Program Requirements
The Special Education Major requires students to complete all requirements of the Licensure Program, including 42 credits of Education (EDUC) coursework. The major also requires students to complete 42 credits of interdisciplinary content coursework. Although it is not required, it is highly recommended that Special Education Majors strongly consider a minor in Psychology or Child Development.
| 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 (GT-AH2) | ||
| Women Writers | ||
| 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) | ||
| History of the Middle East (GT-HI1) | ||
| History of Europe (GT-HI1) | ||
| History of Africa (GT-HI1) | ||
| East Asia, 1500 - present | ||
| History of Latin America (GT-HI1) | ||
| Colorado History | ||
| History of the Hispanic Southwest | ||
| Democracy, Capitalism, and Their Critics (GT-HI1) | ||
| Power in America (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 |
| Total Credits | 15 | |
4th year Residency Coursework
Special Education Coursework to be taken in year 4 of Special Education Major Program.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| EDUC 400 | Foundations for Literacy: Phonology and Linguistics | 3 |
| EDUC 402 | Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary, and Fluency | 3 |
| 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 432 | Inclusive Schools | 3 |
| Six credits of the following: | 6 | |
| Student Teaching in Special Education | ||
| Total Credits | 27 | |
The residency for the Special Education Major must be completed in a K-12 setting, where residents are expected to work cooperatively 24 hours per week with qualified mentor teachers and students who are receiving Special Education services. 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.
Western Watershed General Education Requirements
Students must complete all Western Watershed General Education requirements to graduate.
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.
Degree Plans are for planning purposes. They reflect a suggested plan to complete the degree in a projected timeframe per program of study.
“Western Watershed Course(s)” refers to a course from the Tributaries area of the Western Watershed program. These courses should be chosen in consultation with the student’s advisor.
Sample Plan
| 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 |
| WWGE 101/102/103/104 | Headwaters: Studies in...(select one) | 2 |
| MATH 221 | Foundations of Mathematics for Teaching I | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENG 103 | Writing and Rhetoric II (GT-CO2) | 3 |
| EDUC 202 | Past, Present, and Future of Schooling in the US (GT-SS3) | 3 |
| MATH 222 | Foundations of Mathematics for Teaching II | 3 |
| Western Watershed | Non-specific Western Watershed Courses | 3 |
| Elective | Minor, 2nd Major or Certificate Course | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Year Two | ||
| Fall | ||
| ENG 161 | Introduction to Creative Writing (GT-AH1) | 3 |
| MATH 140 or MATH 113 |
College Algebra (GT-MA1) or Statistical Thinking (GT-MA1) |
3 |
| PHYS 140 | Introductory Physics (with laboratory) (GT-SC1) | 4 |
| Western Watershed | Non-specific Western Watershed Courses | 6 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| EDUC 210 | Science Teaching Methods | 3 |
| ENG 250 | Critical Approaches to Literature (GT-AH2) | 3 |
| Elective | Minor, 2nd Major or Certificate Course | 9 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Year Three | ||
| Fall | ||
| GEOL 101 | Physical Geology (GT-SC2) | 3 |
| GEOL 105 | Physical Geology Laboratory (GT-SC1) | 1 |
| EDUC 340 | Application of Pedagogy and Practice | 3 |
| Western Watershed | Non-specific Western Watershed Courses | 3 |
| Elective | Minor, 2nd Major or Certificate Course (May need to be upper division) | 6 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| EDUC 326 | Equity, Diversity, and Social Justice in Education | 3 |
| EDUC 340 | Application of Pedagogy and Practice | 3 |
| Western Watershed | Non-specific Western Watershed Courses | 3 |
| WWGE 301/302/303/304 | Delta Studies in...(select one) | 1 |
| Elective | Minor, 2nd Major or Certificate Course (upper division) | 6 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| 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 400 | Foundations for Literacy: Phonology and Linguistics | 3 |
| EDUC 402 | Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary, and Fluency | 3 |
| EDUC 412 | Inclusive Assessment & Comprehensive Programming | 3 |
| EDUC 415 | Student Teaching in Special Education | 3 |
| Credits | 12 | |
| Total Credits | 120 | |