Special Education

The Department of Special Education (SPED) has long been a world leader in advancing research and practice to benefit children and youth with learning disabilities.

Department Overview

SPED ranks high in scholarly production and leads in equipping special educators to deliver outstanding education for students with disabilities.The department has a rich tradition of excellence in teacher education and is routinely ranked as one of the top training programs in the country. Students gain the skills necessary to assess, plan, and monitor the progress of persons with disabilities. Master's program graduates typically receive multiple offers of employment, and doctoral program graduates assume faculty and research positions in leading universities across the country.

Joseph Wehby

"We are committed to equipping students with diverse backgrounds and experiences to be leading teachers and researchers who provide exceptional services and support to people with disabilities and their families."

Joseph Wehby
Chair

Undergraduate Program

  • Special Education

    This program is designed both for students who have teacher licensure and those wanting to obtain it. Students choose from 4 concentrations: early childhood, high incidence disabilities, severe disabilities, and visual disabilities.

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Master's Programs

  • Applied Behavior Analysis

    Housed within the U.S. News & World Report No. 1 ranked Department of Special Education, the Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) M.Ed. Program is designed for licensed special education teachers who want to practice ABA in educational settings or are specifically interested in training focused on school-based applications that integrate best ABA and SPED practices.

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  • Special Education

    This program is designed both for students who have teacher licensure and those wanting to obtain it. Students choose from 4 concentrations: early childhood, high incidence disabilities, severe disabilities, and visual disabilities.

    Learn More About Special Education

Doctoral Program

  • Special Education

    The doctoral program is designed to prepare students for faculty and leadership positions in colleges, universities, research institutes, or human service agencies. The program is competency based, with specific emphases on research and teaching. An individually crafted program of study consists of core requirements and an individually designed series of courses and competencies.

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Specializations

  • Applied Behavior Analysis

    Specialization
    Students seeking endorsement or licensure as special education teachers in our master's program in special education are eligible to participate in an add-on specialization in applied behavior analysis (ABA). While they study educational science to prepare for work as classroom teachers, instructional coaches, or other practitioner roles, students in the ABA specialization also study behavioral science through an educational lens.

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SPED at work in the classroom

Special Education News

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    Administrative Staff