Help children with special needs learn, thrive, grow, and succeed – in school and life!
Our differences are what make us human. When children have different learning styles and needs, they need spaces and people that can help them learn at their speed, in ways that best work for them. With training in special education teaching, you can work with higher-need kids at their level and help them get the most out of their education!
By the numbers
Programs & Requirements
* The credit hours listed on this page only reference the specific program requirements and is not reflective of the total hours necessary to receive your degree. Cumberlands requires all students obtain a minimum of 60 hours for an associate’s degree and a total of 120 hours for a bachelor’s degree. Transfer and prior learning credits may be counted toward those totals.
To learn more about our General Education Requirements, please visit the page referenced below or explore our Academic Catalog.
Certification in Special Education
Certification in special education will give you an excellent foundation for understanding the development, characteristics, and educational services of learners with exceptionalities. You'll receive quality instruction from professors who have practical teaching experience, and you’ll have access to our wide range of teaching materials resources to help you prepare for classroom success.
Special education certification programs provide the training you need as a future special education teacher! You’ll gain a solid understanding of how to teach young learners who struggle with learning or behavioral disorders, and you’ll learn what it takes to work with other teachers to integrate students in relevant and age-appropriate classrooms. Courses will cover everything from developing Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) based on student assessments to communicating with parents and other important figures in the child’s life and education.
Course Requirements
Available online or in-seat. Elementary Emphasis.
- SPED 234 Special Education Instructional Programs (P-12)
- SPED 236 Special Education Programs for Adolescents with Mild Disabilities (5-12)
- SPED 238 Special Education Early Childhood (P-5)
- SPED 336 Educational Assessment and Prescriptive Programming for Individuals with Disabilities (P-12) Part I
- SPED 337 Educational Assessment and Prescriptive Programming for Individual with Disabilities (P-12) Part II
- SPED 435 Special Education Methods and Materials (Mild Disabilities) P -12
- SPED 436 Special Education Methods and Materials Emotional/Behavioral Disabilities (P-12)
Take the Next Step
Program Mission
The purpose of University of the Cumberlands’ School of Education is to develop entry level education students into highly qualified, knowledgeable and caring teachers. All children can learn, they just need the right teachers.
Special Education Careers & Outcomes
All stats from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
High School SPED Teacher: $61,820
High School SPED Teacher: $61,820
Teach students with exceptionalities in a high school setting.
Middle School SPED Teacher: $61,320
Middle School SPED Teacher: $61,320
Teach younger teens and pre-teens with exceptionalities in a middle school setting.
Education Coordinator: $48,450
Education Coordinator: $48,450
Help develop and implement curriculums and educational materials specifically for students with different learning needs.
Reading Specialist: $49,600
Reading Specialist: $49,600
Work with individuals and groups to improve reading skills and help students overcome reading challenges.
Educational Consultant: $58,474
Educational Consultant: $58,474
Work with students and their guardians to provide feedback, assess challenges and struggles they may face academically, and suggest solutions, tools, and plans.
School Counselor: $51,835
School Counselor: $51,835
Help students with different learning needs with social and emotional struggles and work with them to overcome their academic challenges.
Common Questions
The world of special education is full of possibilities! Whether you want to work in a classroom setting or outside of one, whether you prefer working with students directly or developing resources for them, there is a variety of options.
After earning a bachelor’s degree with special education certification from an accredited school like University of the Cumberlands and finishing your student teaching hours, you’ll need to pass a state test and apply for your teaching license. Then you’ll be ready for the classroom!
Flexibility and adaptability, the ability to collaborate with others, creativity, strong communication skills, organizational skills, assessment skills, patience, and compassion are all important skills for anyone going into the field of special education.
Yes! You can do more than just teach with a special education certification. This certification can open the door to a world of opportunities in and out of the classroom, like working with curriculums, assessing the particular learning needs of students, developing techniques, implementing special education plans in the system, and more!
Special education is a vital part of our educational system because it provides students with learning challenges and disabilities with the opportunity and the safe space to get a quality education that works for their unique needs.
Yes, you have the option to complete University of the Cumberlands' special education certification program entirely online or in-seat.
Faculty Experts in Education
Learn more about the education professors you will interact with.
Melanie Belcher
Dr. Brad Miller
Lisa C. Wallin
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