Special Education/Liberal Studies  Five-Year Program

Longwood offers a five-year Liberal Studies-Special Education Program leading to a Bachelor's Degree in Liberal Studies in 4 years and a Master's Degree in Education with a concentration in Special Education in the fifth year. This program is designed for students who want to become Special Education teachers. A professional portfolio is developed during the five year period. Students may choose to terminate their course work at the end of the fourth year (with 126 credit hours) with a Bachelor's Degree in Liberal Studies and not pursue the Master's Degree. However, students must complete the fifth year to become endorsed to teach in Special Education.

Course Sequence - Special Education

YEAR 1

SPED 202    Intro to Special Education (3)

SPED 220    Practicum I (1)

YEAR 2

**EDUC 299  Admission to Teacher Preparation (3)

SPED 305    Behavior Management, Part I (3)

SPED 306    Behavior Management, Part II (3)

SPED 316    Practicum in Behavior Management* (1)

                 *Must be taken concurrently with SPED 305

**Students must earn a "Pass" in EDUC 299 before they will be permitted to enroll in SPED 321 or SPED/EDUC courses above this level.

YEAR 3

SPED 321    Reading & Language Arts for Students with LD, E/BD and MR (3)

SPED 322    Mathematics, Science & Social Studies Adaptations for Students with LD, E/BD and MR (3)

SPED 323    Practicum in Reading Assessment & Tutoring* (1)

                 *Must be taken concurrently with SPED 321

SPED 325    Introduction to Assessment (3)

SPED 327    Practicum II (3)

SPED 375    Language & Language Disorders (3)

YEAR 4

SPED 482    Collaboration & Effective Communication Among School Personnel, Families, & Community Organizations (1)

EDUC 484    Media and Computer Technology (1)

Professional Semester

EDUC 406    Directed Teaching in LD, E/BD and Mild MR (11)

EDUC 488    Education Seminar (1)

YEAR 5

EDUC 502    Research Design (3) (Required during the first nine hours)

EDUC 521    Human Growth and Development (3)

EDUC 524    Emergent and Early Literacy Instruction (3)

      OR

EDUC 525    Intermediate to Middle Grade Literacy Education (3)

EDUC 530    Teaching Reading in the Content Area (3)

EDUC 620    School Law

SPED 516    Medical & Neurological Problems of Exceptional Students (3)

SPED 530    Characteristics & Needs of Students with LD, E/BD & MR (3)

SPED 545    Psychoeducational Assessment (3)

SPED 575    Career & Life Planning for Individuals with Disabilities (3)

SPED 600    Thesis Research (3)

      OR

SPED 601    Collaborative Special Education Research (3)

      OR

EDUC 699    Comprehensive Examination* (0)

*(In lieu of the thesis research or collaborative special education research, students selecting the comprehensive exam option must register for the exam and take one of the following courses: ART 543; EDUC 549, 571, 681; MAED 623; MUSC 548; PSYC 523, 552, 660; or SCED 562.  The course selected must not have been taken during the undergraduate years.)

SPED 689    Seminar of Current Issues in Special Education (3)

SPED 690    Internship (3)

TOTAL HOURS REQUIRED BACHELOR'S DEGREE:  126

TOTAL HOURS REQUIRED MASTER'S DEGREE:  36

For more information, contact the Program Coordinator, Dr. Peggy L. Tarpley, Hull Building, Room 237, 434-395-2337, tarpleypl@longwood.edu, mailing address Longwood University, 201 High Street, Farmville, VA 23909.

Site Last Updated:  07-24-2006

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