MEd Special Education: Degree Requirements
The MEd Special Education program offers degrees for four distinct groups of students:
- Group1: Students completely new to the career of teaching, pursuing the MEd degree, LBS 1 and professional educator license
- Group 2: Currently licensed teachers in the State of Illinois who are new to special education, pursuing the MEd degree and LBS 1
- Group 3: Current special education teachers with LBS1 seeking an advanced LBS 2 endorsement, pursuing the MEd degree and LBS 2
- Group 4: Students not interested in licensure or endorsement, only pursuing the MEd degree and no license or endorsement
Additionally, the IL Early Childhood Special Education (ECE/SPED) Approval to teach students with and without disabilities, ages birth – five, and the Illinois Bilingual and ESL Endorsements to teach students with and without disabilities, are available for students in any of the above groups enrolled in a master’s program. Those four courses can also be taken as a non-degree with enrollment through UIC Extended Campus. Requirements for the approval are listed at the bottom of this page.
Degree requirements for these specific groups follow below.
All applicants seeking an Illinois endorsement or licensure must show evidence of basic skills completion.
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Michelle B. Parker-Katz
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Degree Requirements by Student Group Heading link
Degree Requirements
Students who are completely new to the career of teaching will earn the MEd Special Education degree and the IL Professional Educators License (PEL) with the IL Learning Behavior Specialist 1 (LBS1). The LBS1 endorsement enables teachers to work with students with a wide range of disabilities, ages 5 – 21, in several instructional delivery models that include teaching in inclusionary settings through consultation and collaborative teaching, with small groups, and a range of other settings. A total of 33 credits are required for the degree, and an additional 13 credits are required for Illinois teaching licensure. Degree requirements and course requirements leading to licensure are as follows:
Foundations of Special Education (3 credits)
- SPED 461 – Political and Sociocultural Perspectives on Special Education (3)
Development and Disability (6 credits)
- SPED 465 – Understanding Students with High Incidence Disabilities (3)
- SPED 467 – Understanding Students with Low Incidence Disabilities (3)
Special Education Research and Assessment in Practice (3 credits)
- SPED 573 – Understanding Research in Special Education (3)
Additional Courses Required for Licensure (21 credits)
- SPED 462 – Assessment for Individuals with Disabilities (3)
- SPED 463 – Literacy Instruction for Diverse Learners in Elementary School (3)
- SPED 471 – Curricular Adaptations for Learners with Significant Disabilities (3)
- SPED 472 – Academic and Prosocial Interventions (3)
- SPED 473 – Teaching Math and Science with Adaptations (3)
- SPED 563 – Adolescent Literacy for Diverse Learners (3)
- SPED 576 – Internship in Assessment (3)
Student Teaching Coursework (13 credits)*
- SPED 570 – Field Internship with Teaching (4)
- SPED 572 – Curriculum and Teaching for Students with Disabilities (3)
- SPED 580 – Student Teaching in Special Education (6)
*SPED 570 is taken the semester before student teaching; SPED 572 and 580 are taken concurrently during student teaching in the last semester of the program.
Degree Requirements
For students who are currently licensed teachers, the program leads to the MEd Special Education degree with the IL Learning Behavior Specialist 1 (LBS1). The LBS1 endorsement enables teachers to work with students with a wide range of disabilities, ages 5 – 21, in several instructional delivery models that include teaching in inclusionary settings through consultation and collaborative teaching, with small groups, and a range of other settings. A total of 33 credits is required for the degree. Degree requirements and coursework requirements leading to licensure are as follows:
Foundations of Special Education (3 credits)
- SPED 461 – Political and Sociocultural Perspectives on Special Education (3)
Development and Disability (6 credits)
- SPED 465 – Understanding Students with High Incidence Disabilities (3)
- SPED 467 – Understanding Students with Low Incidence Disabilities (3)
Special Education Research and Assessment in Practice (3 credits)
- SPED 573 – Understanding Research in Special Education (3)
Additional Courses Required for Licensure (21 credits)
- SPED 462 – Assessment for Individuals with Disabilities (3)
- SPED 463 – Literacy Instruction for Diverse Learners in Elementary School (3)
- SPED 471 – Curricular Adaptations for Learners with Significant Disabilities (3)
- SPED 472 – Academic and Prosocial Interventions (3)
- SPED 473 – Teaching Math and Science with Adaptations (3)
- SPED 563 – Adolescent Literacy for Diverse Learners (3)
- SPED 576 – Internship in Assessment (3)
Degree Requirements
For students who are currently licensed special education teachers, the program leads to the MEd Special Education degree and one or more IL Learning Behavioral Specialist 2 (LBS2) endorsements. The LBS2 endorsement enables current special educators to become a specialist in 6 IL-approved areas: Assistive Technology Specialist, Behavior Intervention Specialist, Bilingual Special Education Specialist, Curriculum Adaptation Specialist, Multiple Disability Specialist and Transition Specialist. Graduate studies focus on gaining knowledge and leadership skills. A minimum of 33 credits is required to complete the degree. Each endorsement requires 15 – 18 credits, and multiple endorsements can be earned. Degree requirements are as follows. Prospective students should seek advising to learn ways to overlap LBS2 endorsement studies. Please see an advisor for a list of approved coursework to align with each requirement.
General Advising Guidelines
- Most LBS2 programs require students to take courses in a specific sequence.-Assistive technology: Complete DHD 440 before DHD 555
-Behavior intervention: Complete SPED 514 before SPED 517
-Bilingual SpEd: Complete SPED/CI 481 before SPED 423 or 427
-Multiple Disabilities: Complete SPED 509 before SPED 510
-Transition: Complete SPED 515 before SPED 516 - It is recommended that students take SPED 522 Advanced Procedures in Special Educator as a Consultant early in their program.
- It is suggested that students complete SPED 578 School and Community-Based Inquiry Internship after the majority of required coursework has been completed. Students that are planning on completing more than one program area need to take this course once.
Refer to the advising guide for more detailed information and specific required courses per endorsement.
Note: Bilingual Special Education courses are currently being revamped and will not be offered before summer 2018.
LBS 2 Course Offerings
| Summer Session 1 | Summer Session 2 | Fall | Spring |
|---|---|---|---|
| SPED 509 (Multiple Disabilities) | SPED 514 (Bilingual) | SPED 517 | SPED 515 (Transition) |
| SPED 515 (Transition) | SPED 512 (Curricular Adaptations/Transition) | SPED 578 | |
| SPED 522 | SPED 516 | DHD 535 | |
| DHD 440 | DHD 555 |
Degree Requirements
For students who are interested in learning about special education, including inclusion, assessment, differentiation of instruction, supports and services for youth, their families and connections to community. A minimum of 33 credits is required to complete the degree. Degree requirements are as follows:
Foundations of Special Education (3 credits)
- SPED 461 – Political and Sociocultural Perspectives on Special Education (3)
Development and Disability (3 credits) (choose one)
- SPED 465 – Understanding Students with High Incidence Disabilities (3)
- SPED 467 – Understanding Students with Low Incidence Disabilities (3)
Special Education Research and Assessment in Practice (3 credits)
- SPED 573 – Understanding Research in Special Education (3)
Additional Electives (24 credits)
Please consult an advisor for a list of approved courses.
Approval Requirements
These courses could also be taken as a non-degree UIC student or as a student through UIC Extended Campus. For more information, please see the Continuing Education page for Early Childhood Special Education.
Required Courses
- SPED 466 – Language Development, Diversity, and Disabilities (3)
- SPED 482 – Collaborating with Families, Community, and Professionals (3)
- SPED 506 – Characteristics and Assessment of Young Children with Disabilities (4)
- SPED 508 – Methods of Instruction & Assessment of Young Children with Disabilities (4)
Endorsement Requirements
Endorsements in English as a Second Language (ESL) and Bilingual Education are valid only if you currently hold a Professional Educator License. Both endorsements require 20 semester hours for graduate students – 18 semester hours for undergraduate elementary students or 19 semester hours for secondary education students – including the following courses:
- CI 481 Foundations and Current Issues in Educating English Language Learners (ELLs) (4 credit hours), OR CI 470 Language, Culture, and Learning in Urban Classrooms (4 credit hours) for undergraduates in the Elementary Education program.
- CI 482 Assessment and Instruction: A Multilingual/multicultural Perspective (4 credit hours)
- CI 472 Language Proficiency Assessment and ESL Instruction (4 credit hours)
- CI 464 Bilingualism and Literacy in a Second Language (4 credit hours)
- CI 540 Linguistics for Teachers (4 credit hours) OR LING 150 Introduction to the Study of Language (3 credit hours) for undergraduate students in elementary or secondary education.
To qualify to teach in bilingual classrooms, teachers who receive the Bilingual Education endorsement must pass a Target Language Proficiency (TLP) test administered by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). Students will also work with the Council on Teacher Education as part of the licensure/endorsement process.
For more information, visit the Bilingual and ESL Endorsements page.