Overview

Bethel’s B.A. in Special Education Academic Behavioral Strategist license (ABS) will help you become a skilled professional in a high-demand profession. You’ll learn to customize learning experiences with evidence-based practices in order to meet individual needs and serve students with compassion in a variety of roles. This program will build your knowledge base and refine your skills to assess, plan, and educate students with mild to moderate disabilities. You will also learn skills to become a collaborative professional in the field of special education.  

Individuals who complete Bethel's BA in Special Education, including student teaching, will be eligible for a MN tier 3 special education teaching license. They will also be able to add additional licenses to serve students in several disability categories. Bethel offers stackable licenses in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), Developmental Disabilities (DD), and Emotional and Behavioral Disorders (EBD).

Students graduating with a Bachelors of Arts degree in Special Education will be able to:

• Develop habits of self-directed, lifelong learning in order to navigate the evolving field of special education.  
• Utilize critical thinking and data-based decision making in the implementation of appropriate special education programming.
• Apply ethical principles to the profession of special education.
• Demonstrate effective collaboration skills to use with K-12 public schools, families, and outside agencies.
• Recognize the complexities of a diverse society, historic and current systems that marginalize individuals, and the impact/influence of personal identity in order to provide equitable delivery of special education services.
• Integrate a Christian perspective and personal values with the professional practice of special education.
• Satisfactorily meet required special education state standards.
• Write effectively to communicate with all stakeholders, including an academic audience.

Fieldwork and Licensing Requirements

The Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB) requires all approved ABS programs to include coursework meeting state standards in three categories: Standards of Effective Practice, special education core skills, and ABS content standards. These required standards are addressed in the program coursework. Additionally, PELSB requires teacher candidates to complete a minimum of 100 field placement hours before 12 weeks of student teaching. Bethel's B.A. in Special Education program integrates four unique field experiences throughout the program and the final semester includes 12 weeks of student teaching. Teacher candidates will complete an education Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA) during student teaching.

If the MN Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB) changes any content standards or education standards after a student is admitted into a Bethel education program, the student is responsible to complete and pay for appropriate classes to meet the standard(s) either at Bethel or another college/university.  

Progression and Graduation

Admission Requirements

The Special Education major will consider applicants who:

• Meet the general requirements for admission to the College of Adult and Professional Studies.
• Have a combined cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale on previous academic work.
• Have a transcript evaluation completed to determine which, if any, outstanding course requirements or needed credits must be fulfilled.

Degree Requirements

The required curriculum for the B.A. Special Education, K-12 Academic Behavioral Strategist major comprises a 60 semester credit sequence of courses intended to be taken consecutively throughout the calendar year. For course sequence, request a program calendar from the College of Adult & Professional Studies. ENGL 225R, or an equivalent transfer, is a program prerequisite and must be completed before taking the below courses.

At the time of this publication, offering courses with the new Standards of Effective Practice (SEP) are pending final approval from the Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board.