Graduate Certificate in Special Education

Applicants interested in pursuing a graduate certificate in Special Education must meet the general admission requirements for GRADUATE ADMISSIONS.

Refer to the University Catalog for Tuition and Fees.

For more information about program requirements and completion refer to the University Catalog.

The course focuses on language development and the relationship between language and reading acquisition for students with mild disabilities. Students will learn concepts central to typical and atypical language development; language achievements at different ages; concepts of emergent literacy, models of reading acquisition and skilled reading.

This course focuses on children with special needs. It provides an overview of behavioral disturbances in the classroom. Medical, behavioral and socio-cultural interventions will be explored with an emphasis on creating positive classroom environments that enable students with learning and behavior problems to participate productively in the classroom learning community. Embracing a philosophy of inclusion, diversity is celebrated. It examines and applies an approach of differentiated learning to meet the strengths and needs of a wide range of children in the classroom.

This course focuses on expanding the understanding of development and cognition in and academic and functional performance of students with disabilities, how these are similar to and different from all developing students, and how this understanding informs the teaching of students with disabilities in the primary and middle school environments. Another area of exploration is the ways in which these differences need to be addressed within a standard aligned system that demands high expectations of students with disabilities so that they have true access to the general education curriculum. This course will enhance the development of a range of instructional supports and use of validated practices in prospective teachers for inclusive settings, especially in content area subjects, but also the supporting skills of reading, written language and math, that are necessary for success in today’s classrooms.

This course is designed to prepare teachers to work in a variety of environments serving children and young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) including the general education classroom, inclusive settings and specialized settings. Evidence-based practice, philosophical approaches, and specific intervention techniques are examined. These practices are considered within the continuum of services and collaborative models utilized in designing effective instructional environments for students with ASD.