Mar 28, 2024  
2012-2013 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2012-2013 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Special Education Major, B.S.


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Clemmer College of Education


Department of Human Development and Learning


Special Education Program Information


Box 70548
Phone: (423) 439-7586
Program Coordinator: Dr. Lori Marks
Phone: (423) 439-7685
email: marks@etsu.edu

Students receiving a B.S. in special education (SPED) will obtain licensure in both the Modified and Comprehensive concentrations. This licensure in the state of Tennessee enables students to teach K-12. The Modified concentration will enable students to provide direct services in resource room and inclusive classroom settings plus consultative services to teachers in regular classroom settings. The Comprehensive concentration enables students to provide direct intensive services in more restrictive settings such as a self-contained classroom or a segregated setting. Students may earn a bachelor’s degree after four years.

In addition to initial licensure at the baccalaureate level, post-baccalaureate programs are provided for adding a special education endorsement to existing education licenses. Licensure in Early Childhood special education is available at this level. This license will enable professionals to provide intervention services to children with developmental delays and their families.

Special education licensure programs in Tennessee are non-categorical covering intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities, physical disabilities, orthopedic impairments and emotional disturbance. Students planning to teach in those states requiring categorical certification should meet with their advisor(s) to plan their programs according to the certification/licensure requirements of those states.

Special education programs require a minimum of 120 clock hours in the field prior to the student teaching experience. Mentor teachers, as well as university supervisors, will be involved in the assessment of each prospective student teacher’s overall competency in actual classroom settings. Records are maintained and skills and competencies are evaluated following each field experience. Students who have difficulties in field experiences may be required to complete additional hours in the field.

Admission, Student Teaching, and Retention Standards Admission Procedures

Students must meet the requirements for admission to teacher education as developed by the Clemmer College of Education. Students majoring in special education, who desire admission to teacher education, must also meet the following conditions:

  1. Successful completion of 32 credit hours of general education core,which includes completion of all English, Math, and Science coursework.
  2. Grade point average of at least 2.50 in the above coursework.
  3. Praxis I, or acceptable ACT, SAT, or PPST scores. (See standards as specified by the College of Education .)
  4. Submission of a brief (2-3 pages) typewritten statement addressing reasons for choosing special education as a major field.
  5. An interview with a panel, consisting of faculty from the special education program and representatives from community school districts.
  6. Completion of EDFN 2100  and EDFN 2300  with a grade of C or better.

Following a review of the above by the special education faculty, the student will complete any additional coursework or remediation outlined by the SPED faculty. Admission to SPED is provisional.

Retention Criteria

  1. Maintenance of 2.50 GPA in all coursework.
  2. Special education courses with grades lower than C (2.0) must be repeated. In computing SPED grade point average (GPA) all grades received will be included.
  3. Review of students’ grades and personal/professional functioning will be undertaken each semester. The SPED faculty will consider coursework, fieldwork, and any other pertinent factors. Recommendations will be made at this time for continuance in the program, continuance with specified remediations, or discontinuance.
  4. During the semester before the student teaching/internship experience, each student will be evaluated. Factors to be considered will be coursework, field placement experiences, ethical behavior, and personal/professional concerns as described in the International Council for Exceptional Children code of ethics. The review will culminate in either approval for entry into the student teaching/internship in SPED, or disapproval. A disapproval will result in a conference with the student and a description of the necessary remedial steps. All remedial conditions must be removed prior to the student teaching clinical internship experience.

Student Teaching Criteria

Students wishing to apply for student teaching in special education must meet the following conditions:

  1. Admission to Teacher Education.
  2. Completion of all educational and special education methodology classes.
  3. Grade point average of at least 2.50 in all coursework.
  4. Grades of C - or better in all special education coursework.

 

General Program Information


To earn a degree from ETSU, there are specific course requirements put forth by ETSU, by the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR), by each college, and by each department. All students must meet the degree requirements at each of these levels. Please follow the format below:

University-level Degree and Graduation Requirements


Total Credit Hours for Degree: 120


TBR General Education Requirements: 41 Credit Hours


Below you will see the categories and courses specified under TBR General Education Requirements. Note that certain courses are required for this degree, specific to this major. Thus, these courses will satisfy both a TBR General Education requirement AND a requirement of this major. (Other majors may require different General Education courses.) Where specific courses are required for this major, we only list those courses under the category. If there are no specific major requirements for a category, all course options appear.

Communication


9 credits, consisting of 6 credits of written composition and 3 credits of oral communication.

Written Composition


Complete both of the following: 

Oral Communication


Complete one of the following:

Humanities and Fine Arts


9 credits, consisting of 3 credits of literature, 3 credits of fine arts, and 3 credits of humanities electives.

History


6 credits, consisting of both of the following:

Natural Sciences


8 credits, consisting of two of the following (some require labs which are listed directly after the lecture):

(Note: Students pursuing a Bachelor of Science in the College of Arts and Sciences must select 8 credit hours in a SINGLE laboratory science. Please see listing in College of Arts and Sciences B.S. Degree Requirements for options.)

Mathematics


Students eligible to enroll in this math course must do so during their first calendar year of enrollment or prior to accumulating 33 semester credits at ETSU.

Additional Program Requirement: 3 Credit Hours


Free Elective: 3 Credit Hours


Minor: no minor required


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