Education Specialist:Mild/Moderate Disabilities Teacher Preparation Program and M.S. Degree in Education

The Special Education Programs at Mount St. Mary's College have been designed to provide you with many professional options. The core of your program will be the two level Education Specialist Credential Program. The Preliminary Level I Program includes general and special education courses and field experiences. Upon completion of the Level I program, you will obtain a special education teaching position (if you don’t already have one) and begin the Professional Level II Program. The Professional Level II Program will support your continued professional development through an assigned support provider, advanced course work and professional development options. Since the Level II Program includes a required elective, many students take this opportunity to complete a masters degree. The Preliminary and Professional Education Specialist Programs have been approved by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.

Preliminary Education Specialist: Mild/Moderate Disabilities Teacher Preparation Program (37-38 units)

General Education Course Requirements (9-10 units)
For the general education requirements, you will select an elementary or secondary emphasis. These courses will all apply toward a general education credential and CLAD certificate.

EDU 253 Linguistics Applied to Diverse Student Populations (3)
EDU 250 Elementary Instruction: Theory & Practice (3) or
EDU 266 Secondary Instruction: Theory & Practice (4)
EDU 256 Language & Literacy: Elementary Curriculum (3)
EDU 316L Intensive Fieldwork: Elementary (0) or
EDU 364L Intensive Fieldwork: Secondary (0)

Special Education Course Requirements (15 units)
EDU 270B Special Populations: Supporting Educational Access and Equity (3)
EDU 271 Educational Assessment of Students with Disabilities (3)
EDU 272 Classroom Management for Students with Learning & Behavior Problems (3)
EDU 275 Language Arts Instruction for Students with Special Needs (3)
EDU 276 Content Area Instruction for Students with Special Needs (3)

Supervised Teaching Requirements (13 units)
For these experiences, you will be placed in a Teacher Center classroom with a carefully selected master teacher. If you are teaching, you may complete some of these requirements in your own classroom. Teachers with a regular education credential may waive six units of supervised teaching. In the accompanying seminar you will compile your Professional Educator Teaching Portfolio. If you don’t already have a job, this impressive document will convince any principal of your competence as a special educator.

EDU 378 Supervised Teaching: Mild/Moderate Disabilities (6-12)
EDU 320 Supervised Teaching Seminar (1)

Professional Education Specialist:Mild/Moderate Disabilities Teacher Preparation Program (13 units)

You are eligible to begin this program when you have completed the Level I Program and have a special education teaching position. In your first semester you will develop a Professional Induction Plan which will specify your individual professional development goals and the activities that will help you achieve these goals. In the final Professional Educator Seminar you will revisit these goals as you examine your professional portfolio and set new professional development goals for yourself. This process will set the stage for your lifelong professional development as a special educator.

Advanced Course Requirements (10 units)
EDU 321 Professional Induction Planning Seminar (.5)
EDU 281 Advanced Issues in Assessment & Instruction of Students with Special Needs (3)
EDU 282 Consultation & Collaboration for Students with Special Needs (3)
EDU 283 Supportive Environments for Students with Behavioral & Emotional Needs (3)
EDU 322 Professional Educator Evaluation Seminar (.5)

Elective (3 unit) or Non-University Option (45 hours)
Depending on your individual needs and professional goals, you may elect to complete your Level II requirements by taking a three-unit elective course or by completing 45 hours of approved professional development activities. If you select the elective course option, you may want to select a course that will lead to a CLAD certificate, a general education credential, or a Masters degree.

M.S. in Education with an Emphasis in Special Education

Only 6 additional units are required to complete a M.S. Degree in conjunction with the above Education Specialist Teacher Preparation Programs 
 
EDU 200 Research Methods (3)
EDU 296A Masters Project Proposal (1)
EDU 296B Masters Project (2)

Application Procedures

Goals and Learning Outcomes for the Special Education Preliminary Credential Program

You can be confident that your MSMC program will benefit you and your future students. Mount St. Mary's College is proud to be part of a culture of assessment. As part of our Mount family, we will ensure that you achieve the skills necessary to successfully enter the education profession. You will be joining a team that adopted the Teacher Performance Assessment (TPA) process early and has an outstanding record of candidate success. You will be guided every step of the way and enjoy personal advisement and attention.

By the end of your program you will…

Goal 1 - Plan and implement instruction for students with mild/moderate disabilities (CSTP 1 and 4)

• Establish learning goals linked to California Content Standards and IEP instructional goals
• Adapt general education instruction plans to adjust for individual needs of students
• Develop and sequence instructional activities and materials for student learning
• Plan and implement instruction

Goal 2 - Create and maintain effective environments for student learning (CSTP 2)

• Develop and implement positive behavior plans for students with behavior problems
• Develop a positive classroom environment
• Create and maintain effective environments for student learning

Goal 3 - Assess student learning (CSTP 5)

• Administer standardized assessments and interpret results for instructional planning
• Develop and administer curriculum based/performance assessments and apply findings to instructional planning
• Use assessment results to develop IEP goals and objectives
• Monitor student learning during instruction and use outcome data to modify instruction
• Assess student learning

Goal 4 - Make subject matter comprehensible to students (CSTP 3)

• Demonstrate subject specific pedagogical skills for teaching reading
• Demonstrate subject specific pedagogical skills for teaching math
• Demonstrate subject specific pedagogical skills for teaching science and social studies

Goal 5 - Develop as a professional educator (CSTP 6) 

• Demonstrate interpersonal awareness and sensitivity to differences and similarities in the way people are treated due to gender, race, ethnicity, culture, class, and sexual orientation
• Demonstrate understanding of the importance of life-long learning and maintaining currency in one’s field
• Demonstrate awareness of professional, legal and ethical obligations