Preliminary California Education Specialist: Mild/Moderate Disabilities Teacher Preparation Program

The Education Specialist Teacher Preparation Program at Mount Saint Mary’s University has been approved by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing The program prepares teachers to work with K-12 students with mild/moderate disabilities including students with learning disabilities, mental retardation, serious emotional disturbance, autism, and health impairments. These teachers may be employed in their own classroom, in a resource specialist position, or in an inclusion specialist position serving special education students in general education settings. The Preliminary Education Specialist program is open to graduate students only.

Students begin their preparation in the Preliminary program with general and special education coursework and field experiences and conclude the program with supervised teaching. For the general education requirements, students select an elementary or a secondary emphasis. Courses include fieldwork experiences in general and special education classrooms. The fieldwork requirements may be completed in the student’s own classroom (interns) or in exemplary teachers’ classrooms in Mount Saint Mary’s University associated schools (pre-service graduate students). Additional requirements for a teaching credential include passing scores on the appropriate CSET examinations and the Reading Instruction Competence Assessment (RICA), the U.S. Constitution requirement (verified by coursework or exam) and a Certificate of Clearance. Students are urged to maintain regular contact with their program advisor as the CCTC credential requirements are subject to change. Students may complete a Master of Science degree in Education in conjunction with the preliminary teacher preparation coursework.

Requirements

General Education Coursework (18-19 units)

EDU 251BTypical and Atypical Child & Adolescent Development across Cultures

3

EDU 252Diversity and Schools

1.5

EDU 207Teaching English Learners

1.5

EDU 208AIntro to Exceptional Learners

1.5

EDU 208BResponsive Teaching for All Learners

1.5

EDU 250Elementary Instruction: Theory and Practice

3

or

EDU 266Principles of Secondary Education and Content Area Modules

4

EDU 256Language and Literacy: Elementary Curriculum

3

EDU 254Mathematics and Science: Elementary Curriculum

3

Education Specialist Coursework (12 units)

EDU 271Assessment of Students With Special Needs

3

EDU 272Positive Behavior Supports for Students With Special Needs

3

EDU 278Program Leadership for Education Specialists

3

EDU 279Supporting Students With Neurological Disorders

3

Supervised Teaching Requirement (7-11 units)

EDU 210Supervised Teaching Culminating Seminar

3

EDU 378ASupervised Teaching: Pre-Service Special Education

4

EDU 378BSupervised Teaching: Pre-Service Special Education

4

EDU 378CSupervised Teaching: In-Service Special Education

4

EDU 378DSupervised Teaching: Intern Special Education

2

*EDU 210 is not required for the Masters degree (while it remains required for the credential) as long as the student has sufficient units for graduation.