Special Education Minor
A special education minor leads to K–12 licensure in the mild intervention content area. Because several required teacher performance standards are embedded in additional education courses, the special education minor is open to education majors only.
To earn a minor in special education and earn K–12 licensure in special education, students must complete a minimum of 19 credit hours in SPED classes. SPED 440 does not count toward this minor because it is a required course for all pre-service teachers. For education majors with a special education minor, the supervised teaching experience (SPED 449) includes one half semester in a general education classroom and the other half in a special education setting.
Required Coursework
| SPED 347 | Characteristics of Individuals with Mild Disabilities | 3 credits | |
| SPED 441 | Assistive Technology | 1 credit | |
| SPED 444 | Assessment in Special Education | 3 credits | |
| SPED 445 | Teaching the Student with Mild Disabilities | 3 credits | |
| SPED 450 | Models of Collaboration and Consultation in Special Education | 3 credits | |
| SPED 451 | Applied Behavior Analysis | 3 credits | |
| SPED 466 | Teaching Reading to Students with Disabilities | 3 credits | |
| TOTAL | 19 credits | ||
Courses offered by Valparaiso University’s education department cover many areas vital to effective education — learners and learning, curriculum and assessment, and the vocation and practice of teaching.