Dual Certification- Elementary & Special Education

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Program Description   

The Dual Certification program is designed for college graduates with a bachelor's degree in a field other than education to become teaching professionals.  Individuals who have the desire to work with exceptional children and youth will gain the knowledge and skills to teach students with a wide variety of needs.

This intensive program combines coursework in special education with coursework in elementary education and clinical experiences in schools. It prepares teachers who can work either as regular classroom teachers or as special educators, allowing graduates to pursue multiple career options.

Distinctive DePaul Features

The Special Education Program

  • Offers a unique career change opportunity for college graduates
  • Offers an accelerated schedule of courses
  • Provides certification in both elementary education and special education
  • Prepares candidates to be leaders as schools address the mandated Response to Intervention (RTI)

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Roles of Special Educators

Special Educators or Learning and Behavior Specialists (LBS1) is the desired credentials if you intend to become a special educator to work with students students who have:

  • Learning Disabilities
  • Social/Emotional Disabilities
  • Mental Retardation
  • Physical Disabilities
  • Autism
  • Traumatic brain injuries
Special educators may serve in a variety of settings in schools:
  • Team teachers in inclusion classrooms
  • Consultants to general education teachers
  • Response to Intervention specialists
  • Resource room teachers
  • Self-contained special education classroom teachers

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Degree Requirements

Masters of Education-M.Ed.  requires 18 courses plus student Teaching (80 quarter hours)

Masters of Arts-M.A  requires 18 courses  plus student teaching and including a masters thesis (84 quarter hours)

For more detailed degree requirements click here

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Admission Requirements

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State Certification Tests

To obtain the Type 10 Certificate from the State of Illinois, students must pass

  • Basic Skills Test
  • Elementary Education Content Area Test
  • Behavior Specialist 1  (LBS1) Test
  • General Curriculum for Special Educators
  • the K-12 version of the APT test. (unless you have fulfilled it already)

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Field Experience & Student Teaching

Field Experience

Teacher certification programs require a range of field experience hours (100-200 hours depending on the program) These practical experiences offer a gradual introduction to a teacher's role and help students see connections between theory and practice. In addition students may initiate the process of networking to develop job opportunities.

All field experience hours are attached to specific education courses. Since field experiences are a part of course requirements they must be completed during the 11 weeks of the quarter.  Assignments that provide the basis for the field experience will be provided by the course instructor. Field experience hours must be completed in a classroom setting during the school day and be supervised by a certified teacher.  Field experience requirements apply to all students including those who are working.

Field experiences must be completed in a least 3 different schools and the majority must be completed in a public school setting.  Students must have documented experiences throughout the entire grade range of the expected certificate (Early Childhood: Birth-3rd grade; Elementary: K-8th grade; Secondary: 6-12th grade; Dual Certification: K-12th grade). Students must complete 10-15 hours with exceptional children and in classrooms where at least 20% of the class is of a culture, language, or racial/ethnic group that is different from their own.

For more detailed information about field experiences click here.


Student Teaching

Student teaching is the culminating event of the certification program. Students will cooperate with an established educator. Responsibilities begin with interactive duties such as small group instruction and will progress to co-teaching lessons, teaching on their own with direct supervision, and finally being in charge of the class. This full-time, intensive experience varies in length depending on the program:
  • 16 weeks Dual Certification
  • 12 weeks Early Childhood
  • 10 weeks Elementary
  • 10 weeks Secondary

For more information on student teaching click here.

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