What you will study
UCM’s Special Education minor for future teachers is designed to expand your practical
knowledge of working with students with exceptionalities in a school setting. Coursework
for this minor will prepare you to take the content assessment for Cross-Categorical
Disabilities K–12.
This minor is offered by UCM’s fully accredited, standards-aligned Special Education
program, and includes courses such as:
- Collaborating With Families of Exceptional Children: Understand the impact of exceptionality on family systems and how empowerment and
community resources can strengthen the school-family partnership. Requires a directed
field experience.
- Methods of Cross-Categorical Special Education: Gain knowledge of and practical experience in applying the most effective, research-based
methods for developing materials and curricula teaching students who have mild to
moderate developmental disabilities.
- Evaluation of Abilities and Achievement: Learn how to administer and interpret intelligence tests and diagnostic procedures
to determine your students’ needs, and how to use that knowledge to create individualized
learning plans that best support them.
Excellence in Special Education
- UCM's Special Education program, including the minor in Special Education, is accredited
by the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) and the Council for the Accreditation
of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
- A Best Value Bachelor's Degree College for General Special Education (College Factual, 2022)
- A Best Value College for Elementary Education (College Factual, 2022)
- A Best Value College for Junior High/Intermediate/Middle School Education & Teaching (College Factual,
2022)
- Top 15%: Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Elementary Education (College Factual,
2022)
- One of the Most Focused Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Education (College Factual, 2022)
- One of the Most Focused Colleges for Secondary Education (College Factual, 2022)
- Top 15%: Most Focused Colleges for Education (College Factual, 2022)
- Top 4.5%: Most Popular Colleges for Secondary Education (College Factual, 2022)
- Top 5.5%: Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Education (College Factual, 2022)
- Top 6%: Most Popular Colleges for Education (College Factual, 2022)
- Top 6%: Most Popular Colleges for Elementary Education (College Factual, 2022)
Unique learning opportunities in teaching special education
The University of Central Missouri emphasizes experiential learning in all of our
degree programs. We offer “hands-on, minds-on” learning within our Special Education
minor to ensure you graduate with applicable, real-world skills and experience, as
well as a more complete understanding of the content area:
- Practicum in behavioral management: Work with our expert faculty to design behavioral management programs and environments,
so you can offer personalized support systems for your future students with exceptionalities.
- Collaboration with families of exceptional children: Raising children with exceptionalities has a meaningful impact on these children’s
families. In a directed field experience, you’ll explore how empowering a family and
connecting them with appropriate community resources can strengthen the school-family
partnership and lead to better outcomes for the child.
- Assessment techniques: Learn first-hand how to perform and interpret individualized intelligence tests, formal
and informal diagnostic procedures and prescriptive instruction, so that you can confidently
assess the needs of your future students.
What can you do with a Special Education minor from UCM?
The need for qualified educators of children with exceptionalities is at an all-time
high. By minoring in Special Education while earning your BSE at the University of
Central Missouri, you’ll learn an in-demand specialty that will increase your job
options in any district where you qualify to teach.
In addition to increasing your appeal as a candidate for teaching jobs, a Special
Education minor will enable you to improve learning outcomes for all of your future
students by being able to tailor your instruction to their individual learning needs.
A better understanding of the principles and mechanics of child development will enhance
your entire teaching practice.
Careers for educators with special education expertise
Use our interactive tool below to explore employment and salary trends for educators
working in the fast-growing field of special education.
Financial assistance options for your Special Education minor
Adding a Special Education minor is an excellent way to access the additional value
of our accredited, standards-based Special Education program and increase your hiring
potential in districts across the state and nation.
UCM distributes financial aid every year to over 90% of our undergraduate students.
Dedicated financial aid advisors will help you find the best way to finance your college education. Our extensive options include grants, loans, work-study opportunities and scholarships.
Program scholarships for undergraduate students
Based on your major, you may qualify for additional program-specific scholarships.
Learn more by using the UCM Scholarship Finder.
A Specialty in Strong Demand
Increase your hiring appeal in any district
Educators trained to work with special needs students are in short supply and high
demand. By adding a minor in Special Education to your UCM Education degree, you’ll
be acquiring knowledge and practical skills that will broaden the range of teaching
jobs you can qualify for in any district in the country.
Better Outcomes for All Students
Special education teaches universal lessons
UCM’s Special Education minor does more than train you in best practices for assessment
and instruction of individuals with exceptionalities. It leads to a more complete
understanding of how everyone’s learning and developmental needs differ, enabling
you to design curricula that bring out the best in all of your students.
leftright
