Special Education PK-12 BS
Major: Special Education PK-12
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Science (BS)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Minimum Required Credits:181.0
Co-op Options: No Co-op (Four years)
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 13.1001
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 25-2051; 25-2055; 25-2056; 20-2057; 25-2058
About the Program
Special educators are in a unique position to support diverse young learners to develop social, emotional, academic, and life skills that will serve them throughout their lives. The role of the special educator is challenging and rewarding and requires extensive knowledge and practical experience and insight into their learners’ unique abilities and challenges. Drexel’s BS in Special Education offers students the opportunity to develop professional knowledge and skills to assist these learners in a full- or part-time online option.
The courses address all required state and federal regulations as well as the Pennsylvania General Standards for Special Education and the competencies and standards outline by the Council of Exceptional Children (CEC). Most courses include a fieldwork component that helps the student apply the skills and content learned in the classroom to real world educational environments. Clearances and field placement applications must be submitted before participating in coursework with classroom-based field components.
The program requires that candidates have a B average (3.0 GPA) in content courses needed for teacher certification in addition to the grade of B or better in each EDEX, EDLT, EDPO,EDUC and MTED courses throughout their time in the program. These requirements must be satisfied for Drexel to recommend the candidates for teacher certification upon graduation and/or be considered to have completed the program.
Additional Information
More information is available at the School of Education's website.
Admission Requirements
- HS Diploma or GED (in last 2 years) plus transcript
- SAT/ACT score no more than 5 years old
Degree Requirements
| General Education/Content Requirements | ||
| Art History or Music Elective (Choose one): | 3.0 | |
| History of Art I | ||
| History of Art II | ||
| History of Art III | ||
| African Art | ||
| Introduction to Music | ||
| BIO 161 | General Biology I | 3.0 |
| BIO 162 | General Biology II | 3.0 |
| Science Elective (Choose One): | 3.0-4.0 | |
| General Chemistry I | ||
| Environmental Science and Society | ||
| Survey of the Universe | ||
| Applied Physics | ||
| COM 111 | Principles of Communication | 3.0 |
| ECON 201 | Principles of Microeconomics | 4.0 |
| ENGL 101 | Composition and Rhetoric I: Inquiry and Exploratory Research | 3.0 |
| or ENGL 111 | English Composition I | |
| ENGL 102 | Composition and Rhetoric II: Advanced Research and Evidence-Based Writing | 3.0 |
| or ENGL 112 | English Composition II | |
| ENGL 103 | Composition and Rhetoric III: Themes and Genres | 3.0 |
| or ENGL 113 | English Composition III | |
| English (Literature) elective: Select course between ENGL 200 - ENGL 360 | 3.0 | |
| HIST 275 | History of Pennsylvania | 3.0 |
| MATH 107 | Probability and Statistics for Liberal Arts | 3.0 |
| MATH 110 | Precalculus | 3.0 |
| MATH 171 | Introduction to Analysis A | 3.0 |
| MATH 172 | Introduction to Analysis B | 3.0 |
| NFS 100 | Nutrition, Foods, and Health | 2.0 |
| NFS 101 | Introduction to Nutrition & Food | 1.0 |
| PSY 101 | General Psychology I | 3.0 |
| PSY 320 [WI] | Educational Psychology | 3.0 |
| PSY 330 | Cognitive Psychology | 3.0 |
| SOC 335 | Sociology of Education | 3.0 |
| Pedagogy Requirements | ||
| EDLT 325 | Design for Learning with Digital Media | 3.0 |
| EDPO 312 | Educational Policy, Law & Advocacy | 3.0 |
| EDUC 101 | Foundations in Education I: A Historical and Philosophical Perspective | 3.0 |
| EDUC 106 | First Year Seminar: A Case of Schools and Cities | 1.0 |
| EDUC 107 | First Year Seminar: Exploring Pedagogies | 1.0 |
| EDUC 108 | First Year Seminar: Designing Learning Spaces | 1.0 |
| EDUC 122 | Development in Early Childhood Education | 3.0 |
| EDUC 205 | Sophomore Pedagogy Seminar | 1.0 |
| EDUC 216 | Diversity and Today's Teacher | 3.0 |
| EDUC 236 | Early Literacy I | 3.0 |
| EDUC 305 [WI] | Junior Pedagogy Seminar | 1.0 |
| EDUC 308 | Creating a Positive Classroom Climate | 3.0 |
| EDUC 314 | Science Teaching Methods | 3.0 |
| EDUC 316 | Teaching in Urban Contexts | 3.0 |
| EDUC 322 | Evaluation of Instruction | 3.0 |
| EDUC 324 | Current Research in Curriculum & Instruction | 3.0 |
| EDUC 336 | Early Literacy II | 3.0 |
| EDUC 355 | Social Studies Teaching Methods | 3.0 |
| EDUC 360 | English/Language Arts Teaching Methods for the Middle Years | 1.5 |
| EDUC 361 | Middle Years Science Methods | 1.5 |
| EDUC 362 | Middle Years Social Studies Methods | 1.5 |
| EDUC 365 | Foundations in Instructing English Language Learners | 3.0 |
| EDUC 405 | Senior Pedagogy Seminar | 1.0 |
| EDUC 411 | Family and Community Partnerships | 3.0 |
| MTED 363 | Middle Years Mathematics Methods (4-8) | 1.5 |
| MTED 417 | Mathematics Methods and Content: Early Childhood | 3.0 |
| MTED 418 | Mathematics Methods and Content | 3.0 |
| Special Education Core Courses | ||
| EDEX 142 | Special Education Foundations: Referral and Assessment | 3.0 |
| EDEX 336 | Special Education Law and Processes | 3.0 |
| EDEX 344 | Inclusive Practices | 3.0 |
| EDEX 348 | Emotional and Behavioral Support of Individuals with Disabilities | 3.0 |
| EDEX 349 | High Incident Disabilities | 3.0 |
| EDEX 350 | Teaching Individuals with Low Incident Disabilities | 3.0 |
| EDEX 352 | Integrating Technology for Learning & Achievement | 3.0 |
| EDEX 355 | Teaching Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders | 3.0 |
| EDEX 368 [WI] | Literacy and Content Skill Development PK-12 | 3.0 |
| EDEX 375 | Teaching STEAM in an Inclusive Environment PK-12 | 3.0 |
| EDEX 378 | Special Education: Methods & Practices PK-12 | 3.0 |
| EDEX 388 | Implementing Academic Interventions in Inclusive Educational Environments | 3.0 |
| Student Teaching Experience | ||
| EDUC 409 [WI] | Student Teaching Seminar I | 9.0 |
| EDEX 414 [WI] | Special Education Student Teaching Seminar | 9.0 |
| Free Elective | 3.0 | |
| Total Credits | 181.0-182.0 | |
Writing-Intensive Course Requirements
In order to graduate, all students must pass three writing-intensive courses after their freshman year. Two writing-intensive courses must be in a student's major. The third can be in any discipline. Students are advised to take one writing-intensive class each year, beginning with the sophomore year, and to avoid “clustering” these courses near the end of their matriculation. Transfer students need to meet with an academic advisor to review the number of writing-intensive courses required to graduate.
A "WI" next to a course in this catalog may indicate that this course can fulfill a writing-intensive requirement. For the most up-to-date list of writing-intensive courses being offered, students should check the Writing Intensive Course List at the University Writing Program. Students scheduling their courses can also conduct a search for courses with the attribute "WI" to bring up a list of all writing-intensive courses available that term.
Sample Plan of Study
| First Year (Part-Time) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| EDUC 101 | 3.0 | EDUC 107 | 1.0 | EDEX 142 | 3.0 | EDUC 216 | 3.0 |
| EDUC 106 | 1.0 | EDUC 122 | 3.0 | EDUC 108 | 1.0 | ENGL 103 | 3.0 |
| ENGL 101 | 3.0 | ENGL 102 | 3.0 | Free Elective | 3.0 | HIST 275 | 3.0 |
| PSY 101 | 3.0 | MATH 171 | 3.0 | MATH 172 | 3.0 | ||
| 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | ||||
| Second Year (Part-Time) | |||||||
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| BIO 161 | 3.0 | BIO 162 | 3.0 | EDUC 236 | 3.0 | EDEX 336 | 3.0 |
| EDEX 344 | 3.0 | EDEX 368 | 3.0 | EDUC 305 | 1.0 | EDPO 312 | 3.0 |
| EDUC 205 | 1.0 | EDUC 322 | 3.0 | EDUC 308 | 3.0 | Art History or Music Elective | 3.0 |
| MATH 107 | 3.0 | EDUC 365 | 3.0 | ||||
| 10 | 9 | 10 | 9 | ||||
| Third Year (Part-Time) | |||||||
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| EDEX 349 | 3.0 | EDEX 355 | 3.0 | EDEX 352 | 3.0 | EDEX 350 | 3.0 |
| EDEX 375 | 3.0 | EDUC 316 | 3.0 | Literature Elective | 3.0 | EDLT 325 | 3.0 |
| MATH 110 | 3.0 | NFS 100 | 2.0 | Science Elective | 3.0-4.0 | EDUC 355 | 3.0 |
| NFS 101 | 1.0 | ||||||
| 9 | 9 | 9-10 | 9 | ||||
| Fourth Year (Part-Time) | |||||||
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| EDEX 378 | 3.0 | EDEX 348 | 3.0 | EDEX 388 | 3.0 | EDUC 360 | 1.5 |
| EDUC 324 | 3.0 | EDUC 314 | 3.0 | EDUC 336 | 3.0 | EDUC 361 | 1.5 |
| EDUC 411 | 3.0 | PSY 320 | 3.0 | MTED 417 | 3.0 | EDUC 362 | 1.5 |
| MTED 363 | 1.5 | ||||||
| 9 | 9 | 9 | 6 | ||||
| Fifth Year (Part-Time) | |||||||
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| EDUC 405 | 1.0 | EDEX 414 | 9.0 | COM 111 | 3.0 | MTED 418 | 3.0 |
| EDUC 409 | 9.0 | ECON 201 | 4.0 | PSY 330 | 3.0 | ||
| SOC 335 | 3.0 | ||||||
| 10 | 9 | 10 | 6 | ||||
| Total Credits 181-182 | |||||||
Education Faculty
Jennifer Adams, EdD (Harvard University). Associate Professor. Comparative and international education; Poverty and education; Child welfare; Educational policy.
Ayana Allen, PhD (Texas A&M University ). Associate Professor. Urban education; Identity construction in school contexts; Urban school transformation.
Kristen Betts, EdD (George Washington University). Clinical Professor. Higher education administration and governance, online blended education, instructional design and educational technology, program assessment and evaluation.
Eric Brewe, PhD (Arizona State University). Associate Professor. Physics Education Research, introductory course reform, network analysis in learning, neuromechanisms of learning.
Stephanie Smith Budhai, PhD (Drexel University). Associate Clinical Professor. Teacher and higher education, culturally responsive teaching, equity and social justice, online learning, community engagement and service-learning, family involvement and partnerships, and learning technologies.
José Luis Chávez, EdD (University of Southern California). Clinical Professor. Higher education leadership and administration.
Rebecca Clothey, PhD (University of Pittsburgh) Department Head, Global Studies and Modern Languages. Professor. Comparative and international education, education of ethnic and linguistic minorities, refugees, China studies.
James Connell, PhD (Louisiana State University) Founding Clinical Core Director and Research Fellow, A.J. Drexel Autism Institute. Associate Professor. Identifying the variables that influence adult behavior change in community settings; autism intervention; widespread dissemination of evidence-based interventions in school and community settings.
Kareem Edouard, PhD (Stanford University). Assistant Professor. Educational technology; internet-based STEM learning; equity and inclusion in STEM education
Salvatore V. Falletta, EdD (North Carolina State University). Clinical Professor. Human Resource intelligence (i.e., HR research and analytics practices); HRD assessment, measurement, and evaluation models and taxonomies; organizational diagnostic models; web-based employee and organizational survey methods, and computational modeling.
Aroutis N. Foster, PhD (Michigan State University) Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Graduate Studies. Professor. Educational psychology and educational technology, especially the following: Motivation; Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK); Immersive Interactive Digital Environments (simulation, games, virtual realities.
Rajashi Ghosh, PhD (University of Louisville, Kentucky) Department Chair for Policy, Organization & Leadership. Associate Professor. Mentoring and leader development, workplace Incivility, workplace learning and development.
John M. Gould, PhD (University of Pittsburgh) Harrisburg EdD Educational Leadership & Change Program. Clinical Professor. Change leadership, curriculum re-design, the impact of technology on learning.
Dominic F. Gullo, PhD (Indiana University). Professor. Studying the relative and long-range effects of early schooling experiences in prekindergarten and kindergarten on children's achievement and social adaptation to school routine.
H. Bernard Hall, PhD (Temple University). Assistant Professor. Hip-hop Pedagogy, English Education, Urban Teacher Education.
Paul Harrington, PhD (University of Massachusetts, Boston) Director, Center for Labor Markets and Policy. Professor. Teen and young adult job access; economic outlook, college labor market; workforce development, planning, and development; vocational rehabilitation and job market transition.
Michael J. Haslip, PhD (Old Dominion University). Assistant Professor. Early childhood education, social and emotional learning, child guidance strategies, effects of public pre-school attendance.
Deanna Hill, JD, PhD (University of Pittsburgh). Associate Clinical Professor. Higher education, international education, education law, education policy
Erin Horvat, PhD (University of California, Los Angeles) Senior Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs. Professor. Urban education, access and equity, high school dropout, parent involvement/family involvement, community engagement in research.
Jennifer Katz-Buonincontro, PhD (University of Oregon) Associate Dean of Research. Associate Professor. Educational administration, leadership development, survey & instrument design.
Larry Keiser, PhD (Drexel University). Assistant Clinical Professor. Education and corporate/business leaders’ creativity and entrepreneurial mindsets; creative school/work environments; neuroscience of creativity; everyday creativity for teachers and educators.
Kristy Kelly, PhD (University of Wisconsin, Madison). Associate Clinical Professor. Sociology of gender and development; anthropology of policy; comparative and international education; qualitative research methods; Vietnam and Southeast Asia.
Cameron Kiosoglous, PhD (Virginia Tech University) Program Director. Assistant Clinical Professor. Coached on the USRowing National Team staff since 2002, including the 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016 Olympic Games; coaching development; measuring coaching quality; self-insight and reflective practices; coaching leadership; conference presenter; published author.
Valerie Klein, PhD (Amherst College). Associate Clinical Professor. Mathematics learning and teaching; teacher's use of formative assessment in mathematics; creating opportunities for rich problem solving in the classroom; examining teachers growth and change; qualitative research methods.
Peggy Kong, PhD (Harvard University). Associate Clinical Professor. Comparative and international education, equity in education, family and community, Chinese education and society, sociology of education
Michael G. Kozak, Ed.D. (Rowan University). Assistant Clinical Professor. Leadership, STEAM, online and blended learning environments, systems thinking, experiential learning, K-12 education, and facilitating change
Amanda Lannie, PhD (Syracuse University). Assistant Clinical Professor. Applied behavior analysis and special education; School-based consultation; system-wide interventions as a mechanism for delivery supports to all students; Designing effective and efficient interventions for students with emotional/behavioral disorders.
Vera Lee, EdD (University of Pennsylvania) Department Chair for Teaching, Learning & Curriculum. Associate Clinical Professor. Practitioner Research in online courses to explore inservice/preservice teachers’ emerging understandings about issues of diversity; the development of information/digital literacies of urban youth; English language learners.
Bruce Levine, JD (New York University). Associate Clinical Professor. Educational policy, school law, public-private partnerships, intersection of business and education.
Kristine Lewis-Grant, PhD (Temple University). Clinical Professor. Experiences of students of African descent at predominantly white colleges and universities, college access and college student development, youth civic engagement in urban school reform, qualitative research and evaluation.
William Lynch, PhD (University of Maryland). Professor. Curriculum and educational leadership, educational technology, distance learning policy development, higher and adult education.
Constance Lyttle, PhD, JD (University of Pittsburgh, Duquesne University). Clinical Professor. Legal rights of gifted and talented children and children with disabilities; inclusive education of exceptional children; special education mediation; special education IEP/IFSP facilitation; resolution session facilitation
Joy Phillips, PhD (The University of Texas at Austin). Associate Clinical Professor. Visionary leadership in theory and practice, school reform as innovative problem-setting, thinking qualitatively about school reform. thinking about school reform by drawing, Educational Leadership Program Assessment.
Kathleen Provinzano, PhD (Marywood University). Assistant Professor. Educational administration.
Harriette Rasmussen, EdD (Fielding Graduate University). Assistant Clinical Professor. Educational leadership and change.
Lori Severino, EdD (Neumann University). Assistant Professor. Special education, differentiated instruction, reading, Wilson language, multi-sensory instruction, reading comprehension, assessment, adolescent literacy.
Jason Silverman, PhD (Vanderbilt University). Professor. Teaching and learning of advanced mathematical ideas (algebra and calculus); improving teachers' ability to orchestrate and sustain inquiry-based and discussion-based instruction; technology in mathematics education.
Janet Sloand, EdD (Duquesne University) Department Chair for Teaching, Learning & Curriculum. Associate Clinical Professor. Special Education Leadership, Trauma-informed care, Parent engagement in special education service delivery.
Toni A. Sondergeld, PhD (University of Toledo). Associate Professor. Cognitive and affective assessment development; program/grant evaluation; high stakes testing measurement; STEM education; urban education
Bridget Sweeney Blakely, PhD (Temple University). Assistant Clinical Professor. Consultation; Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS); Response to Intervention (Rtl); Systems-level change; performance feedback
Mary Jean Tecce DeCarlo, EdD (University of Pennsylvania). Associate Clinical Professor. Early literacy development, learning differences, knowledge construction, urban education.
Sarah P. Ulrich, EdD (Saint Joseph’s University) Associate Dean of Teacher Education and Undergraduate Affairs. Clinical Professor. Cross-cultural, language and academic development, school reform, teacher preparation, teacher retention, teacher residencies in urban contexts.
Sheila Vaidya, PhD (Temple University). Professor. Educational psychology, school psychology, research design.
Christina Vorndran, PhD (Louisiana State University) Program Director, Applied Behavior Analysis and Special Education. Clinical Professor. Designing effective and efficient community-based interventions, Severe behavior disorders, Functional behavior assessment
Christopher G. Wright, PhD (Tufts University). Assistant Professor. Engineering and science education, Urban education, elementary teacher education.
Emeritus Faculty
Mary Jo Grdina, PhD (Case Western Reserve University). Clinical Professor. Undergraduate studies, science education, curriculum design.
Joyce Pittman, PhD (Iowa State University of Science and Technology). Clinical Professor. Curriculum and instruction K-16; teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL); instructional design business education and administration; industrial and career technology; oral and written communication; research methodology; instructional and assistive technology assessment; online learning pedagogy
Fredricka K. Reisman, PhD (Syracuse University) School of Education, Founder, Drexel School of Education. Professor Emerita. Director, Freddie Reisman Center for Translational Research in Creativity and Motivation, Creator and Former Director-Creativity and Innovation Programs, Co-Director- Drexel/Torrance Center for Creativity and Innovation, Drexel University Named Recognition- Freddie Reisman Faculty Scholarly and Creative Activity Awards
