Overview
This nationally accredited graduate program is designed to prepare students to collaborate with families, educators, and other professionals and service agencies in the development, implementation, and evaluation of instructional programs and supports for learners with disabilities in inclusive school and community settings. There are two primary areas of emphasis in this program, with each pathway having its own requirements:
- Special Education (K-Age 21): Students are prepared to collaborate with families, educators and other professionals in the design, implementation and evaluation of instruction for learners with disabilities in inclusive elementary, middle or high school classrooms.
- Early Childhood Special Education: Students are prepared to provide individualized, family-centered special education services to young children with disabilities and their families through both direct and collaborative delivery systems coordinated with social service agencies in integrated home, preschool and community settings in rural areas.
Within these two tracks there are different special education licensure pathways as well as a non-licensure option.
Degrees
Garwood, Justin D.; Assistant Professor, Department of Education; PHD, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Giangreco, Michael Francis; Professor Emeritus, Department of Education; PHD, Syracuse University
Haines, Shana Jackson; Associate Professor, Department of Education; PHD, University of Kansas
Hurley, Jennifer Jo; Associate Professor, Department of Education; PHD, Vanderbilt University
Kervick, Colby T.; Assistant Professor, Department of Education; EDD, University of Vermont
Meyer, Lori; Assistant Professor, Department of Education; PHD, University of Illinois
Shepherd, Katharine; Professor, Department of Education; EDD, University of Vermont
Vannest, Kimberly; Professor, Department of Education; PHD, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge
Courses
EDSP 5100. Foundations of Special Ed. 3 Credits.
Examination of historical and current trends in the treatment of individuals with disabilities including effects of discrimination, advocacy, litigation, legislation and economic considerations on educational services and community inclusion. Prerequisite: Twelve hours in education and related areas or Instructor permission.
EDSP 5110. Meeting Inst Needs/All Stdnts. 3 Credits.
Students apply principles of learning and social development to improve academic and social skills of all individuals with a focus on those who present academic and behavioral challenges. Prerequisite: Instructor permission.
EDSP 5120. Assessment in Special Ed. 3 Credits.
Course covers assessment knowledge and skills essential for special educators, including test selection, administration and scoring, and legal issues related to special education assessment. Prerequisite: Admission to graduate program in Special Education or Instructor permission.
EDSP 5130. Severe Disabil Char&Intervent. 3 Credits.
Physical, sensory, health, intellectual and behavioral characteristics of developmental disabilities. Educational approaches and supports from various professional disciplines to educate students with severe disabilities. Prerequisite: Instructor permission.
EDSP 5200. Preventing School Shootings. 3 Credits.
Issues to be explored include historical perspectives on school safety, theories of sources of violence in schools and their merit, relationship building as an antecedent intervention, the intersection of social justice and the second amendment, and action steps to be taken to help prevent further school tragedies. Prerequisites: EDSP 1050, EDSP 2170; Graduate student; or Instructor permission.
EDSP 5250. Gr Culture of Disability. 3 Credits.
Focus on theoretical questions of how societies understand disability and its consequences for social justice, by examining the multiple determinants of the societal construction of disability. Pre/Co-requisites: EDSP 2170, CSD 2010, ASL 2990; Graduate student; or Instructor permission. Cross-listed with: CSD 5740.
EDSP 5260. GlobalDisabilityStudies:Africa. 3 Credits.
Presents broader views of disability, advocacy, and communication in the traditional African context through the voices and experiences of African disability rights advocates globally, including African/Asian immigrants and refugees living in the USA. Pre/Co-requisite: Graduate or Continuing Education student, or Instructor permission.
EDSP 5890. Special Educ Practicum. 1-6 Credits.
Students provide direct instruction for six learners with learning disabilities, cognitive disabilities, behavior disorders, and/or multidisabilities. Prerequisite: Instructor permission.
EDSP 5990. Special Topics. 1-18 Credits.
See Schedule of Courses for specific titles.
EDSP 5991. Intern: Systems Development. 1-18 Credits.
Competency-based instruction in planning for system level development and change. Students apply systems theory in an educational setting. Prerequisite: EDSP 6140 or Instructor permission.
EDSP 6130. Collaborative Consultation. 3 Credits.
Adult development and group dynamics theory provide the knowledge base for collaborating with parents and teachers to meet the diverse needs of students with disabilities. Cross-listed with: EDLP 6200.
EDSP 6140. Curr & Tech Spec Ed: Literacy. 3 Credits.
Curricular and assessment areas essential to literacy development for students with disabilities. Development, adaptation of curricula and assessment in elementary and secondary education for students with mild, moderate, and severe disabilities. Prerequisite: Special Education Graduate student or Instructor permission.
EDSP 6150. Curr & Tech Spec Ed: Math. 0 or 3 Credits.
Curricular and assessment areas essential to math development for students with disabilities. Development, adaptation of curricula and assessment in elementary and secondary education for students with mild, moderate, and severe disabilities. Prerequisite: Special Education Graduate student or Instructor permission.
EDSP 6180. Behavior Analysis in Spec Ed. 3 Credits.
Instruction for learners with disabilities emphasizing learning principles, applied behavior analysis, and research-based interventions. Interventions focus on teaching new skills as well as analyzing and addressing maladaptive behaviors. Emphasizes applying these approaches in inclusive educational environments. Prerequisite: Special Education Graduate student or Instructor permission.
EDSP 6200. Social & Emotional Interventio. 3 Credits.
Explore evidence based practices and behavior based interventions to support struggling students to remain in the general education classroom environment. Students learn to understand the underlying function of students' behavior and ways to engage students in their classroom based instruction. The course is rooted within an MTSS framework, exploring personal, classroom, and systematic implications.
EDSP 6300. The Trauma Lens. 3 Credits.
Provides students with the theoretical foundation and conceptual frameworks that relate to building resilience for children, youth and families who have experienced trauma and adversity. For in-service and pre-service professionals in child welfare, health/mental health, and education.
EDSP 6320. Fam,Schl&Intrprof Partnerships. 3 Credits.
Takes a family, school and inter-professional collaborative approach to understanding and enhancing equity and well-being for children, youth, families, and the workforce. In-service and pre-service students from across professions (child welfare, health/mental, education) will build toolkit of strategies for healthy partnerships that build resilience and strong professional practices.
EDSP 6330. Resilience-orient Systems Chng. 3 Credits.
Focus on resilience-oriented and trauma informed system change in schools and human service organizations; designed to provide a conceptual framework addressing the strategic process of managing change that is trauma responsive and encourages collaborative learning climate for its employees. Prerequisites: EDSP 6300, EDSP 6320, or Instructor permission. Pre/co-requisites: EDSP 6300, EDSP 6320, or Instructor permission.
EDSP 6340. Restorative&Trma Pract w/Child. 3 Credits.
An introduction to evidence-informed, restorative and trauma-informed approaches that support the social-emotional health for school-aged children and youth who have experienced trauma and adversity. Students will gain a toolbox of knowledge, practice and skills they can apply to their direct practice with children and families. Prerequisite: EDSP 6300, EDSP 6320, or Instructor permission.
EDSP 6350. The Community Schools Approach. 3 Credits.
Examines the core structural elements that define the community schools strategy including community school coordinators, systematic needs assessments, community partner recruitment and coordination, and collaborative, data-driven decision-making. Explores the community schools pillars and commonly implemented programs and strategies typically found in community schools, including early childhood, expanded learning, health/mental health, adult education, and community and economic development.
EDSP 6391. Master's Thesis Research. 1-18 Credits.
Research for the Master's Thesis. Thesis topic must be approved by a faculty committee.
EDSP 6990. Special Topics. 1-18 Credits.
See Schedule of Courses for specific titles.
EDSP 6991. Internship: Student Teaching. 1-18 Credits.
Supervised graduate internship in school setting addressing special educator licensure standards. Prerequisites: At least 18 credits of EDSP graduate coursework; Special Education Graduate student; or Instructor permission.
EDSP 6993. Independent Study. 1-18 Credits.
A course which is tailored to fit the interests of a specific student, which occurs outside the traditional classroom/laboratory setting under the supervision of a faculty member, for which credit is awarded. Offered at department discretion.
EDSP 6994. Teaching Assistantship. 1-3 Credits.
Student service as a teaching assistant, usually in an introductory level course in the discipline, for which credit is awarded. Offered at department discretion.
EDSP 6995. Graduate Independent Research. 1-18 Credits.
Graduate student work on individual or small team research projects under the supervision of a faculty member, for which credit is awarded. Offered at department discretion.
EDSP 7110. Prevention Science Theory. 3 Credits.
Focus on multidisciplinary and multi-level prevention science theory. Prevention Science is a multi-disciplinary comprehensive approach to identify how best to promote the well-being of diverse families and communities by bridging research and practice. Nested ecological frameworks and structural determinants of youth development will serve as anchoring theoretical frameworks.
EDSP 7150. Critical Issues in SEBH Policy. 3 Credits.
Examines contemporary policy initiatives designed to promote youth SEBH. Utilizing an intersectional and interdisciplinary lens students will examine impact of current policy initiatives on the health and behavioral outcomes for youth with SEBH challenges. Teaches policy advocacy skills to advance equitable outcomes for youth with SEBH needs. Prerequisites: Social-Emotional-Behavioral Health & Inclusive Education student or Instructor permission.
EDSP 7210. FSC Partnerships for SEBH. 3 Credits.
Students will weave together content knowledge and critically consume multiple prevention-focused programs and practices in existing family, school, and community collaborations that are aimed at enhancing educational equity and SEBH for children and youth. Prerequisite: Social-Emotional-Behavioral Health & Inclusive Education student or Instructor permission. Co-requisite: EDSP 7220.
EDSP 7220. Research Partnership in Action. 3 Credits.
Building on existing research-practice partnerships, students will collaborate to respond to practice-research questions. Students will examine ways RPPs can enhance critically conscious collaborative research; learn research methods for conducting systematic scoping reviews of the literature for publication; and develop applied tools for translating findings to families and the practice community. Prerequisites: Instructor permission. Co-requisite: EDSP 7210 or Instructor permission.
EDSP 7250. Psycho-Ed and Single Case. 3 Credits.
Contextual factors and social determinants of health and education, including racism, poverty, trauma, and other adversities, place children and youth at risk for emotional and behavioral difficulties (EBD). Addresses the psycho-education of children and youth with EBD and introduces students to single-case design research methodology. Prerequisite: Social-Emotional-Behavioral Health & Inclusive Education student or Instructor permission.
EDSP 7491. Doctoral Dissertation Research. 1-18 Credits.
Research for the Doctoral Dissertation.
EDSP 7990. Special Topics. 1-18 Credits.
See Schedule of Courses for specific titles.
EDSP 7993. Independent Study. 1-18 Credits.
A course which is tailored to fit the interests of a specific student, which occurs outside the traditional classroom/laboratory setting under the supervision of a faculty member, for which credit is awarded. Offered at department discretion.