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>> Go to Downloads & Forms to view Special Education Graduate Application packet

About

The Colorado Department of Education now licenses special education teachers as "generalists." The University of Colorado at Colorado Springs offers an approved special education generalist licensure program to students who are preparing to be special education teachers. If you currently hold a teaching license in another field we offer an added endorsement program that leads to a special education generalist licensure.

Students may pursue any of the following options:

• Initial Licensure Program
• Master of Arts degree in Special Education with Initial Licensure
• Master of Arts degree in Special Education (non-licensure option)
• Added Special Education endorsement with or without a Master of Arts degree

This program of study requires completion of coursework including student teaching and an internship that provides experience across the K - 12 setting. Acceptance into the graduate SELP requires completion of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university of recognized standing and meets the criteria of the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs Graduate School.

Curriculum Planning Forms

The course planning forms for Graduate students seeking licensure or MA only may be found at the downloads forms page.

>> Curriculum Planning Forms

Course Descriptions

>> Special Education Course Descriptions

Admissions

Requirements

1. Contact the College of Education's Student Resource Office at 719-255-4996 and schedule an inital advising appointment with a member of the Special Education faculty. Please bring an official or unofficial transcript of past academic work to share with the advisor. A tentative special education program plan of study will be provided to the student during this meeting.
2. Students applying to the graduate program in special education must register for the PLACE Elemetary Test #1 OR the Praxis II Elementary Content Test #10014 within their first semester at UCCS. Passing the test is a requirement for the Colorado Department of Education.
3. Fill out and submit the undergraduate Special Education application form and supplemental application materials. You will also need to submit a copy of your receipt for the application fee. When the College of Education receives your application a file will be set up for you. Applications will not be reviewed until all materials required are received. It is your responsibility to check on the status of your file as items are submitted.
4. Complete a professional interview on campus. Applicants will receive notification of the date and time for the interview.

Deadlines

• Rolling Admission

Waiving or Transferring Credits

Initial Licensure Program with or without MA

With special education faculty advisor approval, applicants may transfer up to nine semester hours of previous course work to their licensure program. Similarly, students may have up to nine semester hours waived if they provide evidence that they have completed comparable coursework as part of a previous degree. In order for faculty advisor to make a decision about transferring or waiving credits, students must submit syllabi and course descriptions.

Added Endorsement without MA

Option available only for students who already hold a license in another area. With special educaiton faculty advisor approval applicants may transfer some credit hours of previous course work to their endoresement program. The number of hours qualifying for transfer will be decided upon transcript review. Similarly, students may have up to nine semester hours waived if they provide evidence that they have completed comparable coursework as part of a previous degree. In order for faculty advisor to make a decision about transferring or waiving credits, students must submit syllabi and course descriptions.

Added Endorsement with MA

With special education faculty advisor approval, applicants may transfer up to nine semester hours of previous coursework to their program. Students may waive only six credits as the program requires a minimum of 33 semester hours. In order for faculty advisor to make a decision about transferring or waiving credits, students must submit syllabi and course descriptions.

MA Only

With special education faculty advisor approval students who are interested in earning a Masters degree without licensure may transfer up to nine semester hours of previous coursework. Students in the Masters degree without licensure program may not waive any credits, as the program requires a minimum of 33 semester hours.

Note: The difference between a transferred credit and a waived credit is as follows: transferred credits count towards the total credit hours earned in one of the above programs, whereas waived credits do not count toward total credit hours earned.

Post-Admission Requirements

Critical Special Education Information

• Special Education Licensure Courses and Program Plan of Study are based on State and National Professional Standards in Special Education. Our programs have been approved by national organizations including the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) as well as state governing bodies including the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, the Colorado Department of Education and the Colorado Commission on Higher Education. Graduate students must follow the designated approved plan of study to receive licensure as a special education teacher in Colorado.
• Students are encouraged to meet with their special education faculty advisor to review their progress every semester and must meet with their advisor on an annual basis.
• Student involvement in the student chapter of Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) for at least one year is also strongly encouraged.

Field­Based Requirements

Special Education Licensure Program (SELP) for undergraduate licensure has over 900 hours of field and internship experience.

• Candidates have field-based hours during their coursework in special education. Faculty assign between 10 and 30 field-based hours in coursework in an approved educational setting.
• In addition candidates are placed in a school for 16 weeks for student teaching placement (640 hours) and one internship (100 hours) at the opposite age range (elementary or secondary level).
• The majority of SELP students are graduate students who have been hired as special education teachers using a Temporary Teaching Endoresement or are graduate SELP students who are working as paraprofessionals. They may complete their student teaching on the job if there are opportunities for them to meet course requirements.
• For SELP students who are not employed the opportunity exists to complete the student teaching experience. To place these students in student teaching, the SELP program uses a network of practicing teachers in area school districts who are SELP program completers or cooperating teachers from the past that use methods that are aligned with SELP goals, objectives, and practices.

Courses

Without Master's Degree (43 credits)

With Master's Degree (52 Credits)