The Special Education Program provides opportunities for the study of school-age learners with mild to moderate disabilities (learning disabilities, behavior and/or emotional disabilities, and educable mental disabilities). Students enrolling in this program learn about trends and issues in the field of special education, characteristics and needs of students with mild to moderate disabilities, specialized teaching methods for working with these students, strategies for collaboration with parents and/or families and colleagues, positive means for providing behavior supports, and technology applications that support students’ education.

In addition to courses in the major area, students elect a second academic concentration (e.g., psychology, sociology, interdepartmental studies). Field experiences and student teaching take place at local public and private schools with students who have mild to moderate disabilities. Students completing this program and its requirements are eligible for licensure by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction in special education: general curriculum (K-12).

The Departments of Teacher Education & Higher Education and Specialized Education Services offer a dual licensure concentration in elementary education and special education. Students completing this concentration are eligible for initial licensure in Elementary Education K–6 and Special Education: General Curriculum K–12.

The Dual Licensure concentration provides undergraduate teacher candidates clinical and field-based experiences across educational settings.  Throughout their course of study, students apply their knowledge and skills in classrooms to be prepared for a career in education.  The concentration culminates in a student teaching placement in inclusive educational context.

Transfer students may require additional semesters to complete this undergraduate degree program.

Also see Teacher Education and Higher Education for Teacher Education admission requirements and second academic concentration requirements.

Student Learning Goals

Students completing the teacher preparation program in Special Education: General Curriculum are able to:

• Demonstrate understanding of current federal and North Carolina law and policy related to special education and related services.
• Explain the basic educational and clinical concepts relative to definition, characteristics, identification, and diagnosis of students with mild to moderate disabilities.
• Create or revise program models for effective special education service delivery, including transition, based on a system of care philosophy and issues related to competent professional role management.
• Use exemplary diagnostic, instructional, and therapeutic approaches, including those based on technology applications, for effectively and positively meeting the academic and social and/or emotional needs of students with mild to moderate disabilities.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of students’ special education programs and services as well as overall program and service structures.
• Work collaboratively with other school professionals, paraprofessionals, parents, and community and agency personnel to meet the needs of students with mild to moderate disabilities.

Admissions and Policies 

The 120 credit hour major in Special Education: General Curriculum requires majors to be admitted to the School of Education's teacher education program no later than the spring of the sophomore year. Students who fail to gain admission should not expect to continue in this major.

1. Achievement of minimum passing score requirements set forth by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction on the Professional Assessment for Beginning Teachers (Praxis I);

2. The recommendation of the department; and

3. Completion of at least 12 credits at UNC Greensboro [waived for transfer students who meet GPA requirements, have departmental recommendation, and have passed the Professional Assessment for Beginning Teachers (Praxis I)].

Additional departmental requirements include:

1. A grade of C or better in SES 250 (or TED 250)

2. Completion of all courses needed to fulfill the UNC Greensboro general education requirements (MAC).

3. A minimum 3.0 GPA is required for admission to the teacher education program.

Overall Requirements

• 120 credit hours, to include at least 36 credits at or above the 300 course level

Degree Program Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
University Requirements
General Education Requirements - Minerva's Academic Curriculum (MAC)

Major Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
Required		58
SES 240	Communication Development in Children *
SES 250	Introduction to Professions in Specialized Education **
SES 252	Survey of Learning and Behavior Differences
SES 350	Interprofessional and Instructional Field Experience 1
SES 351	Interprofessional and Instructional Field Experience 2
SES 352	Interprofessional and Instructional Field Experience 3 1
SES 360	Assessment for Exceptional Learners
SES 361	Language and Emergent Literacy: Foundational Skills for Teaching Reading
SES 447	Service Delivery Systems and Role Management
SES 453	IEPs and Assessment
SES 460	Home-School Partnerships for Students with Exceptional Needs
SES 465	Student Teaching: Students with Mild and/or Moderate Disabilities
SES 475	Student Teaching Seminar: Students with Mild and/or Moderate Disabilities
SES 466	Positive Behavior Supports for Exceptional Learners
SES 469 & 469L	Reading Instruction for Learners with Reading Difficulties or Disabilities and Lab for Reading Instruction for Learners with Reading Difficulties or Disabilities
SES 471	Teaching Exceptional Learners the General Curriculum I
SES 472	Teaching Exceptional Learners the General Curriculum II - Math

*

SES 240 not required for Dual Elementary Education and Special Education Concentration.

**

Dual Elementary Education and Special Education Concentration Students, SES 250 or TED 250.

¹

SES 352 not required for Dual Elementary Education and Special Education Concentration.

Teacher Licensure Requirements

Students must have a 3.0 overall grade point average to be admitted to teacher education, and a 3.0 grade point average in all courses with an SES prefix in order to be admitted to student teaching. Students must earn a C or better in program course work. Students must also have a passing score on the Praxis I, as required by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, to be admitted to the Teacher Education Program. In addition to the General Education Core Requirements as identified above, students must complete the following courses:

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
Required		7
LIS 120	Introduction to Instructional Technology for Educational Settings
SPA 101	Beginning Spanish I
or SPA 121	Basic Spanish for Teachers
TED 450	Psychological Foundations of Education *

*

TED 450 not required for Dual Elementary Education and Special Education Concentration.

Additional Field of Study*

All students majoring in Special Education: General Curriculum are required to complete an Undergraduate Minor. 

Optional Concentration

The optional concentration as detailed following the major requirements may be added, but is not required.

• Dual Elementary Education and Special Education Concentration

Electives

Electives sufficient to complete the 120 credits required for degree.

Dual Elementary Education and Special Education Concentration Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
Elementary Education		30
TED 250	Teaching as a Profession
or SES 250	Introduction to Professions in Specialized Education
TED 222	Mathematics for Teaching
TED 320	Language Arts Education
TED 345	Humanizing Pedagogies in Elementary Education
TED 360	Integrating the Social Studies in Elementary Grades
TED 370	Science Education in the Elementary School
TED 375	Internship II: Inquiry in Teaching and Learning
TED 380	Mathematics Education
TED 420	Reading Education
TED 428	Advanced Methods in the Elementary Grades
Teacher Licensure Requirements *		3
Select one of the following
ARE 367	Child Art and Teaching
DCE 345	Dance in Preschool and Elementary Settings
MUE 361	Music for Preschool and Elementary Teachers
THR 315	Creative Drama for the Classroom Teacher

*

In addition to Teacher Licensure Requirements in the major requirements.

Disciplinary Honors in Specialized Education Services 

Requirements

• A minimum of 12 credit hours as defined below.
• UNC Greensboro cumulative GPA of 3.30 or better or, for transfer students, cumulative GPA of 3.30 or better from all prior institutions.

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
Required		3
HSS 490	Senior Honors Project
6 credits of Honors course work in the major		6
3 credits of Honors course work in the major or another area		3

Recognition

Receive a Certificate of Disciplinary Honors in Specialized Education Services; have that accomplishment, along with the title of the Senior Honors Project, noted on the official transcript; and be recognized at a banquet held at the end of the spring semester.

Honors Advisor

Contact Jon Henner at j_henner@uncg.edu for further information and guidance about Honors in Specialized Education Services. To apply: https://honorscollege.uncg.edu/disciplinary-honors/disciplinary-honors-admissions