in Education


Overview

In addition to University Requirements:

Candidates in this program are required to demonstrate content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge and skills, professional knowledge, and professional dispositions to be eligible to enter student teaching or internship placements. Content, pedagogical, and professional knowledge or skills, professional dispositions are demonstrated through candidate performance on key assessments embedded throughout the program of study.

Students may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement. Contact your advisor for details.

Minimum Units for Completion 120
Major GPA C
Highest Mathematics Required MAT 155
Additional Admission Requirements Required
Fieldwork Experience/Internship Required
Student Teaching/Supervised Teaching Required
University Honors Program Optional
AZ Transfer Students complete AGEC-A Recommended
Progression Plan Link View Progression Plan
Licensure

This program may lead to licensure.

Purpose Statement

The Special and Elementary Education undergraduate program prepares students to become a certified teachers of children and youth who have disabilities, as well as those who do not. The program provides a strong background in elementary education related to teaching methods of foundational content.

The coursework allows the candidate to demonstrate and apply their understanding of the elements of literacy critical for purposeful oral, print, and digital communication. It also presents major mathematics concepts, algorithms, procedures, applications/practices in varied contexts, and connections within and among mathematical domains. The program also emphasizes the understanding and integration of the three dimensions of science and engineering practices, cross-cutting concepts, and major disciplinary core ideas, within the major content areas of science. Additionally, the coursework focuses on candidate understanding, capabilities, and practices associated with the central concepts and tools in Civics, Economics, Geography, and History, within a framework of informed inquiry. These general educational programmatic emphases are richly augmented by an eclectic coursework in special education.

From a foundational special education perspective, the program provides for an understanding of how the field of special education is an evolving and changing discipline based on philosophies, evidence-based principles and theories, relevant laws and policies, and diverse historical points of view. Through the varied coursework, the candidates demonstrate respect for their students first as unique human beings and demonstrate an understanding of the similarities and differences in human development and the characteristics between individuals with and without exceptional learning needs (ELN).

Programmatic emphasis is placed on the importance of understanding the effects that an exceptional condition can have on an individual’s learning in school and throughout life that include beliefs, traditions, and values across and within cultures. Within the program, content is provided that helps the candidate select, adapt, and use these instructional strategies to promote positive learning results in general and special curricula and to appropriately modify learning environments for individuals with ELN. The program focuses on creating learning environments for individuals with ELN that foster cultural understanding, safety and emotional well-being, positive social interactions, and active engagement of individuals with ELN. It also emphasizes the need to understand typical and atypical language development and the ways in which exceptional conditions can interact with an individual’s experience with and use of language. The program recognizes how assessment is integral to the decision-making and teaching of general and special educators and candidates learn multiple types of assessment information for a variety of educational decisions. They also learn to use the results of assessments to help identify exceptional learning needs and to develop and implement individualized instructional programs, as well as to adjust instruction in response to ongoing learning progress. Emphasis is provided related to the teaching profession’s ethical and professional practice standards. Foundational to the program is the importance of how educators routinely and effectively collaborate with families, other educators, related service providers, and personnel from community agencies in culturally responsive ways. Teaching practicums and fieldwork give direct experience in classrooms throughout the program in both general and special education.


Student Learning Outcomes

Outcomes align with Standards from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, the Association for Childhood Education International, Council for Exceptional Children, and the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium.

 
Special Education Student Learning Outcomes

Detailed Elementary Education Student Learning Outcomes

More Information

Academic Catalog - 2024-2025

College of Education

Department of Educational Specialties

Special and Elementary Education, Bachelor of Science in Education


Details

Additional Admission Requirements
Major Requirements
General Electives
Additional Information
More Information

Academic Catalog - 2024-2025

College of Education

Department of Educational Specialties

Special and Elementary Education, Bachelor of Science in Education


Campus Availability

More Information