Special Education Core Requirements

The following courses are Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education (RP & SE) unless otherwise indicated.

• 300 Individuals with Disabilities, 3
• 330 Behavior Analysis: Applications to Persons with Disabilities, 3
• 469 Academic Instruction: Learning and Behavioral Disabilities, 3
• 470 Individuals with Learning and Behavioral Disabilities, 3
• 505 Biological, Psychosocial and Vocational Aspects of Disabilities, 3.

Special Education Concentrations

Effective Fall, 2006, students admitted to the Special Education program must select a concentration in one of the following areas. A license in this area will be granted upon completion of the concentration and other program requirements.

Emotional/Behavioral Disabilities

• RP & SE 473 Management: Students with Learning and Behavioral Disabilities, 3
• Psych 509 Abnormal Psychology, 3
• Select one from among the following:
  • RP & SE 450 Collaborating with Families of Individuals with Disabilities, 3
  • Social Work 644 Social Work and Developmental Disabilities, 3
  • RP & SE 479 Language and Reading Instruction: Learning and Behavioral Disabilities, 3
  • RP & SE 502 Teaching Math to Students with Learning and Behavioral Disabilities, 3

Cognitive Disabilities

• Social Work 644 Social Work and Developmental Disabilities, 3
• Select two from among the following:
  • Psych 509 Abnormal Psychology, 3
  • RP & SE 450 Collaborating with Families of Individuals with Disabilities, 3
  • RP & SE 479 Language and Reading Instruction: Learning and Behavioral Disabilities, 3
  • RP & SE 502 Teaching Math to Students with Learning and Behavioral Disabilities, 3
  • RP & SE 473 Management: Students with Learning and Behavioral Disabilities, 3

Learning Disabilities

• RP & SE 479 Language and Reading Instruction: Learning and Behavioral Disabilities, 3
• Select two from among the following:
  • Psych 509 Abnormal Psychology, 3
  • Social Work 644 Social Work and Developmental Disabilities, 3
  • RP & SE 450 Collaborating with Families of Individuals with Disabilities, 3
  • RP & SE 502 Teaching Math to Students with Learning and Behavioral Disabilities, 3
  • RP & SE 473 Management: Students with Learning and Behavioral Disabilities, 3

Methods Course Work and Practicum Experience in a General Education Classroom

• Curric 305 Integrating the Teaching of Reading with Other Language Arts, 3
• Curric 370 Teaching Mathematics: Preschool through Middle School, 3
• Curric 374 General Education Practicum and Instructional Planning for Diverse Learners, 5. In addition to the methodology courses Curric 305 and 370, Curric 374 provides a field placement in a general education classroom. Admission to the Special Education program and advisor approval are required to enroll in these three courses, often taken concurrently. This course work is a prerequisite to the Special Education practicum.

Special Education - Methods, Practicum, Student Teaching

Placements in the special education practica and/or student teaching require admission to the teacher certification program. Students should complete RP&SE 300, 330, 469, 470, 505; Curric 305, 370 and 374 before doing a Special Education practicum. In addition, students must successfully complete the state required content examination (Praxis II; see more information here) prior to enrolling in Special Education practica and/or student teaching.

Students in the program are informed each fall semester about practicum pre-registration and application procedures for the following academic year. Special Education practica placements are assigned by program faculty and supervisors. Pre-registration is mandatory and requires faculty advisor approval. While the sequences below are typical, actual sequences will be determined in consultation with the program advisor. Students will be assigned to RP & SE 473 in either the fall or spring semester. Effective fall 2006 admission, 473 is required only of students completing the Emotional/Behavioral Disabilities concentration.

Middle Childhood through Early Adolescence Certification Schedule

Middle Childhood through Early Adolescence certification students complete a one semester half-day practicum placement and a one semester full-day student teaching placement. Practica placements follow the University calendar except for the spring break schedule. Student teaching placements follow the school district calendar. Students in either a practicum or student teaching placement adhere to the school district’s spring break schedule. Direct questions regarding this schedule to the faculty advisor.

Fall Semester
• 471 Methods and Curriculum: Learning and Behavioral Disabilities (K-9), 3
• 473 Management: Students with Learning and Behavioral Disabilities, 3
• 475 Practicum: Students with Learning and Behavioral Disabilities (K-9), 5-7

Spring Semester
• 474 Diagnosis and Assessment: Learning and Behavioral Disabilities, 3
• 477 Student Teaching: Learning and Behavioral Disabilities (K-9), 7-10

Early Adolescence through Adolescence Certification Schedule

Early Adolescence through Adolescence certification students complete a one semester half-day practicum placement and a one semester full-day student teaching placement. Practica placements follow the University calendar except for the spring break schedule. Student teaching placements follow the school district calendar. Students in either a practicum or student teaching placement adhere to the school district’s spring break schedule. Direct questions regarding this schedule to the faculty advisor.

Fall Semester
• 472 Methods and Curriculum: Learning and Behavioral Disabilities (6-12), 3
• 473 Management: Students with Learning and Behavioral Disabilities, 3
• 476 Practicum: Students with Learning and Behavioral Disabilities (6-12), 5-7

Spring Semester
• 474 Diagnosis and Assessment: Learning and Behavioral Disabilities, 3
• 478 Student Teaching: Learning and Behavioral Disabilities (6-12), 7-10

Middle Childhood through Early Adolescence AND Early Adolescence through Adolescence Certification Schedule

These students complete two semesters of full-day student teaching placements following the school district calendar. Students adhere to the school district’s spring break schedule. Direct questions regarding this schedule to the faculty advisor.

Fall Semester
• 471 Methods and Curriculum: Learning and Behavioral Disabilities (K-9), 3
• 473 Management: Students with Learning and Behavioral Disabilities, 3
• 477 Student Teaching: Students with Learning and Behavioral Disabilities (K-9), 7-10

Spring Semester
• 472 Methods and Curriculum: Learning and Behavioral Disabilities (6-12), 3
• 474 Diagnosis and Assessment: Learning and Behavioral Disabilities, 3
• 478 Student Teaching: Learning and Behavioral Disabilities (6-12), 7-10

Phonics Requirement

As of July 1, 1998, the State of Wisconsin requires that all persons seeking initial and renewal licenses to teach reading or language arts in grades Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 6 (PK-6) must have completed instruction in teaching reading and language arts using appropriate instructional methods, including phonics. This requirement applies to students completing Elementary Education and Special Education (elementary and elementary/secondary options) certification programs. UW-Madison students fulfill this requirement through the successful completion of Curric 305, 368, or 500. One of these courses is already required in each program area; no additional course work will be needed to complete the phonics requirement.

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