If you have a heart for helping children with special needs, Wilkes University’s major in Special Education will prepare you for a high-demand career in meeting the unique educational needs of prekindergarten through 12th-grade students who have diagnosed special needs.
Program Snapshot
| Program Type | Format | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Major, Certification | Hybrid | 124 |
Why Study Special Education at Wilkes?
Wilkes University is one of the first institutions in the state to offer the Special Education major, building on our long history of educating teachers for special education certification.
At Wilkes, you’ll learn in a community of practicing educators through our internal cross listing of undergraduate and graduate courses. You’ll benefit from strong community partnerships in the form of several professional development schools—the only school in the region to offer this valuable learning opportunity. Our professional development school with The Graham Academy, a school for students with emotional and behavioral needs, provides robust experiences in planning and preparation, teaching, managing students’ behaviors, collaborating with professionals and families, and creating partnerships that last a lifetime.
Wilkes University is an international leader in educating educators, awarding degrees at the bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral level, both in person and online, to students around the world.
What Will You Learn as a Special Education Student?
- Learn about academic, social and emotional growth in students with special needs, and methods of maximizing a student’s capabilities through diagnostic and instructionally adaptive practices.
- Gain knowledge in educational psychology, special education methodology, behavior management and assessment.
- Receive instruction and field experiences in early intervention and special education, including educational policies, programs, practices and services for infants and young children with delays or disabilities.
- Learn historical and legal perspectives, family systems theory, evidence-based interventions and services, theoretical foundations, assessment, curriculum and current issues and challenges in special education.
- Gain skills in classroom management and methods through field experiences, professional development school experiences, and student teaching.
