Special Education, B.A.

The Special Education program is for future teachers who wish to teach special education students from the ages of birth to 21. Successful completion of the program enables students to apply for licensure by entitlement in Illinois for the Professional Educator License endorsed for LBS I (preK to age 21).

Admissions Requirements:

Admission to the Special Education program is a two step process. In the first step, students are preliminary admitted to National Louis University. Preliminary admission is also granted based on the TAP or ISBE approved alternative test scores. In the second step, students must be fully admitted to the program before beginning their Special Education Professional Sequence courses. 

Full Admission requirements for students beginning Special Education Professional Sequence courses:

• A passing score on the Test of Academic Proficiency (TAP) or ISBE approved alternative
• Successful completion of GEN 103
• Successful completion of all General Education and Foundational courses
• Achieve a GPA of 2.5 or better on all previous coursework, with grade of "C" or better in all courses

Program Details:

• Requires 180 QH, including 60 QH of General Education, for completion 
• 63 QH of coursework must be completed at NLU
• Credit by examination is accepted for general education and elective credit
• The Professional Education Sequence and Concentrations must be taken at NLU
• A grade of “C” or better in all courses in the program is required
• Completion of a minimum of 100 clock hours of preclinical experience (practica) is required prior to student teaching
• Requires student teaching. Student teachers spend a minimum of 11 weeks in the classroom at an assigned school.
• Requires the following courses to be completed within the 6 years of degree completion: SPE 305, SPE 310, SPE 315, SPE 320, SPE 325, SPE 330, SPE 335, SPE 400, SPE 405, SPE 410, SPE 411, SPE 415, SPE 416, and SPE 470
• Requires a concentration in ESL, Mathematics or Science

Required Courses

Student Success Seminar- 5 QH

GEN 103

Student Success Seminar

5

Communications- 15 QH

ENG 101	Beginning English Composition	5
ENG 201	Intermediate English Composition	5
ENG 203	Effective Speaking for the Undergraduate	5

Humanities- 5 QH

ENG 210

Children’s Literature for Educators

5

Note: Students transferring credit from other institutions or applying coursework previously completed at NLU may only use a course in Children’s Literature substantially equivalent to the NLU’s course at the discretion of the program.

Fine Arts- 5 QH

ART 101

Basic Art Appreciation

5

Note: Students transferring coursework from other institutions or applying coursework previously completed at NLU may use other coursework in Introductory Art, Music, or Theater including any Fine Arts History or Appreciation. Studio Arts and Performance courses cannot be used to fulfill the licensure requirement.

Quantitative Reasoning- 10 QH

MTH 105	Math for Educators I	5
MTH 115	Math for Educators II	5

Note: Students transferring coursework from other institutions or applying coursework previously completed at NLU may use other coursework in mathematics content for teachers substantially equivalent to the NLU's course at the discretion of the program.

Physical and Life Sciences- 5 QH

One course must have a lab. 

SCI 101	Physical Science	5
	or
SCI 102	Survey of Biological Science with Lab	5

SCI 101 Note: Students transferring coursework from other institutions or applying coursework previously completed at NLU may use other coursework in Physical Science, General Chemistry, Chemistry and Society, General Physics, Physics and Society, or Earth Science, which covers at least four areas of physical science. 

SCI 102 Note: Students transferring coursework from other institutions or applying coursework previously completed at NLU may use other coursework in general biology or other life science.

Social Sciences- 10 QH

HIS 102	Introduction to Political Science	5
	and
HIS 203	Survey of U.S. History	5

Notes: Students transferring coursework from other institutions or applying coursework previously completed at NLU may use other coursework in Politics or Government and coursework in U.S. History to fulfill the licensure program requirements.

Behavioral Science- 5 QH

PSY 101

Introduction to Psychology

5

Notes: Students transferring coursework from other institutions or applying coursework previously completed at NLU may use other coursework in general psychology substantially equivalent to the NLU's course at the discretion of the program.

Additional General Education Requirements - 18 QH

SCI 101	Physical Science	5
	or
SCI 102	Survey of Biological Science with Lab	5
	and
ECO 254	Global Economics	5
MHE 205	Mathematical Thinking for Elementary Teachers	4
SCE 205	Scientific Inquiry for Teachers	4

SCI 101 Note: Students transferring coursework from other institutions or applying coursework previously completed at NLU may use other coursework in Physical Science, General Chemistry, Chemistry and Society, General Physics, Physics and Society, or Earth Science, which covers at least four areas of physical science.

SCI 102 Note: Students transferring coursework from other institutions or applying coursework previously completed at NLU may use other coursework in general biology or other life science.

ECO 254 Notes: Students transferring credit from other institutions or applying coursework previously completed at NLU may only transfer in coursework in World Geography and Economic (both courses must have been taken) or Introductory Economic Geography.

Undergraduate Core - 16 QH

SPE 210	History and Philosophy of Education	3
EPS 300	Educational Psychology: Theory in Classroom Practice	5
SPE 300	Introduction to Special Education and Methods of Teaching Students with Disabilities	5
TIE 300	Introduction to Technology in the Classroom	3

Professional Sequence - 63 QH

SPE 305	Practicum I: Inclusive Education and the Role of the Special Education Teacher	4
SPE 310	Foundations of Special and Inclusive Education	4
SPE 315	Assessment in Special Education	4
SPE 320	Methods for Social Emotional Support	4
SPE 325	Language Development: The Role of Language in Learning	4
SPE 330	Assistive and Instructional Technology	4 TO 5
SPE 335	Mathematics and Inclusive Education	4
SPE 400	Collaboration and School-Family Partnerships	4
SPE 405	Practicum II: Advanced Practicum in Inclusive Education	5
SPE 410	Literacy in Inclusive Education I	4
SPE 411	Literacy in Inclusive Education II	4
SPE 415	Instructional Planning and Instruction for Inclusive Education I	4
SPE 416	Instructional Planning and Instruction for Inclusive Education II	4
SPE 470	Practicum III: Student Teaching	10

Electives - 8 QH

Choose elective courses to total 180 QH with advisor approval

ESL Concentration - 15 QH

Choose 15 QH from the courses below:

CIL 300	Foundations of ESL and Bilingual Education	5
CIL 305	Methods and Materials for Teaching English as a Second Language	5
CIL 306	Methods and Materials for Teaching Bilingual Education	5
CIL 310	Assessment of ESL and Bilingual Education Students	5
CIL 312	Reading in a New Language: Linguistic Considerations	5
CIL 331	Cross Cultural Education	5

Mathematics Concentration - 15 QH

MTH 307	Investigatory Geometry and Measurement	5
MTH 308	Exploratory Probability and Statistics	5
LAM 309	Theory of Numbers	5

Science Concentration - 15 QH

SCI 300	Ecology and Conservation	3 OR 5
SCI 303	Botany	5
SCI 306	Microbes - Global Perspectives	5

Note: SCI 300 must be taken for 5 quarter hours. Science concentration courses must be completed with laboratory. 

Special Education Student Teaching Enrollment Requirements

Admission to and continuance in student teaching are contingent on the following actions.

Candidates must:

• Be accepted into the Undergraduate College of Education
• File, by the designated deadline, the application form for student teaching
• Submit to their advisor a report of a TB test taken within 90 days of the student teaching placement, results of criminal background check and acknowledgement of Mandated Reporter status form
• Pass the LBSI (155) and Special Education General Curriculum (163) Content Tests prior to Practicum II (a linked placement with student teaching)
• Complete all of their licensure courses except for SPE 470 (Student Teaching)
• Pass all methods courses at National Louis University with an average of C or better
• Participate in program assessment
• Provide evidence (through professional disposition assessment) of emotional stability, adequate personality adjustment, competency, timeliness and responsibility for work in the field of education

For more information about this program, visit  http://www.nl.edu/academics/educationbachelors/baspecialeducation/