Welcome to the

UW-La Crosse

Special Education Program

The Special Education Program, approved by State of Wisconsin, Department of Public Instruction, prepares Teacher Education Candidates to teach PK-12 students who are identified as needing special education services. This is a Cross-Categorical Special Education certification (#801). Teacher candidates choose an emphasis area within the field of Cognitive Disabilities (CD), Emotional Behavior Disorders (EBD) or Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD). Certification courses generally follow a fall-only-spring-only course sequence delivery model at the undergraduate level.

All candidates must be admitted to the Special Education Program.  Use the navigation bar on the left of the screen to learn more about:

academic advising admission criteria and procedures
portfolio requirements praxis testing requirements
program tracks available  

Program tracks:

SPE candidates can earn license in one of four program tracks.

  1. undergraduate degree-seeking certification minor
  2. undergraduate non-degree-seeking (add-on) certification sequence

Admissions to the Special Education Graduate Program are currently on hold.

  1. graduate initial certification w/ Master’s degree
  2. graduate add-on certification w/ Master’s degree
  3. graduate add-on certification w/o Master’s degree

Undergraduate degree-seeking candidates complete a minor in special education and a major in Middle-Childhood-Early Adolescence (MC-EA) or Early Adolescence-Adolescence (EA-A) education.

Undergraduate non-degree-seeking (add-on) candidates complete a special education course sequence in Middle-Childhood-Early Adolescence (MC-EA) or Early Adolescence-Adolescence (EA-A) education.

Graduate candidates complete certification requirements in either an ‘initial’ certification with Master’s degree or ‘add-on’ certification with Master’s degree optional program track at the same developmental range options as undergraduate candidates.

  • Graduate Certification Courses Without Statutory Licensure Requirements (pdf)

Graduate students may earn a Master of Science in Education in Special Education degree. Those students earning an initial teacher education certification MUST complete the Master’s degree requirements along with certification requirements. Candidates holding a valid Wisconsin Teaching license or provide evidence of eligibility may choose to ‘add-on’ certification with or without a Master’s degree.

Developmental ranges:

  1. Middle Childhood-Early Adolescence (ages 6-13 years)
  2. Early Adolescence-Adolescence (ages 11-21 years)

For more information contact:

Carol Angell, Ph.D.
Director, Special Education Program
300A Morris Hall
608-785-8135
608-785-8137 (fax)
cangell@uwlax.edu

 Updated: 2-21-12