The curriculum for the Developmental Disabilities K-12 License is 37-53 credits. Courses are designated as Standards of Effective Practice (SEP) courses, Special Education License Core (SPED) courses, and DD License (DD) courses. Students with a full professional teaching license take only the SPED Core and DD courses. Students with a qualifying special education license take only the DD courses. All others take the SEP, SPED Core, and DD courses.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Standards of Effective Practice courses: 16 credits | ||
| EDUC 594 | General Methods of Effective Instruction | 3 |
| EDUC 595 | School-wide Systems Field Experience | 1 |
| EDUC 621 | Foundations in Education | 3 |
| EDUC 624 | Introduction to Theories and Practices of Teaching and Learning | 3 |
| EDUC 663 | Understanding Diversity and Student Needs | 2 |
| EDUC 668 | Classroom Technology | 1 |
| EDUC 751 | Special Education Student Teaching Seminar | 3 |
| Special Education License Core courses: 17 credits | ||
| SPED 605 | Introduction to Special Education | 1 |
| SPED 608 | Introduction to Academic Instruction and Behavior Management for the Exceptional Learner | 3 |
| SPED 610 | Norm-Referenced Assessment | 3 |
| SPED 620 | Reading Foundations | 3 |
| SPED 621 | Reading Field Experience | 1 |
| SPED 625 | Special Education: Planning and Programming | 3 |
| SPED 670 | Special Education Assessment Field Experience | 1 |
| SPED 675 | Consultation, Collaboration & Resources | 2 |
| DD License courses: 20 credits | ||
| SPED 607 | Foundations of Developmental and Cognitive Disabilities/Intellectual Disabilities | 3 |
| SPED 615 | Instruction and Intervention for Students with Intellectual Disabilities | 3 |
| SPED 618 | Foundations of Instructional Strategies for Students with Mild-Moderate Disabilities | 3 |
| SPED 619 | Supporting Students with Intellectual Disabilities Across Systems | 3 |
| SPED 655 | Classroom-Based Assessment | 3 |
| SPED 674 | DD Field Experience | 1 |
| SPED 784 | DD: Student Teaching | 4 |
| Total Credits | 53 | |
Developmental Disabilities K–12 (DD) License add-on to ABS License
The curriculum for the DD License as an addition to an ABS license is 12 semester credits.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| SPED 607 | Foundations of Developmental and Cognitive Disabilities/Intellectual Disabilities | 3 |
| SPED 615 | Instruction and Intervention for Students with Intellectual Disabilities | 3 |
| SPED 619 | Supporting Students with Intellectual Disabilities Across Systems | 3 |
| SPED 779 | DD: Practicum | 3 |
| Total Credits | 12 | |
Admission Requirements
The Developmental Disabilities K-12 License program will consider applicants who:
- Meet the general requirements for admission to the Graduate School.
- Submit an official transcript (U.S. schools) or NACES or AICE evaluation (international schools) showing an earned baccalaureate degree and official transcripts or NACES or AICE evaluations from all undergraduate and graduate schools attended. Applicants must also submit an official transcript or NACES or AICE evaluation from any school that shows completion of required program prerequisites, if any.
- Have earned a baccalaureate degree or higher from a regionally accredited (or internationally recognized as equivalent) institution.
- Have earned a GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale on the highest degree completed.
- Submit two professional Admission References.
- Submit a written Statement of Purpose.
- Interview with the program director or enrollment counselor.
- Submit a copy of current or most recent state or internationally recognized teaching license at the elementary, secondary, or K–12 (or equivalent) level. Applicants without a current teaching license will be considered for admission to the special education program.
NOTE: Students who become licensed in ABS K–12, ASD B–21, DD K-12 or EBD K–12 but do not have a regular teaching license prior to entering the program will only be eligible to teach in those areas of special education license, not as regular education teachers. Students are recommended to become Highly Qualified (HQ) according to the Minnesota Board of Teaching expectations, but are not required to be HQ in order to obtain a license. - Have a plan for completion of prerequisite Standards of Effective Practice (SEP) course sequence. Submission of Minnesota teaching license is sufficient documentation of completion of equivalent SEPcoursework.
- Submit a current resume.
Accepted students will be eligible to begin the program once they have zero liberal arts requirements, as determined by a transcript evaluation at Bethel.
Students who have not achieved the minimum GPA, grade standards, or other assessment criteria may still apply to be considered for provisional acceptance. See Admission Categories.