Program Requirements
The Special Education Standard Major requires the Elementary Education Standard Major coursework in addition to any minor offered at Western. Although it is not required, it is highly recommended that Special Education Standard Majors strongly consider a minor in Psychology.
The Special Education Standard Major requires students to complete all requirements of the Special Education Core Content and including 42 credits of Education (EDUC) coursework. The major also requires students to complete 40 credits of interdisciplinary content coursework.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Elementary Education/Special Education Core Content: | ||
| BIOL 130 | Environmental Biology (GT-SC2) | 3 |
| BIOL 135 | Environmental Biology Laboratory (GT-SC1) | 1 |
| GEOL 101 | Physical Geology (GT-SC2) | 3 |
| GEOL 105 | Physical Geology Laboratory (GT-SC1) | 1 |
| MATH 140 | College Algebra (GT-MA1) | 3 |
| or MATH 113 | Statistical Thinking (GT-MA1) | |
| MATH 221 | Foundations of Mathematics for Teaching I | 3 |
| MATH 222 | Foundations of Mathematics for Teaching II | 3 |
| MATH 323 | Foundations of Mathematics for Teaching III | 3 |
| PHYS 140 | Introductory Physics (with laboratory) (GT-SC1) | 4 |
| Two of the following: | 6 | |
| Introduction to Literature (GT-AH2) | ||
| Introduction to Creative Writing (GT-AH1) | ||
| Grammar and the English Language | ||
| Critical Approaches to Literature | ||
| Literature and Ethnicity: Studies in: | ||
| Poetry: Studies in: | ||
| Women Writers | ||
| Children's Literature | ||
| Four of the following (courses must include at least 3 disciplines): | 12 | |
| Macroeconomics (GT-SS1) | ||
| Microeconomics | ||
| Environmental Economics | ||
| Introduction to Human Geography (GT-SS2) | ||
| Geography of North America (GT-SS2) | ||
| Geography of Latin America and the Caribbean | ||
| Topics in World History (GT-HI1) | ||
| American History through Reconstruction (GT-HI1) | ||
| U.S. History from the Civil War (GT-HI1) | ||
| Introduction to Environmental History (GT-HI1) | ||
| HIST OF THE MIDDLE EAST GHI1 | ||
| History of Europe (GT-HI1) | ||
| History of Africa (GT-HI1) | ||
| East Asia, 1500 - present | ||
| History of Latin America GHI1 | ||
| Colorado History | ||
| History of the Hispanic Southwest | ||
| Introduction to Political Ideas (GT-SS1) | ||
| Introduction to American Politics (GT-SS1) | ||
| Politics of the Environment | ||
| Total Credits | 42 | |
Required Education Coursework
The B.A. in Special Education requires 42 credits of Education coursework and the Gateway course.
Pre-residency coursework:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| EDUC 000 | Education Gateway Course | 0 |
| EDUC 102 | Learning & Teaching (GT-SS3) | 3 |
| EDUC 202 | Past, Present, and Future of Schooling in the US (GT-SS3) | 3 |
| EDUC 210 | Science Teaching Methods | 3 |
| EDUC 326 | Equity, Diversity, and Social Justice in Education | 3 |
| EDUC 340 | Application of Pedagogy and Practice | 3 |
| EDUC 432 | Inclusive Schools | 3 |
| Total Credits | 18 | |
4th year Residency Coursework
Special Education Coursework to be taken in year 4 of Special Education Standard Major Program.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| EDUC 411 | Strategies for Inclusive Teaching in Special Education | 3 |
| EDUC 412 | Inclusive Assessment & Comprehensive Programming | 3 |
| EDUC 414 | Collaboration Across Special Education | 3 |
| EDUC 430 | Inclusivity in General Education | 3 |
| EDUC 433 | Inclusive Literacy Assessment | 3 |
| EDUC 431 | Inclusivity in Teaching Literacy | 3 |
| Six credits of the following: | 6 | |
| Student Teaching in Special Education | ||
| Total Credits | 24 | |
The residency for the Special Education Major must be completed in a K-12 special education classroom, where residents are expected to work cooperatively 24 hours per week with qualified mentor teachers. During this year-long clinical residency, students are applying and extending the pedagogical knowledge they are learning in their education courses. The Special Education licensure coursework is taught online.
Graduation Requirements
Undergraduate programs require a minimum of 120 semester credits for graduation. Of those 120 credits, 40 credits must be in upper-division courses (those marked 300 and above). Fifteen of these 40 upper-division credits must be earned in courses that are part of the standard or comprehensive major program being pursued.
Students are expected to review all graduation requirements, which can be found in the Western Undergraduate Catalog: Graduation Requirements.
| Year One | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| BIOL 130 | Environmental Biology (GT-SC2) | 3 |
| BIOL 135 | Environmental Biology Laboratory (GT-SC1) | 1 |
| EDUC 000 | Education Gateway Course | 0 |
| EDUC 102 | Learning & Teaching (GT-SS3) | 3 |
| ENG 102 | Writing and Rhetoric I (GT-CO1) | 3 |
| HWTR 100 | First Year Seminar | 1 |
| MATH 140 or MATH 113 |
College Algebra (GT-MA1) or Statistical Thinking (GT-MA1) |
3 |
| Gen Ed | Social Sciences | 3 |
| Credits | 17 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENG 103 | Writing and Rhetoric II (GT-CO2) | 3 |
| PHYS 140 | Introductory Physics (with laboratory) (GT-SC1) | 4 |
| GenEd | Social Sciences | 6 |
| GenEd | Arts & Humanities | 3 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Year Two | ||
| Fall | ||
| EDUC 202 | Past, Present, and Future of Schooling in the US (GT-SS3) | 3 |
| MATH 221 | Foundations of Mathematics for Teaching I | 3 |
| Elective | English Elective | 3 |
| Elective | Specialization Elective | 3 |
| GenEd | Social Sciences | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| EDUC 210 | Science Teaching Methods | 3 |
| GEOL 101 | Physical Geology (GT-SC2) | 3 |
| GEOL 105 | Physical Geology Laboratory (GT-SC1) | 1 |
| MATH 222 | Foundations of Mathematics for Teaching II | 3 |
| Elective | Specialization Elective | 3 |
| GenEd | Social Sciences | 3 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Year Three | ||
| Fall | ||
| MATH 323 | Foundations of Mathematics for Teaching III | 3 |
| Gen Ed | Arts & Humanities | 6 |
| Elective | Specialization Elective | 6 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| EDUC 326 | Equity, Diversity, and Social Justice in Education | 3 |
| EDUC 340 | Application of Pedagogy and Practice | 3 |
| Elective | English Elective | 3 |
| Elective | Specialization Elective | 3 |
| Elective | Specialization Elective (upper division) | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Year Four | ||
| Fall | ||
| EDUC 411 | Strategies for Inclusive Teaching in Special Education | 3 |
| EDUC 414 | Collaboration Across Special Education | 3 |
| EDUC 415 | Student Teaching in Special Education | 3 |
| EDUC 430 | Inclusivity in General Education | 3 |
| EDUC 432 | Inclusive Schools | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| EDUC 412 | Inclusive Assessment & Comprehensive Programming | 3 |
| EDUC 415 | Student Teaching in Special Education | 3 |
| EDUC 431 | Inclusivity in Teaching Literacy | 3 |
| EDUC 433 | Inclusive Literacy Assessment | 3 |
| Credits | 12 | |
| Total Credits | 121 | |