Program Overview

Introduction to the Exceptional Education: Early Childhood Program

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's School of Education offers a Bachelor of Science in Exceptional Education with a focus on Early Childhood Special Education. This program is designed to prepare teachers to provide special education services in infant/toddler, preschool, or primary settings up to third grade, emphasizing multicultural, family-centered, and interdisciplinary preparation.

Program Type and Format

• The program type is a Major.
• The program format is On Campus.

Career Opportunities

The Early Childhood Special Education Program prepares teachers to make a lifelong impact on children with disabilities. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school levels are the fastest-growing areas of special education.

Program Requirements

The Early Childhood Special Education major leads to a Bachelor of Science in Exceptional Education. To be admitted to the major, students must declare the major or transfer from another institution. Upon completion, graduates are eligible to apply for a Cross-Categorical Special Education Teaching License from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction for ages birth to 8 (Grades 0-3).

Admission to the Certification Track

Candidates can be admitted to the certification track(s) of the major upon:

• Successful completion of 40 credits.
• Completion of UWM competency requirements in English and mathematics.

Post-Baccalaureate Program

The Post-Baccalaureate Early Childhood Special Education Program is designed for individuals with a bachelor's degree who wish to become teachers. The program duration varies:

• For individuals without a teaching license or experience, it is a two-year program.
• For individuals with a bachelor's degree and teacher certification in Early Childhood Education, the program is generally about one year.

Master's Degree Option

Students have the option to combine the certification program with a master's degree, taking up to 18 credits of their certification program at the graduate level.

809 Add-On License

The Department of Exceptional Education offers an 809 add-on license for Early Childhood: Exceptional Education Needs teachers, extending their certification from birth through kindergarten to birth through age 8. This requires additional courses, including:

• CURRINS 330: Teaching of Mathematics: Early Childhood
• CURRINS 504: Teaching of Reading and Writing in Early Childhood: Primary
• EXCEDUC 570: Curriculum & Methods for Special Ed.: Primary
• EXCEDUC 649: Early Childhood Field Experience: Primary
• EXCEDUC 682: Language and Literacy in ECSE

UWM Admission Requirements

To be considered for admission to UWM, applicants must meet all UWM admissions requirements and complete the Universities of Wisconsin Application.

Faculty and Research

The faculty includes Dr. Maggie Bartlett, whose research focuses on the cultural practices and complexities intersecting with the education of children with disabilities and their families. She uses critical, decolonizing, social justice, and comparative lenses in her work.

Scholarships

Awards for tuition and book costs are available for some full- and part-time students in the Early Childhood Special Education program, made possible by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

Advancement to Professional Sequence

Advancement to the professional program sequence is based on a review of all application materials by the program admission committee and is contingent upon availability of space. The Early Childhood Special Education professional sequence is a cohort program that begins a two-year course sequence each fall semester.