Special Education
Office: 1380 Lawrence Street Center, 701
Telephone: 303-315-6300
E-mail: academicservices@ucdenver.edu
Website: www.ucdenver.edu/education
Overview
The Special Education (SPED) program emphasizes the development of reflective practitioners through trans-disciplinary training, fosters reflective inquiry about teaching and learning, as well as the development of the skills, knowledge, and dispositions necessary to teach in elementary and secondary classrooms serving students with disAbilities. Reflection and inquiry provide an informed and integrated basis for advocating for all learners.
The Master of Arts (MA) in Special Education offers three degree paths:
- MA in Special Education (Personalized Professional): The customizable 30 credit hour MA path provides the opportunity for you to tailor your coursework to your specific needs as an educator. Students have the flexibility to choose courses from across all SEHD programs for additional learning from the from the Thematic Course Categories list to allow for a more in-depth approach to the field. The Thematic Course Categories is a collection of courses across all SEHD disciplines designed to allow students to expand student learning. This MA does NOT lead to a license or an endorsement.
- MA plus endorsement: The MA plus endorsement allows students to complete an MA, and add a SPED Generalist Ages 5-21 endorsement to their current teaching license. Recommendation for endorsement is made by the SPED Program, but endorsement is granted by the State of Colorado. Individual State requirements vary and may include teaching experience and in addition to a valid teaching credential. Students should consult with the Colorado Department of Education or the state in which they wish to be endorsed for the most updated endorsement requirements.
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MA in Special Education with ABA certificate. This option is for students completing an ABA certificate through a program at CU Anschutz. Students can also earn an MA in Special Education by taking nine additional credits and a practicum. Graduates will acquire the degree and supervision hours needed to sit for the BCBA exam. This option does NOT lead to a special education license or endorsement.
The time needed to complete the various special education program options varies based on previous experience, coursework, and needs of students. In addition to traditional on-campus offerings, a wide selection of courses are available in remote and online formats. During the academic year, core special education courses are typically scheduled in late afternoons and evenings to avoid conflict with teaching responsibilities. Course formats and offerings are subject to change.
If you are not yet a licensed teacher and are seeking an initial teaching license in Special Education, please see our Master of Arts in Teaching program.
If you are interested in the Early Childhood Special Education Specialist (Birth-8 years) endorsement, please see the Early Childhood Special Education Specialist Endorsement program.
Faculty
Associate Professors:
Amy Ferrell, PhD, University of Colorado Boulder | Special Education
Clinical Associate Professors:
Caron Westland, PhD
Clinical Assistant Professors:
Jennifer Fox, EdD, University of Colorado Denver | Director of ASPIRE to Teach
Special Education (SPED) Courses
SPED 5000 - Universal Design for Learning (UDL) (3 Credits)
This course introduces Universal Design for Learning (UDL), an important educational philosophy and set of principles & techniques that focuses on strategies and tools to help ALL students by accommodating their differences in inclusive classroom settings. Cross-listed with SPED 4400. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
SPED 5010 - Intentional Interventions for Exceptional Learners (3 Credits)
This course provides instructional strategies and interventions for students with a wide variety of disabilities. Implications for targeted and intensive interventions and assessment are considered. Cross-listed with SPED 4010. Max hours: 3 Credits
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
SPED 5030 - Understanding (dis)Ability in Contemporary Classrooms (3 Credits)
This course provides an overview of special education by examining the history of special education, construction of dis/ability, characteristics of individuals with disabilities, aspects of disproportionality, and introduction to evidence-based instructional practices. Restriction: Restricted to graduate students in the SEHD or Teacher Education minors. Cross-listed with SPED 4030. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Restriction: Restricted to graduate students in the SEHD or Teacher Education minors.
SPED 5050 - Assessment & Advocacy for Multilingual Learners (3 Credits)
Students learn to gather and use assessment results within a strengths-based framework to advocate for appropriate programming, placement, instruction, and ongoing progress monitoring of multilingual students. Special attention is paid to linguistic and cultural bias in the field of assessment. Cross-listed with CLDE 5050. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
SPED 5120 - Negotiating The Special Education Teaching Process (3 Credits)
This course explores both theoretical and practical aspects of educating students with special needs. Students will examine the nature of disability, the history and legal basis for special education programming in American schools, as well as contemporary law governing the education of persons with disabilities. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
SPED 5140 - Assessment: Inquiry, Instruction, & Intervention (3 Credits)
Using a variety of assessment tools, students will focus on the educational assessment methods and procedures used in decision making and program planning for students with exceptional learning needs, with attention to pervasive issues pertaining to students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Cross-listed with SPED 4140. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
SPED 5151 - Slashing Stigmas: Promoting Positive Behaviors (3 Credits)
This course works to transform perspectives and practices related to supporting student behavior in classrooms. Students will learn important considerations related to culture, race, gender and socioeconomic status, as they intersect with behavior and social emotional development. Cross-listed with SPED 4151. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
SPED 5210 - Foundations for Understanding Behavior (3 Credits)
This course is designed to provide a foundational understanding of behaviors commonly witnessed in the classroom. It will provide strategies for assessment and guidance on legal processes which guide the development of individualized education and behavior plans. Specialize instructional methods and current events impacting the social emotional educations of students will also be discussed. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
SPED 5300 - Family, Professional, and Community Collaboration (3 Credits)
Focuses on the development of competencies in consultation and collaboration. The overall purpose is to encourage the development of understanding and skills that enhance a teacher's ability to work and communicate effectively with school personnel, including paraprofessionals and parents. The goal of collaboration is to support and determine together the instructional scenarios that best meet the needs of students. Specific competencies include problem solving, conflict resolution, data collection or observation skills, conferencing, facilitating meetings, and interacting with others while respecting diverse discourses and multicultural backgrounds. Cross-listed with SPED 4300. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
SPED 5401 - Advanced Seminar in Special Education (3 Credits)
Designed to allow an opportunity for special educators to compare and contrast the service delivery, funding mechanisms, professional ethics, and underlying assumptions of special and regular education. Trends in the field of special education are examined through review of current research. Repeatable. Max Hours: 6 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Repeatable. Max Credits: 6.
SPED 5450 - Introduction to ABA and Terminology (3 Credits)
This course will introduce the history and basics of ABA with a focus on its related terminology. In addition, ABA benefits will be discussed, and emphasis placed on ethical considerations required for practicing ABA as a board Certified Behavior Analyst. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
SPED 5460 - ABA Practical Applications (3 Credits)
This course will provide a framework for the natural science of behavior. It will provide students with a systematic approach to understanding and precisely describing the behavior of individuals, and its relationship to environmental determinants. Prereq: SPED 5450. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
SPED 5470 - ABA Data (3 Credits)
SPED 5471 - Ethics and Implementation ABA (3 Credits)
This course is designed to teach you ethical and professional conduct considerations in applied behavior analysis. We will review behavior change systems and implementation issues in the conduct of applied behavior analysis. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
SPED 5480 - ABA Advanced Data and Behavioral Plans and Applications (3 Credits)
Student will learn to use standard celeration charts and make data-driven decisions to write appropriate behavioral plans. They will also learn to use ABA strategies to enhance communication, to support individuals with ASD, and to benefit from systems supports. Prereq: SPED 5450, 5460, 5470. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
SPED 5481 - Introduction to Organizational Behavior Management (3 Credits)
This course will provide an overview of contemporary research and practice in the field of Organizational Behavior Management (OBM) in organizational settings, including but not limited to health care, behavioral health, clinical, and educational settings. Students will be introduced to the foundations of OBM during this class. Prereq: SPED 5450 and SPED 5470. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
SPED 5490 - Autism In Early Intervention (3 Credits)
This course will provide students with the knowledge necessary to implement recommended, evidence-based practices with young children with autism. The course will provide information on the etiology of autism, diagnostic procedures, evidence-based practices, and how to support families who have a young child diagnosed on the spectrum. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
SPED 5491 - Theory and Philosophy of Behaviorism (3 Credits)
The experimental analysis of behavior is a conceptual framework for the natural science of behavior. In contrast, Behaviorism is the philosophy of this science, and has been a controversial topic for the past century. Many objections arise from misconceptions about that science and the philosophy. Behaviorism and ABA will be the focus of this class. Prereq: SPED 5450, SPED 5470 and SPED 5481. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
SPED 5495 - Advanced Topics in Applied Behavior Analysis (3 Credits)
Students will learn how to apply basic behavioral principles to either novel client populations or using nuanced behavioral theories, like behavioral momentum theory or behavior economics. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
SPED 5500 - Transition and Secondary Methods in Special Education (3 Credits)
This course provides school leaders and practitioner with an understanding of the special education transition process as specified by federal and state guidelines, as well as effective teaching and learning strategies for secondary youth with disabilities. Cross-listed with SPED 4500. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
SPED 5530 - Language & Literacy Acqusition Div Lrn (3 Credits)
This course investigates the relationship between language and literacy acquisition. In the context of first and second language acquisition across the lifespan, the course focuses on bilingual and second language development, and on the acquisition of literacy by young children. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
SPED 5600 - Special Education Law: Ethics and Compliance (3 Credits)
Designed for school leaders and professionals to understand special education law and compare and contrast service delivery options . Cross-listed with SPED 4600. Repeatable. Max Hours: 6 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Repeatable. Max Credits: 6.
SPED 5740 - Intersections of Literacy, Culture, & Exceptionality (3 Credits)
This course provides a foundational understanding of the complex intersections between literacy, culture, language, learning, and students with (dis)abilities. A primary goal is to address the particular needs of culturally and linguistically diverse learners with exceptionalities, while also exploring the distinctions between language development and learning disabilities. Cross-listed with SPED 4740. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
SPED 5780 - Literacy Intervention for Exceptional Learners (3 Credits)
Provides the practitioner with an understanding of research-validated approaches, strategies, assessment tools and issues related to effective literacy instruction for students performing significantly below grade level. Practitioners can expect to be able to conduct thorough literacy assessments as well as be able to develop, implement, and evaluate individual reading and writing programs for individual students with the most challenging literacy needs. Cross-listed with SPED 4780. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
SPED 5835 - Special Topics (1-6 Credits)
Repeatable. Max Hours: 6 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Repeatable. Max Credits: 6.
SPED 5840 - Independent Study: SPED (1-4 Credits)
Repeatable. Max Hours: 4 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Repeatable. Max Credits: 4.
SPED 5918 - ABA Practicum (1 Credit)
The purpose of this practicum is to provide additional learning opportunities in the areas of working directly with clients / consumers, implementing evidence-based treatments to address behaviors of social significance, implementing treatment plans, and monitoring and analyzing data to make data-based decisions. Students must complete 1000 hours to meet BCBA requirements and 670 hours for BCaBA requirements. 100 hours is equivalent to 1 credit. Max hours: 10 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade with IP
Repeatable. Max Credits: 10.
SPED 5919 - ABA Intensive Practicum (0.5-5 Credits)
Supervised field experience with a Board Certified Behavior Analyst for time spent directly working with individuals who require behavioral support. Students must complete 750 hours to meet BCBA requirements and 500 hours for BCaBA requirements. 75 hours is equivalent to 1 credit. Repeatable. Max Hours: 9 Credits.
Grading Basis: Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory
Repeatable. Max Credits: 9.
SPED 5930 - Special Education Generalist Internship and Site Seminar I (2 Credits)
Special education teacher candidates engage in systematic observation of, participation in, design of and reflection on inclusive curricular, instruction and management practices. Graduated learning activities for each internship and time requirements are specified in the School Internship handbook and the Special Education Guidelines. In partner school, the site coordinator and site professor are responsible for coaching, supervision and site seminars. In internship outside partner school settings, cooperating teachers, district coordinators and/or university professors work with teacher candidates in the classroom and in seminars. Max hours: 2 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
SPED 5931 - Special Education Generalist Internship and Site Seminar II (2 Credits)
Special education teacher candidates engage in systematic observation of, participation in, design of and reflection on inclusive curricular, instruction and management practices. Graduated learning activities for each internship and time requirements are specified in the School Internship handbook and the Special Education Guidelines. In partner school, the site coordinator and site professor are responsible for coaching, supervision and site seminars. In internship outside partner school settings, cooperating teachers, district coordinators and/or university professors work with teacher candidates in the classroom and in seminars. Repeatable. Max Hours: 9 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Repeatable. Max Credits: 9.
SPED 5932 - Special Education Generalist Internship and Site Seminar III (2 Credits)
Special education teacher candidates engage in systematic observation of, participation in, design of and reflection on inclusive curricular, instruction and management practices. Graduated learning activities for each internship and time requirements are specified in the School Internship handbook and the Special Education Guidelines. In partner school, the site coordinator and site professor are responsible for coaching, supervision and site seminars. In internship outside partner school settings, cooperating teachers, district coordinators and/or university professors work with teacher candidates in the classroom and in seminars. Repeatable. Max Hours: 9 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Repeatable. Max Credits: 9.
SPED 5933 - Special Education Generalist Internship and Site Seminar IV (3-8 Credits)
Special education teacher candidates engage in systematic observation of, participation in, design of and reflection on inclusive curricular, instruction and management practices. Graduated learning activities for each internship and time requirements are specified in the School Internship handbook and the Special Education Guidelines. In partner school, the site coordinator and site professor are responsible for coaching, supervision and site seminars. In internship outside partner school settings, cooperating teachers, district coordinators and/or university professors work with teachers, and candidates in the classroom and in seminars. Repeatable. Max Hours: 9 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Repeatable. Max Credits: 9.
SPED 5934 - Extended Internship & Learning Community (2-8 Credits)
Teacher candidates seeking Special Education licensure engage in systematic observation of, participation in, design of, and reflection on curricular, instructional, and management practices across the full range of educational programs within a school. Additionally, they participate in the activities of a professional learning community. Repeatable. Cross-listed with SPED 4934. Max hours: 8 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Repeatable. Max Credits: 8.
Typically Offered: Fall, Spring.
SPED 6110 - Foundations of Special Education Leadership (3 Credits)
Introduction to the foundations of special education leadership. Course intended for participants in the Director of Special Education endorsement program. Max hours: 3 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
SPED 7840 - Independent Study: SPED (1-6 Credits)
Repeatable. Max hours: 6 Credits.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Repeatable. Max Credits: 6.