Special Education: Academic and Behavioral Strategist (BS)

Summary

The program prepares educators to teach students with mild/moderate learning disabilities, emotional/behavioral disorders, autism spectrum disorders, and developmental disabilities. The program prepares new teachers for the classrooms of today where special education teachers often have students with a variety of learning needs. 

Catalog Year

2024-2025

Degree

Bachelor of Science

Major Credits

76

Total Credits

120

Locations

Mankato

Online

Career Cluster

Education and Training

Accreditation

CAEP

Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation

This program satisfies licensure-to-practice standards for Minnesota and may satisfy standards for other states or US territories.

Licensure/Certification Disclosure

Update Your Major

Program Requirements

Prerequisites to the Major

Addresses drugs and drug use from psychological, behavioral, pharmacological, historical, legal and clinical perspectives - while examining the effects of drug use on personal health and social functioning.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-05

Nature of mathematics from a problem solving approach using sets, relations, number systems through integers, rational numbers and discrete mathematics.

Prerequisites: Satisfy Placement Table in this section, or Grade of P in MATH 098 or "C" (2.0) or better in MATH 112 or MATH 115.

Goal Areas: GE-04

Choose 3 Credit(s). Choose one of the following: CDIS 205 or HLTH 210

Beginning ASL - Level I aims to develop a basic understanding and use of American Sign Language through learning parameters of sign, fingerspelling, basic grammar and a basic understanding of Deaf culture.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-11

This course provides the knowledge and skills necessary to respond and perform in an emergency to help sustain life, reduce pain, and minimize the consequences of injury or sudden illness. This course includes an advanced level of First Aid certification, including bloodborne pathogens, and all aspects of cardiopulmonary resuscitation and automated external defibrillation (CPR/AED) for the Emergency Medical Responder.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-11

Major Common Core

This course is designed to teach secondary assessment, instructional and transition planning methods needed by students in the undergraduate program of study in Special Education - Academic and Behavioral Strategist. The course focuses on strategies that promote choice and quality of life for young adults with mild to moderate disabilities.

Prerequisites: none

This course will introduce teacher candidates to different aspects of being a Special Educator, including writing Individual Education Program plans, working collaboratively, addressing strategies for working with paraprofessionals, developing an understanding of collaboration including co-teaching, and using technology in the classroom to assist student learning.

Prerequisites: none

This course provides the student learner with the knowledge and skills necessary to make effective data-based decisions within the instructional context. Students will gain training in and knowledge of instructional decision making at the individual and systems level.

Prerequisites: none

This course teaches how to select and apply specific evidence-based reading and writing strategies for students with mild/moderate disabilities. Students will learn basic instructional principles behind validated instructional models and how to use these models in different instructional settings.

Prerequisites: none

This course is designed to teach the principles of Positive Behavior Supports and intervention planning. Students will learn how PBIS can be applied at the school, classroom, and individual levels. Students will apply learned information to identify successful interventions.

Prerequisites: none

Designed to provide an introduction and overview of the characteristics and educational needs of children and youth with diverse and exceptional needs in the public school. The course introduces Minnesota Graduation Standards Rules in relationship to the needs of students with diverse and exceptional needs.

Prerequisites: none

Introduces students to theories of learning and human development as they relate to regular and diverse learning populations. Students will acquire an understanding of the many factors that affect learning and human development and strategies that can be used to enhance learning for all learning populations.

Prerequisites: none

Diverse Cultures: Gold

Provides the student learner with the knowledge and skills to assess the individual needs of the student learner and design an educational program based on the assessment information collected. Emphasis will be placed on providing the student learner with the opportunity to learn and administer a variety of norm-referenced and criterion-referenced test instruments and apply test results to developing individual education programs for a variety of learners with diverse educational needs.

Prerequisites: none

Describes and demonstrates strategies that teachers can use to differentiate the curriculum to meet the needs of special learners in an inclusive classroom. Course will also examine the latest knowledge related to intelligence, creativity, holistic education and classroom differentiation.

Prerequisites: none

Provides student learner with the knowledge and skills to plan, develop, and implement the IEP for a student with DCD. In addition, the student learner will develop an understanding of the alternative dispute processes in the state of Minnesota. The student learner will learn the legal requirements of the IEP process and parental participation including a) how to operate the IEP process, b) conciliation process, c) participation in mediation, and d) due process as outlined in IDEA 1997. Legal issues and requirements will be discussed.

Prerequisites: none

Introduces students to methods and strategies for personal and professional growth and development. As a result of taking this course, students will be able to a) engage in reflective inquiry for personal and professional growth, b) identify and demonstrate dispositions necessary for teaching special needs learners, c) understand the cultural, social, and other environmental effects on learning and human development, and d) use strategies for personal and professional growth.

Prerequisites: none

Provides an introduction to reading and language arts instruction for special needs and other students in an inclusive classroom. As a result of taking this course, students will be able to plan and implement effective literacy lessons and utilize a variety of differentiation strategies.

Prerequisites: none

This course provides instruction in the connections between critical content concepts, standards, research-based practices in mathematics and science, and students with mild-moderate disabilities for the purpose of developing goals and objectives in order to implement effective instruction.

Prerequisites: none

This course is designed to teach pre-service special education teachers the basics of Applied Behavior Analysis as well as classroom management skills that foster positive interactions among students in pre-K through 12th grade. Students will learn to conduct behavioral assessments and report results through professional writing.

Prerequisites: none

Focuses on competencies, strategies, issues and trends to prepare the student to teach persons with DCD. Coreq: SPED 449

Prerequisites: none

Focuses on documenting the university student's ability to apply the knowledge and skills learned in coursework and teach youth with DCD in the public school. The university student will assess students with DCD, develop individual goals and objectives, design instructional units and lesson plans, implement instruction in the LRE, and evaluate the effectiveness of instructional interventions.

Prerequisites: none

Transfer Pathways

A Transfer Pathway is a partnership between the Minnesota community colleges and Minnesota State University, Mankato. The Pathway suggests a plan for students with a specific associate degree to complete the last two years for a designated bachelor’s degree.

Students who are transferring to Minnesota State Mankato from a Minnesota community college should meet with an advisor in your college advising office to ensure the Pathway is an appropriate option for completing your degree.

More information on Transfer Pathways is available at https://mnsu.edu/pathways/about/

Third Year

Fall - 16 Credits

Provides the student learner with the knowledge and skills to assess the individual needs of the student learner and design an educational program based on the assessment information collected. Emphasis will be placed on providing the student learner with the opportunity to learn and administer a variety of norm-referenced and criterion-referenced test instruments and apply test results to developing individual education programs for a variety of learners with diverse educational needs.

Prerequisites: none

Describes and demonstrates strategies that teachers can use to differentiate the curriculum to meet the needs of special learners in an inclusive classroom. Course will also examine the latest knowledge related to intelligence, creativity, holistic education and classroom differentiation.

Prerequisites: none

Provides student learner with the knowledge and skills to plan, develop, and implement the IEP for a student with DCD. In addition, the student learner will develop an understanding of the alternative dispute processes in the state of Minnesota. The student learner will learn the legal requirements of the IEP process and parental participation including a) how to operate the IEP process, b) conciliation process, c) participation in mediation, and d) due process as outlined in IDEA 1997. Legal issues and requirements will be discussed.

Prerequisites: none

This course is designed to teach pre-service special education teachers the basics of Applied Behavior Analysis as well as classroom management skills that foster positive interactions among students in pre-K through 12th grade. Students will learn to conduct behavioral assessments and report results through professional writing.

Prerequisites: none

Spring - 15 Credits

This course is designed to teach secondary assessment, instructional and transition planning methods needed by students in the undergraduate program of study in Special Education - Academic and Behavioral Strategist. The course focuses on strategies that promote choice and quality of life for young adults with mild to moderate disabilities.

Prerequisites: none

This course provides the student learner with the knowledge and skills necessary to make effective data-based decisions within the instructional context. Students will gain training in and knowledge of instructional decision making at the individual and systems level.

Prerequisites: none

This course is designed to teach the principles of Positive Behavior Supports and intervention planning. Students will learn how PBIS can be applied at the school, classroom, and individual levels. Students will apply learned information to identify successful interventions.

Prerequisites: none

Provides an introduction to reading and language arts instruction for special needs and other students in an inclusive classroom. As a result of taking this course, students will be able to plan and implement effective literacy lessons and utilize a variety of differentiation strategies.

Prerequisites: none

Fourth Year

Fall - 17 Credits

This course teaches how to select and apply specific evidence-based reading and writing strategies for students with mild/moderate disabilities. Students will learn basic instructional principles behind validated instructional models and how to use these models in different instructional settings.

Prerequisites: none

Introduces students to methods and strategies for personal and professional growth and development. As a result of taking this course, students will be able to a) engage in reflective inquiry for personal and professional growth, b) identify and demonstrate dispositions necessary for teaching special needs learners, c) understand the cultural, social, and other environmental effects on learning and human development, and d) use strategies for personal and professional growth.

Prerequisites: none

This course provides instruction in the connections between critical content concepts, standards, research-based practices in mathematics and science, and students with mild-moderate disabilities for the purpose of developing goals and objectives in order to implement effective instruction.

Prerequisites: none

Spring - 12 Credits

Focuses on competencies, strategies, issues and trends to prepare the student to teach persons with DCD. Coreq: SPED 449

Prerequisites: none

Focuses on documenting the university student's ability to apply the knowledge and skills learned in coursework and teach youth with DCD in the public school. The university student will assess students with DCD, develop individual goals and objectives, design instructional units and lesson plans, implement instruction in the LRE, and evaluate the effectiveness of instructional interventions.

Prerequisites: none