College of Education and Human Development

Department of Educational Psychology

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

      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