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SPECIAL EDUCATION

Undergraduate Special Education Electives

Currently no special education programs are offered at the undergraduate level within the Department of Professional Education; however, some special education courses are offered at the undergraduate level for students who would like background about learners with disabilities while working on their undergraduate degree in early childhood education, elementary education, or secondary education. All special education courses taken at the undergraduate level will apply to BSU's graduate EBD or SLD special education licensure programs, but not to the Master of Science in Special Education (M.S.) or Master of Special Education (M.SpEd.). Individuals who are seeking a special education license will complete the license as a graduate student. For more information about special education, contact the Department of Professional Education and ask for the Coordinator of Special Education.

ED 3600 Study of the Learner with Special Needs (3 credits)
(This course must be taken first. It is the prerequisite for all special education courses.)

ED 3640 Due Process in Special Education (3 credits)
(This course should be taken second or concurrently with ED 3600.)

After taking ED 3600, students may elect to take any of the following courses. However, it is recommended that students take either ED 3620 or ED 3630 before taking ED 3650 or ED 4715.

ED 3608 Mathematics for Learners with Special Needs (2 credits)
ED 3620 Teaching the Learner with Specific Learning Disabilities I (3 credits)
ED 3630 Teaching the Learner with Emotional Behavioral Disorders I (3 credits)
ED 3650 Collaborative Techniques for Special Educators (3 credits)
ED 4715 Curriculum Techniques with Special Populations (3 credits)

Note: Special education courses CANNOT be used as a specialty area for Elementary Education majors. These courses should appear on Graduation Plans as electives.

Undergraduate/Graduate Intern Program

Students at Bemidji State University have the unique opportunity to participate in a paid internship by working in a special education classroom under the guidance of a licensed special education teacher. The Special Education Intern Program is a joint collaboration between BSU and the Bemidji School District to provide students with a variety of experiences typically performed by special education teachers. These experiences allow interns to apply theory presented in BSU courses to practice in the special education classroom.

In order to apply for the intern program, students must

• have completed or be enrolled in ED 3350 Pedagogy: Planning for Instruction (4 credits)
• have completed or be enrolled in ED 3600 Study of the Learner with Special Needs (3 credits)
• have a minimum GPA of 3.00.

Students interested in participating in the Special Education Intern Program should contact the Clinical Experiences office.

American Sign Language

Bemidji State University offers two American Sign Language (ASL) courses, American Sign Language 1 and American Sign Language 2. These are introductory courses in which students learn basic sign vocabulary, grammatical structure, and finger spelling. In addition, students are introduced to the Deaf community as a linguistic and cultural minority in the United States. ASL 1 is taught both fall and spring semesters as an evening course; ASL 2 is taught only spring semester, also as an evening course.

The ASL courses are offered in alternating years by the Department of Languages and Ethnic Studies and the Department of Professional Education as ML 1111 and ML 1112, or as ED 1111 and ED 1112. The ALS courses can be applied to Goal Area 7 (Human Diversity in the United States) of the Liberal Education requirements. Individuals seeking an education degree are encouraged to take one or both of these courses.