Special education ABS MEd and licensure
Become licensed to teach students with mild to moderate disabilities
Each student with a disability has a unique set of academic, behavioral, social, emotional, communication, and functional needs. The academic behavioral strategist (ABS) licensure program prepares you to meet the needs of young people—kindergarten through age 21. The program prepares you to be recommended for an ABS license, which qualifies you to work with students in K-12 school systems with a broad array of mild to moderate disabilities in the following areas:
- Autism spectrum disorder
- Developmental disabilities
- Emotional and behavioral disorders
- Learning disabilities
- Other health disparities
Careers
Graduates of the academic behavioral strategist (ABS) licensure program:
- Teach in K-12 classrooms, resource rooms, or 18-21 transition programs
- Collaborate/consult with general classroom teachers
- Work with students and their families directly as itinerant teachers
- Serve students from a variety of cultural, linguistic, and socio-economic backgrounds
Coursework
Most classes are offered in the evening—to allow students to maintain full time employment while completing course requirements—and are predominantly taught in person on the Minneapolis campus.
The ABS licensure and special education MEd program requires the completion of 30 to 49.5 credits. Your total number of credits required may vary based on previous educational experience or licensures.
Checklist: ABS initial licensure course requirements
Checklist: ABS additional licensure course requirements
- CI 5645 – Methods for Teaching English Learners (3 credits)
- MTHE 5355 – Mathematics for Diverse Learners (3 credits)
- EPSY 5604 – Transitions from Work to School or Community Settings for Persons with Special Needs (3 credits)
- EPSY 5605 – Collaborative Practices for the Special Educator (3 credits)
- EPSY 5613 – Foundations of Special Education (3 credits)
- EPSY 5614 – Assessment and Due Process in Special Education (3 credits)
- EPSY 5616 – Classroom Management and Behavior Analytic Problem Solving (3 credits)
- EPSY 5617 – Academic and Social Interventions for Students with Mild to Moderate Disabilities (3 credits)
- EPSY 5618 – Specialized Interventions for Students with Mild/Moderate Disabilities in Reading and Written Language (3 credits)
- EPSY 5631 – Module 1: Introduction to Augmentative and Alternative Communication (1 credit)
- EPSY 5657 – Interventions for Behavior Problems in School Settings (3 credits)
- EPSY 5704 – Practicum in Middle / Secondary Settings (2 credits)
- EPSY 5705 – Practicum in ECSE / Elementary settings (1 credit)
- EPSY 5741 – Student Teaching: Academic Behavior Strategist (6 credits)
Required for initial licensure and MEd
EPSY 5699 – Experimental Teaching Seminar (2 credits)
OR
Required for additional licensure and MEd or MEd only
EPSY 5991 – MEd Paper/Project Independent Study (2 credits)
- OLPD 5005 – School and Society ( 2 credits)
- OLPD 5009 – Human Relations (1 cr)
- CI 5307 – Technology (1.5 credits)
- EPSY 5001 – Learning Cognition and Assessment (3 credits)
Tuition, funding, and financial aid
Tuition
Visit the College of Education and Human Development's Tuition and Financial Aid page for information on tuition.
Project I-LEAD
Project I-LEAD helps fund future special educators or school psychologists interested in supporting students with severe learning disabilities in schools. Get more information on Project I-LEAD.
Scholarships, fellowships and awards
- Special education scholarships, fellowships, and awards
- College of Education and Human Development awards
TEACH Grants
TEACH Grants are part of a federal program to provide financial support to students who will teach in a high need area at a low-income school for at least four years. Application information is available from Onestop on their grants and waivers page.
Financial aid
Visit OneStop Student Services for more information on available financial aid.
Faculty
Amy Kunkel
Assistant teaching professor, special education licensure coordinator, ABS program lead
Laura Paczkowski
Academic advisor
Kathy Seifert
Teaching associate professor
Contact
Laura Paczkowski
Academic advisor