Foundations of special educationfor schools and society BS
Make a difference in the field of special education
Gain expertise in special education to expand its reach in schools and society. This program does not lead to the Academic and Behavioral Strategist (ABS) teaching license
Rated #3 in the nation among special education undergraduate programs by Best Education Degrees in 2017
Coursework
- View a sample plan of classes or a complete list of program requirements.
- Your required coursework will include special education courses as well as human development and diversity and social justice classes.
- In addition, you’ll work with your adviser to select courses from one area of interest to enhance your special education coursework. Examples include but are not limited to: Deaf studies; speech-language-hearing sciences; mental health, wellbeing, and resilience; elementary education; reading; math; social studies; learning technologies; or psychological foundations of education.
Careers
- Paraprofessional
- Personal care attendant
- Community education coordinator
- Public policymaker
- Assessment coordinator
- Due process coordinator
- Special education parent/student advocate
- Academic or behavioral interventionist
- Work with a variety of disability organizations
Tuition & financial aid
Visit the College of Education and Human Development's Tuition and financial aid page for more information on available financial aid.
Scholarships
Special education scholarships, fellowships, and awards
Incoming first-year students who are interested in special education are automatically considered for the Campbell Scholarship for Education. Visit the Office of Admissions scholarships page for more information on this and additional CEHD scholarships available to incoming first-year students.
Learn more about teaching scholarships available to undergraduates in the College of Education and Human Development.
Faculty and staff
Robert HeneryLecturer
hener005@umn.edu
- Preparing teachers to:
- Meet behavioral challenges in schools
- Take on leadership roles in schools and districts
- Prejudice and stereotyping in school settings
- Stimulus equivalence
- Teacher preparation
Amy KunkelAssistant teaching professor, special education licensure coordinator, ABS program lead
hear0045@umn.edu
- Effective preparation of future teachers of special and general education
- Use of technology to augment learning and academic intervention
- Dissemination of effective practices through teaching and meta-analysis of educational research
- Functional assessment of behavior to fully support student engagement and communication
- Multi-tiered systems of support and data-based decision making in K-12 education
Jennifer McComasProgram coordinator, head special education MA with emphasis in ABA and emotional behavioral disorders licensure and MEd programs
jmccomas@umn.edu | Lab
- Functional analysis of problem behavior in educational and residential settings
- Basic behavioral processes maintaining desirable and undesirable behavior, such as schedules of reinforcement, stimulus control, and establishing operations
- Behavioral treatment of problem behavior based on concurrent schedules of reinforcement as well as antecedent stimuli
- Analysis of academic performance of students with behavior problems
Charissa O'NeillField placement coordinator
coneill@umn.edu | Make an appointment
- Diversity in teacher preparation programs
- Early intervention
- Inclusive classrooms
Laura PaczkowskiAcademic advisor
laurap@umn.edu
- Academic advising
Kathy SeifertDirector of undergraduate studies
seif0074@umn.edu
- Adolescent literacy
- Effective teacher preparation