Education with Dual Certification (Grades Pre-K through 4th) and Special Education (Pre-K through 12th)
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Special Education N-12 with Teacher Certification PreK-12 Major in Pennsylvania
Messiah University’s Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in special education (grades N-12) with teaching certification (grades PreK-12) will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to assist various types of learners. In the special education major, you can add a minor to specialize what you learn in the classroom.
Study Special Education N-12 with Teacher Certification PreK-12 at a Christian University
The special education certification is best for those who want to teach special education in low incidence populations (typically more severe disabilities), high schools, early intervention or postsecondary programs, or who want to pursue careers in speech and language pathology, behavior or special education policy. This major embeds room to add a minor of your choice for additional expertise. In the special education major, you may earn specializations by adding minors such as speech and language pathology, psychology, politics and international relations and others.
As a special education major at Messiah University, you’ll be able to:
- Study in a program that has been named an “Education College of Distinction” by Colleges of Distinction for 2023-2024.
- Integrate sociocultural and developmental understanding toward high expectations for learners with disabilities.
- Design evidence-based supports and interventions to promote social, emotional, and behavioral well-being.
- Use multiple methods of assessment in making educational decisions.
- Implement evidence-based interventions and adaptations to advance learning.
- Integrate faith, identity and vocational calling with standards of ethical practice.
- Collaborate to serve and seek justice for learners with disabilities.
- Integrate expertise in early childhood instruction with expertise in special education interventions.
- Build expertise to fit your chosen career goal.
- Create a professional portfolio for potential employers.
- Spend time in our Teacher Exploration Center, a resource room with SmartBoard technology, video recording capabilities, a small laminator, white board tables and materials as needed.
- Study abroad to compare education in other cultures.
- Start in the classroom your sophomore year, observing suburban, urban and rural teaching settings. By your junior year, you will be out full days to teach!
As a graduate of the special education program, you will be equipped to secure positions such as:
- Special education teacher in low incidence populations (typically more severe disabilities) or high school settings (when paired with a minor in literature, math or other high school subjects)
- Special education teacher for any grade or specialization (though for elementary grades with high incidence disabilities, we suggest Dual Certification with Early Childhood)
- Early intervention specialist in home or center-based settings paired with a minor in Human Development and Family Wellness or Disability and Family Wellness or other social sciences
- Supporter of individuals with disabilities in postsecondary programs
For more information on career planning, visit the Messiah University Career and Professional Development Center.
Messiah helps place students in extensive field experience settings beginning in sophomore year, including:
- Local public school class observations
- Junior-level field experience in regular education classrooms designing and implementing instructional plans
- Student teaching experience in special education during senior year
- Clinically supervised internship in specialized classrooms for students with significant physical, intellectual, social and behavioral difficulties during senior year
- Option to complete part of student teaching internationally
The special education program builds in-depth perspectives on learners with special needs, and skills for behavioral intervention strategies, assessment, and individualized academic intervention strategies. For authentic experiences across the range of disabilities and settings, many assignments serve specific schools, students, and organizations. Through the core curriculum, you will acquire a foundation for effective thinking, systematic planning, decision making and differentiating instruction in the classroom.
Our 94% pass rate on Certification Exams and 100% employment rates are just two indicators of how well Messiah University prepares students for teaching certification and teaching careers. You will graduate ready to use your solid foundation in effective curriculum development, instructional planning, assessment, behavior interventions, and specialized techniques to help students learn.
Programs related to Special Education N-12 with Teacher Certification PreK-12
Special Education Minor
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In the Special Education N-12 with Teacher Certification PreK-12 program, you will take a selection of courses that successfully prepare you for a career in a related field. Hands-on experiences and classroom learning within the framework of Christian faith will give you the skills and knowledge to achieve your goals. Our programs offer a wide variety of courses that will not only help you excel in your future career, but challenge you to develop a deeper understanding of your field of study.
Course options for Special Education N-12 with Teacher Certification PreK-12:
Special Education N-12 with Teaching Certification PreK-12 (B.S.)
Special Education N-12 with Teacher Certification PreK-12 careers and outcomes
Where our grads work
Graduates of the Special Education N-12 with Teacher Certification PreK-12 program work in positions of leadership in their places of employment, using the tools and knowledge a Messiah University education prepared them with. Each year, eager employers and some of the nation's best graduate schools welcome Messiah graduates into their organizations.
96% of the Class of 2022 respondents were employed or in graduate school within 6-9 months of graduation.
Our Alumni
Regional and national employers seek out Messiah graduates for their academic preparation, work ethic and personal character. The transformation you experience at Messiah readies you to transform the lives of others through your chosen career path.
Messiah's unique approach to hands-on learning
Learning in the classroom is important but actually applying that knowledge in a hands-on way can make all the difference. At Messiah University, the Experiential Learning Initiative (ELI) allows Messiah to take this hands-on learning to a new level by giving students the opportunity to apply what they have learned to various real world contexts--such as an internship/practica, service learning, off-campus program, holding a student leadership position, or participating in undergraduate research.