Education Specialist (Special Education) Teaching Credential

Program Highlights

Internship option – earn a full first year teacher’s salary while in the program.
12 or 18 months full-time program; part-time option available
Admission twice a year, Summer and January term
Balance of theory and practice
Courses held in the late afternoon and evening to accommodate student teaching and working education professionals
You learn with a cohort of fellow students throughout the entire program
Candidates work in collaborate teams interacting with a variety of professionals and families
Traditional student teacher placements in two grades: primary and secondary
Personal attention from accessible professors
Commitment to inclusive education
Faculty members are highly qualified professors and educational leaders

Application Requirements and Checklist

To view a list of program application deadlines, click here.

Apply Now

Attend an Application Chat

Application Requirements

Successful applicants will have met the following criteria:

A baccalaureate degree in any major from a regionally accredited institution of higher education
Proof of meeting Basic Skills Requirement (BSR) or registration of CBEST (California Basic Educational Skills Test) option
Proof of registration or passing Subject Matter Competence by CSET (California Subject Examinations for Teachers) or documentation of completing an undergraduate Commission approved Subject Matter Preparation Program (SMPP)
Certificate of Clearance (or the equivalent)
Results of a tuberculosis test (within the last two years)
Evidence of health insurance or a signed waiver

Before you apply:

Attend a Program Overview Session
Attend a Financial Aid webinar
Order transcripts. Course work and degrees completed outside of the United States must be evaluated by a Commission-approved foreign transcript evaluation agency before it may be used for credentialing purposes.
Show proof of meeting Basic Skills Requirement (BSR) or registration of CBEST exam option
Register for Subject Matter Competence by CSET exam or show proof of passing
Apply for Certificate of Clearance and get fingerprinted or show proof of equivalent
Get results of a tuberculin test (current within two years)

Start Your Education Specialist Credential Application by uploading the following:

Official Transcripts
Personal Statement
Resume
Preferred contact information for three references
Proof of meeting Basic Skills Requirement (BSR) or registration of CBEST exam option
Proof of registration or passing Subject Matter Competence by CSET exam
Posting of your Certificate of Clearance (or the equivalent)
Results of a tuberculin test (current within two years)

APPLY NOW

What to Expect after Acceptance to the Special Education Credential Program

Receive your admissions letter
Accept your offer and pay your deposit
Receive your Saint Mary’s account and activate with your password
Begin your classes!

Questions? Want to schedule a visit? Please contact ksoe@stmarys-ca.edu.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Benefits, Tuition, and Fees

Please refer to our section on financial aid.

Benefits	Intern ready after first term • Commitment to inclusive education • Opportunities in a range of specialized settings and service options • Accessible professors • Strong partnerships with Bay Area schools and districts
Application fee	$50 (non-refundable)
Tuition	$33,600 (32 units, $1,050/unit)
Tuition deposit	$250 (non-refundable)
Technology fee	$500 (one-time)
Books	$100 per course (average)
Course materials fee	$50 for the program (approximately)
Prior learning assessment fee	$300 per experiential learning essay submitted for evaluation (optional)

Curriculum and Course Schedule

Curriculum

The Education Specialist Preliminary Credential is a 32-unit program. Candidates having learning opportunities in a wide range of specialized settings and service options. Traditional student teaching incorporates two placements in one year. One placement in a primary setting and one in a secondary setting that reflect the diverse population of California students.

SPED 280: Literacy Preparation in General Education K-12 (3 units)

This course is designed for students in the Mild/Moderate Education Specialist Credential Programs. Course content will provide the candidate with a comprehensive and developmental perspective of the reading process and the development of literacy skills for all learners. There will be a focus on underlying theoretical foundations and implications for instruction in general education classrooms. Balanced, literature based, integrated, collaborative, process oriented curriculum is emphasized. Current materials, programs, methods, strategies, and research will be reviewed with a best practice perspective toward instructional and assessment practice. Topics central to this course include emergent literacy at all age levels, content based reading instruction, teaching of comprehension skills and strategies, assessment, and multicultural/ multilingual considerations in literacy instruction. This course incorporates content included in the Reading Instruction Compentency Assessment (RICA) and the California English Language Arts Common Core Content Standards.

SPED 282: Positive Behavior Support (3 units)

SPED 282 is designed to teach candidates for the Educational Specialist teaching credential the competencies needed in order to maintain a safe and productive learning environment for all students in the classroom. The purposes of the course are to provide students with (a) an understanding of the basic theory, terms and behavioral principles of human behavior, (b) the skills to apply those principles to teaching and effective classroom management, and (c) an opportunity to reflect on how evidence‐based practice in positive behavioral support and classroom management interfaces with cultural values, traditions, communication, learning styles, and relational patterns of culturally diverse students and their families.

SPED 290: Learning and Development for the Education Specialist (2 units)

Candidates are prepared to demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of typical and atypical human development from the prenatal stage through adulthood including knowledge of developmental stages and their implications for learning. Candidates will recognize the potential influence of varying cultural factors and practices on development. Candidates will demonstrate skills required to provide information to family members regarding typical developmental expectations as well as the impact of the disability on developmental progress. Candidates will demonstrate skills required to ensure that the intervention and/or instructional environment are appropriate to the student’s chronological age, developmental differences, and disability-specific needs.

SPED 291: Introduction to Inclusive Education: Legal, Ethical, & Educational Foundations (2 units)

This course provides a comprehensive survey of the field of special education. Information will be provided on special education history, legislation, programs and service delivery models. The course will also include information on etiology, description, assessment and program planning for students with mild to moderate disabilities. Additional topics include effective collaboration with parents and other caregivers, as well as other professional and paraprofessional staff. Culturally and linguistically responsive family/parent issues in serving all students with diverse academic and social abilities are also addressed.

SPED 292: Best Practices for the Education Specialist: Introduction to Assessment, Curriculum, & Case Management (3 units)

This course provides an introduction to assessment, curriculum and instruction, and case management of Individualized Education Program (IEP). Candidates will also gain knowledge and skills related to the teaching of reading (standard 9), teaching English learners (standard 10), curriculum and instruction for students with disabilities (Standard 13), and the broad range of services delivery options in K-12 public schools.

SPED 293: Educational & Assistive Technology for Mild/Moderate Disabilities (1 unit)

Candidates acquire the ability to use computer-based technology to facilitate the teaching and learning process. Each candidate demonstrates knowledge and understanding of the appropriate use of computer-based technology for information collection, analysis and management in the instructional setting. Candidates demonstrate knowledge of assistive technology including low and high equipment and materials to facilitate communication, curriculum access, and skill development of students with disabilities.

SPED 294: Teaching & Learning for Mild/Moderate Disabilities I + Fieldwork (4 units)

Education Specialists Candidates are introduced to issues, curricula, and best practices for teaching the core curriculum standards in California public schools based on the Curriculum Frameworks and Content Standards approved by the California State Board of Education. In addition, candidates will continue to develop knowledge and skills in best practices associated with supporting access to General Education curriculum by students with mild/moderate disabilities. This course will extend candidates’ knowledge and skills to organize and implement instruction effectively for students with diverse backgrounds and with diverse learning needs, including English learners. Candidates will demonstrate skills in the use of differentiated instructional strategies that ensure that all students have access and achievement in relation to the content standards. Candidates will demonstrate the ability to create a positive, inclusive climate of instruction for all students in a broad range of service delivery options. This course will also provide support, direction, and enrichment to candidates while in the first phase of student teaching or employed as interns.

SPED 295: Universal Access for English Learners (2 units)

Teacher candidates are prepared with the knowledge and skills to effectively organize and implement instruction for English Learners and other students in need of Academic Language Support enrolled in their content classrooms. The course will examine federal and state laws that regulate programs and services for English Learners. Candidates will demonstrate knowledge and application of pedagogical theories, principles and practices for English Language Development leading to comprehensive literacy in English, and for the development of academic language, comprehension and knowledge in the subjects of the common core curriculum.

SPED 296: Health Education (1 unit)

Health Education examines concepts of health and health education in the schools. Emphasis will be placed on current health issues for children and adolescents viewed in the context of child development; on the responsibilities of teachers and the school community in promoting child health; and on curricular strategies that contribute to the healthful behavior of children.

SPED 297: Consultation, Communication, and Collaboration (2 units)

Candidates will develop the capacity to successfully build positive relationships with families, staff, colleagues, service providers and private or non-public agencies. Topics include effective communication skills necessary to successfully collaborate with parents, caregivers, professional and paraprofessional staff. Culturally and linguistically related issues experienced by families and parents of those with special needs will also be addressed. Course topics are based upon current federal and state laws and best practices realized by the educational community.

SPED 298: Teaching and Learning for Mild/Moderate Disabilities II + Fieldwork (6 units)

Education Specialists Candidates are prepared to addressing issues, curricula, and best practices for planning, implementing, and evaluating transitional life experiences for students across the lifespan. This course also has a major focus on post-secondary transition planning, implementation and evaluation. The course also extends candidates’ knowledge of teaching the common core curriculum standards in California public schools based on the Curriculum Frameworks and Content Standards approved by the California State Board of Education. In addition, candidates will continue to develop knowledge and skills in best practices associated with supporting access to General Education curriculum by students with mild/moderate disabilities. This course will extend candidates’ knowledge and skills to effectively organize and implement instruction for students with diverse backgrounds and with diverse learning needs, including English learners. Candidates will demonstrate skills in the use of differentiated instructional strategies that ensure that all students have access and achievement in relation to the content standards. Candidates will demonstrate the ability to create a positive, inclusive climate of instruction for all students in a broad range of service delivery options. This course will also provide support, direction, and enrichment to candidates while in the second phase of student teaching or employed as interns.

SPED 299: Assessment and Program Planning (3 units)

Overview of the principles of testing, including measures of central tendency, variability, and correlation. The course will include evaluations of tests currently used in the public schools and in special education programs. Course assignments will include practice in the administration and scoring of representative samples of formal and informal assessment instruments. There will be an emphasis on the interpretation of assessment results and using assessment results to develop appropriate instructional programs, as well as a review of ethical and educational policy issues related to educational testing.

Learning Outcomes

After earning an Education Specialist preliminary credential you will be qualified to:

Develop high-quality and legally compliant Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)
Use informal and formal assessments to develop a professional assessment report
Incorporate specific strategies, instructional activities, procedures, and experiences that address the Common Core State Standards
Develop comprehensive positive behavior support plans
Use developmentally appropriate teaching practices
Understand and apply pedagogical theories, principles, and instructional practices for comprehensive instruction of English learners and students with special needs
Develop strategies to work with students, their families, and other professionals to provide services for the benefit of all
Maximize student achievement by understanding patterns of child and adolescent typical and atypical development

Events

Oct
26
Undergraduate Pathway: MA in Leadership & Organizational Development 4+1 Virtual Program Overview (Current Saint Mary's Students Only)

Tuesday, October 26, 2021 - 6 P.M.

Program Overviews are hosted by both faculty and admissions/program staff. These events...
Oct
27
KSOE Leadership Department Presents: Let's TACO bout Leadership

Wednesday, October 27, 2021 - 12 P.M.
Soda Activity Center: Claeys Lounge

Enjoy free tacos, meet our faculty, and learn how you can jumpstart your master's...
Nov
1
Single Subject Credential Program Overview: Kalmanovitz School of Education

Monday, November 1, 2021 - 3 P.M.

Get a first look at how a Saint Mary’s graduate education can empower and expand your...
Nov
2
MA in Leadership Program Overview: Kalmanovitz School of Education

Tuesday, November 2, 2021 - 12 P.M.

Get a first look at how a Saint Mary’s graduate education can empower and expand your...

View Calendar

Search Our Site

Search form

Common Searches

Featured Content

Credentials and Certifications

Education Specialist (Special Education)

Spring Final Application Deadline

Golden State Teacher Grant

Program Details

Program Duration

Learning Environment

Average Class Size

Why Special Education?

Why an Education Specialist Teaching Credential?

Why a Credential from Saint Mary's College?

Why get a Master of Arts in Teaching or a Master of Education in Special Education?

Undergraduate Education Specialist Credential Program