Introduction

Please click here to see School of Education & Human Development information.

The need for highly qualified, culturally and linguistically responsive special education teachers is on the rise in Colorado and the nation. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, it is estimated that nearly 280,000 special education teaching positions will need to be filled over the next decade (2016). The Special Education track of CU Denver's bachelor's degree in Education and Human Development prepares students to step into these roles and address the exceptional learning needs of individuals ages five to 21.

The Special Education program combines cutting-edge research with real classroom experiences. You will learn from faculty who are locally, nationally and internationally recognized for their research and innovation. They will provide you with critical knowledge and interventions to teach students with exceptional learning needs. You will be able to apply your new knowledge through frequent, powerful hands-on classroom experiences, and benefit from the advantage of our rich 20-year history of school and community partnerships.

The program is designed to enhance your ability to effectively support diverse, urban students with disabilities in K-12 public schools and alternative settings. Faculty members will foster your growth as a teacher and educational leader who promotes inclusion and equity for all. This program strives to help you:

• Gain a holistic understanding of special education
• Collaborate with schools and communities
• Engage in culturally and linguistically responsive teaching and leadership

A unique feature of this pathway is that you will be able to add the Colorado Department of Education's elementary endorsement to your credentials. Essentially, you'll leave this program with both the Special Education License and Elementary Education Endorsement through the Colorado Department of Education. This means you are prepared to teach Special Education AND K-6, making you highly employable and desirable to schools!

Students in this track have the opportunity to apply for the Bachelors to Masters Program (BAMA) during their junior year. The BAMA allows students to take 9 credits of their professional year program at the graduate level and apply them to one of 8 MA degrees in the SEHD.

Program Delivery

• This is an on-campus program with a variety of delivery options for many of our courses including hybrid, evening, weekend and online courses.

Declaring This Major

• Click here to go to information about declaring a major.

General Requirements

To earn this 126 credit hour BA, students must satisfy all requirements in each of the three areas below, in addition to their individual major requirements. Students should declare their intent to pursue this degree as early as possible to avoid taking classes that not count toward their degree.

• CU Denver General Graduation Requirements   
• CU Denver Core Curriculum    
• School of Education and Human Development Graduation Requirements   
• Click here for information about Academic Policies

Program Requirements

1. Students must complete a total of 126 semester hours for the Education and Human Development, EDHD, - BA Special Education Track
2. Students must take the appropriate Praxis Test during their Junior year to complete licensure requirements.
3. An application process is required to continue into your last year/Professional Year. After successfully completing the first three years of the program, all students must apply for admission into the Professional Year. Requirements for admission include a 3.0 GPA, positive letters of recommendation, successful evaluations of earlier clinical experiences, and a successful interview. (Students with a lower GPA may be considered under certain conditions. Please visit the SEHD website.)
4. A minimum GPA of 2.0, grade of C or better, is required for all major courses applying to EDHD BA Special Education.
5. Students must complete and maintain a 3.0 minimum grade point average in Professional Year coursework to complete licensure requirements. Please see an advisor for more information on this requirement.
6. Transfer courses must be approved by faculty and/or advisor to apply to the major.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Major Courses
A grade of C or better is required for all courses.
CLDE 2000	CLDE Foundations 1	3
CLDE 4020	Responsive Classroom Communities 1	3
EDFN 1000	Equality, Rights & Education	3
or LCRT 2000	Rebels, Villains, & Superheroes: How Children's Literature Shapes Our Identities
or LCRT 3815	Once Upon a Time: Family Literacies in Culturally Diverse Communities
EDFN 4010	Social Foundations and Cultural Diversity in Urban Education 1	3
HDFR 1010	Life Span Development in Ecological Settings	3
INTE 2000	Digital Teaching and Learning	3
LCRT 3720	Introduction to Writing Development and Teaching	3
LCRT 4710	Inclusive Early Literacy Development and Instruction	3
MTED 3040	Mathematics for Elementary Teachers 1	3
SPED 4030	Understanding (dis)Ability in Contemporary Classrooms 1	3
EDHD 1930	Community Based Field Experience & Seminar 1	3
EDHD 2930	Learning & Development Field Experience & Seminar 1	3
EDHD 3930	Diverse Learners Field Experience & Seminar 1	3
SPED 4151	Slashing Stigmas: Promoting Positive Behaviors	3
SPED 4300	Family, Professional, and Community Collaboration	3
SPED 4400	Universal Design for Learning (UDL)	3
SPED 4740	Intersections of Literacy, Culture, & Exceptionality	3
or CLDE 3830	Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching through STEM
SPED 4780	Literacy Intervention for Exceptional Learners	3
Professional Year Courses
A minimum grade of B- is required in each course.
LCRT 4000	Elementary Literacy Instruction and Assessment Part 1	3
MTED 4002	Elementary Mathematics Teaching I	3
MTED 4003	Elementary Mathematics Teaching II	3
SPED 4010	Intentional Interventions for Exceptional Learners	3
SPED 4140	Assessment: Inquiry, Instruction, & Intervention	3
SPED 4500	Transition and Secondary Methods in Special Education	3
UEDU 4040	Planning for Learning	3
UEDU 4931	Internship & Lrng Comm I 1	2
UEDU 4932	Internship & Lrng Comm II 1	2
UEDU 4933	Internship & Lrng Comm III 1	6
General Electives
Additional General Electives hours may be needed to reach the required 126 hours for the EDHD - BA Special Education.
Total Hours		85

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Courses require a grade of B- or better

To review the Degree Map for this program, please visit our website.