Special Education and Elementary Education
What Is a Special Education Degree?
An Early Childhood – 12th Grade Special Education degree from UNT Dallas is the first step in becoming a certified teacher in special education. Students in the EC-12 Special Education pathway will be prepared to teach all grades in special education settings (self-contained, resource, inclusion). Special educators who work with students with disabilities have more flexibility in job choice because they are prepared to work with children as young as 3 years and as old as 21 years.
What kinds of classes will I take?
The following are examples of classes you will take as an EC-12 Special Education major.
- Numbers and Operations for Teachers
- Biology for Educators
- Reading and Writing, Birth Through Grade 6
- Behavioral Disorders: Characteristics, Identification, and Interventions
- Creating Collaborative and Inclusive Classrooms
- Assessment and Evaluation of Exceptional Learners
What is the process for becoming a teacher in Texas?
- Obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in education from an accredited university such as UNT Dallas
- Pass certification exams for your certification pathway (EC-6, Bilingual, ESL, Special Education, etc.)
- Submit a state application for certification with the Texas Education Agency
- Complete fingerprinting