Special Education

Finger PaintingThe 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. Teacher candidates choose and create an emphasis within the field of Cognitive Disabilities, Emotional Behavior Disorders or Specific Learning Disabilities. The certification course sequence is made up of fall-only and spring-only courses.

All candidates must be admitted to a Teacher Education Program. Undergraduate candidates are admitted to the DES Teacher Education Program within the School of Education. Graduate candidates are admitted to UW-L Graduate Studies and the Graduate Special Education Program in “good” standing.

All certification courses must be completed prior to student teaching. Candidates are also responsible for passing the Praxis II Middle School Content Test (#0146) and completing an electronic portfolio. 

Program tracks:

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

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

Developmental ranges:

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

Undergraduate candidates complete a minor in special education and a major 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 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. Contact the Graduate Special Education Program Director for more information (angell.caro@uwlax.edu).