Special Education/Reading Major - 34-37 SH

This major is for teachers interested in earning endorsements in Special Education and Reading Teacher.

In addition to the National College of Education Graduate Admission Requirements, applicants must:

  • Have a valid and active Illinois Professional Educator License

Major details:

  • Requires 34-37 hours for completion

Endorsement details:

Candidates are advised that endorsements are awarded by the State of Illinois per the guidelines posted at http://www.isbe.net. Additional requirements beyond the below coursework and tests may apply.
  • The grade level endorsement on a teacher's Professional Educator License determines the grade level of the additional endorsements
  • In order to earn the Reading Teacher Endorsement, candidates must pass the ISBE Reading Teacher content test (#177)
  • In order to earn the Special Education Endorsement, candidates must pass the ISBE Special Education LBSI content test (#155)

Required Courses

Core Special Education Requirements - 9-12 SH

SPE 500Introduction to and Methods of Teaching Students with Disabilities

3

SPE 501Educational and Diagnostic Assessment of Exceptional Children and Adolescents

3

SPE 506Frameworks, Perspectives, and Collaboration in Special Education

3

SPE 527Differentiated and Individualized Curriculum and Instruction

3

Note: Candidates who have taken SPE 500 or its equivalent since 2004 may have the course waived per Special Education faculty. The total number of hours for degree would then be 36.

Core Reading Requirements - 22 SH

RLL 520Survey of Youth Literature, PreK-12

3

or

RLL 528Diverse Perspectives in Youth Literature, PreK-12

3

and

RLR 501Teaching Beginning Literacy

3

RLR 502Teaching Comprehension and Content Area Reading

3

RLR 510Diagnosis and Assessment of Reading

3

RLR 511Instructional Strategies for Literacy Interventions

3

RLR 592APracticum: Literacy Interventions for Elementary Students

2

with

RLR 592BPracticum: Literacy Interventions for Secondary Students

2

RLW 541Teaching Writing

2 TO 3

Note: RLW 541 must be taken for 3 semester hours. 

Capsone Course - 3 SH

CIC 550Capstone Project

3