Special Education, M.A.T. (Alternative Teacher Licensure)
This route to the M.A.T. and teacher licensure is for candidates accepted into one of NLU’s partner programs. Candidates in these programs teach in high-needs schools while earning their degrees and licenses with endorsements in Special Education LBS I (K to age 22). A specialized mentoring program will be in place to support and guide the teacher candidates throughout the two years of the program.
For more information on state licensure and certification information please visit NLU’s Public Disclosures page.
Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs):
PLO1. Candidates will apply ethical and legal requirements of disability procedures and practices.
PLO2. Candidates will explore special education and disabilities studies through social, cultural, economic, and equitable contexts in order to engage in advocacy with and for people with disabilities.
PLO3. Candidates will employ culturally responsive, evidence-based pedagogy, assessment and instruction to meet individual differences in academic, social/emotional and cultural contexts.
PLO4. Candidates will use and critique research in the field to inform effective, culturally responsive teaching through multiple forms of practitioner research.
PLO5. Candidates will cultivate culturally responsive, collaborative relationships with families and other stakeholders in the school and community.
PLO6. Candidates will use an intersectional lens of social justice and equitable educational access for people with disabilities to analyze and critique systems in order to intentionally act to change systems that reinforce inequity and oppression.
PLO7. Candidates will demonstrate teaching competencies in practicums and student teaching: lesson plan development and implementation, assessment of learning, Individual Education Plan participation and collaboration, and individual and small group instruction.
PLO8. Candidates will implement instructional and assistive technologies to support student accessibility, learning and inclusive school experiences.
In addition to National College of Education Graduate Admissions Requirements, applicants must:
- Have a bachelor’s degree from a school with institutional accreditation with a major in the content area of reading, English/language arts, mathematics or one of the sciences. If the individual does not have a major in a content area for any level of teaching, transcripts must be evaluated by the State Superintendent of Education for equivalency. This process will be started by the Transfer Articulation Analyst in the Registrar’s office and appropriate documents send to ISBE.
- ISBE review requires a min of 9SH in any one or a combination of the four areas listed above to be admitted to the program
- 32 semester hours of coursework in a combination of the areas of reading, English/language arts, mathematics or physical or social science including methods courses (required as part of the program) are required prior to entitlement
- Please note: the Transfer Articulation Analyst will review transcripts prior to admission and notify students if additional content coursework is needed before entitlement.
- Have a GPA no lower than 3.0, on a 4.0 point scale. Candidates may be provisionally admitted to the program with a GPA between 2.5 and 2.99. They must complete the first four courses in the program with grades of B or better.
- Pass the Special Education Content Test by May 1st prior to the summer start. Candidates without a passing score must attend tutoring sessions May- June.
- Provide written statement describing a candidate’s interest in entering a degree in Special Education through an Alternative Licensure program
- Sit for a formal interview with the Program Coordinator, program faculty and the university partners
- Provide description of employment experience in schools and working with students or evidence of a minimum of 4 weeks substitute teaching experience or school support experience in at the appropriate grade level or content area
- Provide three references (from BA degree, employment experience appropriate for teaching experience)
Program Details:
- Requires 41 SH for completion
- Candidates must earn a grade of "B" or better in all methods courses (SPE 507, SPE 508, SPE 509, SPE 523, and SPE 573) and all practicum courses (SPE 572 and SPE 587)
- Requires immersive school placement
- Candidates must apply for a Provisional Educator License prior to beginning their internship and assuming a placement as the teacher of record
Required Courses
SPE Alternative Teacher Licensure Coursework
| EDU 510 | Social Justice Perspectives on the History and Philosophy of American Education | 2 |
| LSE 511 | Human Learning and Development in Instructional Contexts | 2 |
| SPE 500 | Introduction to and Methods of Teaching Students with Disabilities | 3 |
| SPE 501 | Educational and Diagnostic Assessment in Special Education | 3 |
| SPE 502 | Language Development, Differences, and Challenges in Children and Adolescents | 2 OR 3 |
| SPE 506 | Frameworks, Perspectives, and Collaboration in Special Education | 3 |
| SPE 507 | Methods of Social/Emotional Support | 3 |
| SPE 508 | Methods of Instruction: Literacy Across the Curriculum for Special Education | 3 |
| SPE 509 | Methods of Instruction in Foundational Literacy for Diverse Learners | 3 |
| SPE 523 | Methods and Content in Mathematics for Students with Disabilities | 3 |
| SPE 572 | Practicum 1: Roles, Responsibilities, and Practices of the Special Educator | 2 OR 3 |
| SPE 573 | Methods for Low Incidence Differentiated & Inclusionary Curriculum & Instruction | 3 |
| SPE 587 | Seminar/Teaching Children and Adolescents with Special Needs | .5 TO 6 |
Note:
SPE 502 and
SPE 572 must be taken for a total of 3 semester hours,
SPE 587 must be taken for a total of 7 semester hours.