Special Education Certification (P-12)

If your passion is to help at-risk children learn, thrive, grow, and succeed in a life of learning, special education (learning/behavior disorder) certification is for you! The certification can be acquired through an emphasis area in our Elementary Education (P-5) program or as an area of specialization in our Middle School Education (5-9) program.

Certification in special education will give you an excellent foundation for understanding the development, characteristics, and educational services of learners with exceptionalities. As a student, you’ll receive quality instruction from professors who have practical teaching experience. You’ll also have access to our instructional media library with its wide range of teaching materials and media resources to help you prepare for classroom success.

While earning your special education certification, you will also have an opportunity for field study during a seventy (70) day student-teaching placement within the region.

• What is a Special Education Certification?
• What Can You Do with a Special Education Certification?
• How to Become a Special Education Teacher
• Tuition
• Admission Requirements
• Accreditation
• Faculty

What is a Special Education Certification?

Special education certification programs provide the training future special education teachers need to pursue certifications that qualify them for teaching careers in elementary and middle school settings. These programs are designed to help educators gain a solid understanding of how to teach young learners who struggle with learning or behavioral disorders. Students will learn what it takes to work with other teachers to integrate students in relevant and age-appropriate classrooms. Courses cover everything from developing Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) based on student assessments to communicating with parents and other stakeholders of the child’s education.

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What Can You Do with a Special Education Certification?

When you enroll in a program that leads to special education certification, you will receive the training and skills you need to:

• Teach in P-12 settings, working with exceptional children
• Plan and implement transitions from school to adult life for exceptional children
• Identify typical and atypical development, characteristics, and educational services of young learners
• Develop techniques regarding the design and adaptation of formal and informal assessments for exceptional children
• Address curriculum and instructional planning and strategies in all content areas to service learners with mild disabilities

The courses you’ll take in a special education certification program will give you the tools you need to fill jobs in special ed. You can pursue special education teacher roles in high schools, where teaching professionals earned an average annual salary of $61,660 as of 2019, or in middle schools where the average salary for teachers came in at $59,660. 

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How to Become a Special Education Teacher

The first step toward becoming a special education teacher is to visit the relevant state-administered education. Different states may have different requirements for licensure. After that, some things, such as education requirements, are fairly standard.

Begin with a high-quality bachelor’s degree program from an accredited institution. This program should offer evidence-based best practices for teaching in special ed situations. It should also provide an opportunity for student teaching to help future educators put into practice the skills they learned in class. These types of practicums are typically required for licensure by relevant state boards. 

From there, new educators will likely need to pass a state test, apply for a teaching license, and then submit applications for open special education teacher jobs. 

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Tuition

Costs for programs of study at University of the Cumberlands are competitive and affordable. Click here to view tuition rates and fees.

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Admission Requirements

In order to be considered for admission to this program, click here to view the undergraduate, on-campus admissions information. 

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Accreditation

Click here to view University of the Cumberlands' accreditation information. 

In addition to the overall institutional accreditation statement above, the specialized accrediting bodies related to this degree are listed below. 

KDE/EPSB – State Accreditation
University of the Cumberlands' School of Education is further accredited through Kentucky's Educational Professional Standards Board (EPSB), 100 Airport Road, 3rd Floor, Frankfort, KY 40601. (502) 564-4606. Fax: (502) 564-7080.

CAEP – National Accreditation
The School of Education at University of the Cumberlands (UC) is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) at the initial-licensure level and advanced-level.  CAEP promotes excellence in educator preparation through quality assurance and continuous improvement.  UC’s School of Education has earned national accreditation by demonstrating excellence in the areas of content and pedagogy, clinical experiences, selectivity, program impact, and capacity for continuous improvement.
 
CAEP Address: 1140 19th St NW #400, Washington, DC 20036
CAEP Phone Number: (202) 223-0077

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Faculty

Click here to view a list of the education faculty. 

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