The Bachelor of Science program with a major in special education enables students to become knowledgeable about the characteristics, diagnosis and remediation of children with disabilities in general curriculum settings. Students completing the four-year degree program, when combined with the teacher licensure option, are prepared to serve as teachers of students with disabilities in a variety of educational placements.
The program includes standards-based coursework and extensive field experiences. To ensure quality of programs and candidate preparedness, assessment of candidates is conducted throughout the program and includes evaluation of performance in individual courses and practica, as well as formative/summative assessment related to program goals, VDOE required competencies, and national standards.
Every student is assigned an adviser in the major who can provide guidance on academic, professional, licensure requirements for multiple states. Students should plan on consulting their adviser regularly to ensure smooth progession toward graduation and licensure.
It is important for students to understand that the undergraduate major in special education does not lead to teacher-education licensure unless licensure requirements are completed. To qualify for a recommendation for licensure in special education, accessing the general curriculum K-12, students must complete licensure requirements in addition to requirements for the Bachelor of Science degree in special education. Please note that credit hour requirements for teacher licensure can be included in the 120 credit hour requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Special Education degree.
