Special Education and Teaching, Bachelor of Science in Education
VCU
The purpose of the B.S.Ed. in Special Education and Teaching is to prepare students to serve as initially licensed special education teachers in K-12 schools as well as to serve as educators and leaders in schools and community-based settings.
The program focuses on providing students with the tools they need to make a difference in the lives of children, youth and adults with disabilities. Students will garner the knowledge and skills to become licensed special education teachers who work with children with high incidence disabilities, including individuals with learning disabilities, emotional disturbance and mild to moderate intellectual disability. Students will be able to recognize a child’s educational and social problems, to formulate effective and personalized/individualized instruction, and to consult with parents, teachers and administrators to incorporate accommodations and transitions across the child’s educational program. Students also will be prepared to teach reading and language, mathematics, and other core content areas, as well as be able to apply classroom and behavior management and social skills to students with diverse abilities and backgrounds.
Graduates will be prepared to work in public and private elementary, middle and high schools across Virginia, with particular focus in urban and high-need areas. Graduates will be capable of working with diverse learners and adapting instructional programs based on the needs of their students and clients. Successful completion of the program will result in licensure in special education/general education curriculum (K-12).
Graduates typically work in public or private school systems, child care centers, and youth service organizations. Teaching in public schools requires licensure. Be sure to explore the certification requirements in the state you want to teach in as they can differ across states. Graduates can also find work with programs such as Richmond Teacher Residency, Americorps, PeaceCorps, Fulbright Student Program, City Year, America Reads, or The Literacy Lab. Learn more and explore potential career pathways at https://www.teach.org/.
- Childcare Worker
- Elementary School Teacher
- Kindergarten Teacher
- PreSchool or Child Care Center Director
- PreSchool Teacher
- Recreation Worker
- Special Education Teacher
- Teacher Assistant
Telephone: (804) 827-1349
Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu
VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist
Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638
Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.
- Completion of Certificate.
- Minimum GPA of 2.5.
- All courses must be completed with a grade of "C" or better.
- Apply for admission during first year at community college.
- Following admission to VCU, students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.8 for subsequent admission to the VCU teacher preparation program and a 3.0 GPA for student teaching course requirements.
- Quantitative Foundations requirement only
- Natural Sciences requirement only
- No
- Yes
- Advancement to Teacher Preparation requires 2.8 cumulative GPA and acceptance to Clinical Internship (Student Teaching) requires 3.0+ cumulative GPA.
Special Education and Teaching, Bachelor of Science in Education
Virginia Community College System (Uniform Certificate of General Studies)
| MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING | GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY | DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY | EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS | PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE | ||
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| Explore | Year 1 |
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| Experience | Year 2 |
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MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
- Register to vote.
- Volunteer for community service projects.
- Get involved with student clubs and organizations at your community college.
- Learn about the transfer admission process for VCU.
- Review SOE admission requirements for transfer students.
- Explore the School of Education website.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
- Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
- Attend diversity-focused events on your community college campus and in your community (e.g., international festival).
- Identify a mentor in a diversity organization.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
- Assess your preparation for a career by completing a Gap Analysis.
- Browse information about occupations and job titles associated with special education.
- Complete career assessments through the Virginia Education Wizard.
- Create LinkedIn profile.
- Find out about VCU REAL and learn about VCU's REAL graduation requirement.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
- Prepare for a career after college by creating a brand for yourself.
- Create a weekly and monthly budget.
- Practice independent living skills such as money and time management, self-care, and personal responsibility.
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
Special Education and Teaching, Bachelor of Science in Education
Virginia Community College System (Uniform Certificate of General Studies)
| Course | Title | Equivalent course | Credits | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students who earn this Certificate before enrolling at VCU will be eligible for a waiver of VCU's general education requirements. | ||||
| SDV 100 | College Success Skills | UNIV 101 | 1 | Elective |
| ENG 111 | College Composition I Note: students with credit for AP English Language and Composition will only receive credit for UNIV 111 at VCU and should take ENG 112 to fulfill the VCU composition requirement. | UNIV 111-112 | 3 | General education |
| ENG 112 | College Composition II | UNIV 200 | 3 | General education |
| MTH 154 | Quantitative Reasoning (or any other approved MTH course) | MATH 131 | 3 | General education |
| Select any approved Humanities/Fine Arts elective | VCU equivalent | 3 | General education | |
| Select any approved Humanities/Fine Arts or Literature elective | VCU equivalent | 3 | General education | |
| Select any approved history course | HIST | 3 | General education | |
| Select any approved Social/Behavioral Science elective | VCU equivalent | 3 | General education | |
| Select any approved natural or physical science | VCU equivalent | 4 | General education | |
| Select two approved general education electives | VCU equivalents | 6 | General education | |
| Community college credits transferred to VCU | 32 | |||
| Course | Title | Credits | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your GPA Doesn't Transfer With You Although you worked hard to earn your grades at your current institution, they will only be considered by VCU for an admission decision. Once you enroll at VCU, your GPA will reset to 0.0, and your new GPA will be determined by your level of success in your classes at VCU. | |||
| EDUS 202 | Diversity, Democracy and Ethics | 3 | Major |
| EDUS 301 | Human Development and Learning | 3 | Major |
| SEDP 200 | Characteristics of Individuals With Disabilities | 3 | Major |
| SEDP 201 | Teaching Individuals With Mild and Moderate Disabilities | 3 | Major |
| SEDP 203 | Special Education Law | 3 | Major |
| SEDP 216 | Families and Professional Partnerships | 3 | Major |
| SEDP 282 | Multicultural Perspectives in Education | 3 | Major |
| SEDP 330 | Survey of Special Education | 3 | Major |
| SEDP 402 | Exceptionality and Technology: Augmentative and Alternative Communication and Assistive Technology | 3 | Major |
| SEDP 405 | Collaborative Practices and Co-teaching in Inclusive Schools | 3 | Major |
| SEDP 415 | Action Research in Education and Special Education: Capstone Project | 3 | Major |
| SEDP 420 | Special Education Leadership for Inclusive Schools | 3 | Major |
| SEDP 495 | Universal Design for Learning and Transition | 3 | Major |
| CLED 405 | A Survey of Career Counseling | 3 | Major |
| SEDP 311 | Secondary Education and Transition Planning | 3 | Major |
| SEDP 315 | Classroom Management and Behavior Support for Students With Disabilities | 3 | Major |
| SEDP 320 | Development and Implementation of Positive Behavior Support Plans | 3 | Major |
| SEDP 378 | Teaching Math to Students With Disabilities | 3 | Major |
| SEDP 379 | Assessment Practices in Autism and Developmental Disabilities | 3 | Major |
| SEDP 380 | Teaching Reading to Students With Disabilities | 3 | Major |
| SEDP 389 | IEP and Due Process in Special Education | 3 | Major |
| SEDP 401 | Assessment in Diverse Settings | 3 | Major |
| SEDP 404 | Methods in Teaching Science and Social Studies for Students With Disabilities | 3 | Major |
| SEDP 460 | Specialized Reading and Writing Interventions for Students With Disabilities | 3 | Major |
| SEDP 461 | Specialized Math Interventions for Students With High Incidence Disabilities | 3 | Major |
| TEDU 410 | Building a Community of Learners: Classroom Management | 3 | Major |
| TEDU 510 | Instructional Technology in PK-12 Environments | 2 | Major |
| SEDP 250 | Special Education Elementary Supervision | 2 | Major |
| SEDP 350 | Special Education Middle School Supervision | 2 | Major |
| SEDP 450 | Special Education High School Supervision | 2 | Major |
| SEDP 499 | Student Teaching | 6 | Major |
| REAL | The REAL requirement may be satisfied by successfully completing a 300-level (or higher) course that has received a REAL attribute of Level 2, 3 or 4 or through an approved “REAL” co-curricular experience that has received a REAL attribute of Level 3 or 4. See VCU advisor for options. | 0 | Major |
| Credits completed at VCU | 93 | ||
| Minimum credits required for bachelor's degree | 123 | ||