Program Overview

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Program Overview

The Special Education program at Xavier University offers a Bachelor of Science degree and licensure to undergraduate students who complete the requirements for both licensure as an Intervention Specialist and the Bachelor of Science in Special Education concurrently. Students choose licensure concentrations as a Mild/Moderate, Moderate/Intensive or P-5 Primary Intervention Specialist.

Program Features

• Discover your leadership potential: Benefit from experiential learning that begins your first year.
• Mentorships that shape your future: Connect with inspiring mentors who are practicing teachers and administrators in local schools, providing real-world insights and shaping your future career path.
• Located in a city of opportunity: Xavier University has partnerships with 50+ school districts in southwestern Ohio and northern Kentucky for field experiences and student teaching.
• Benefit from a fully accredited program: Xavier’s School of Education is fully accredited by the Ohio Department of Education and the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation.

Curriculum

The curriculum for the Special Education program includes a combination of coursework, field experiences, and clinical practice. The sample course sequence is as follows:

First Year

• Fall:
  • EDUCATION 120: Human Development & Learning
  • ENGLISH 101: English Composition
  • CORE 100: First Year Seminar
  • PHILOSOPHY 100: Introduction to Ethics
  • Second Language I
  • COMMUNICATIONS 101: Oral Communications
  • CORE 101: GOA Co-curriculum Program I
• Spring:
  • EDUCATION 324: Childrens Lit for Early Childhood
  • EDUCATION 201: Intro to Emotionally Dist Child
  • EDUCATION 200: Special Ed: Ident. & Issues
  • THEOLOGY 111
  • Second Language II
  • CORE 102: GOA Co-curriculum Program II

Sophomore

• Fall:
  • EDUCATION 205: Foundations of EDSPED
  • EDME 362: Orton Gillingham
  • EDEL 260: Cultural Diversity in Education
  • MATH 211: Foundations of Arithmetic
  • Philosophical Perspective
  • Historical Perspective
• Spring:
  • EDMS 350: Technology & Topics for Teachers
  • EDUCATION 364: DAP Instructional Methods
  • E/RS Elective
  • Theology 200 Level
  • Creative Perspective
  • MATH 212: GEO & Measurement MCED

Junior

• Fall:
  • EDRE 471: Content Area Literacy
  • EDUCATION 370: M/I Characteristics & Statistics
  • EDUCATION 380: Classroom Management
  • EDUCATION 373: M/I Assessment & Eval.
  • Natural Science Elective
  • General Elective
• Spring:
  • EDME 354: Montessori Lang Arts & Reading
  • EDUCATION 376: M/I Support Services
  • EDUCATION 389: Program Practice S/I Disorders
  • EDME 353: Montessori Math & Geo Math
  • Scientific Perspective
  • EDUCATION 372: Communication Strat & Tech

Senior

• Fall:
  • ENGLISH 205: Literature & Moral Imagination
  • EDRE 478: Diag Corr Reading Disab
  • EDUCATION 374: Curriculum Pract: Mod Disab
  • EDUCATION 367: SPED Behavior & Society
  • EDUCATION 203: SPED Commun & Collab
  • Writing Intensive Elective
• Spring:
  • EDUCATION 402: M/I Student Teaching
  • EDUCATION 401: Teaching Seminar
  • CORE 499

Outcomes

98% of Xavier students, including those in the special education major, are working, volunteering or in graduate school within six months of graduating (Class of 2023).

Sample Courses

• Identification and Issues in Special Education (EDSP 200): Explore national and state policies, causes, assessments, categorization and challenges for individuals and families with exceptional needs.
• Foundations in Early Childhood Special Education (EDSP 205): Delve into the history and philosophy of services for young children.
• Characteristic and Strategies of Students with Mild/Moderate Disabilities (EDSP 360): Explore definitions, characteristics and educational and legal issues for individuals with mild to moderate disabilities.
• Clinical Experiences (EDMS 411): Gain hands-on experience working with students in school settings.

Clubs

• Educators for Justice: Connect with Cincinnati's professional education community through monthly meetings, professional development, service, and community building.
• Embrace Evanston: Help address educational inequality at Evanston Academy through leading after-school programs, mentoring students, tutoring, and participating in physical activities.

Related Programs

• BS in Primary Education (P-5)
• BS in Montessori Education
• BS in Teaching Integrated Science
• Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) minor
• Deaf Studies minor
• Gender & Diversity Studies minor
• Musical Theatre minor
• Peace Studies minor
• Special Education (Licensure) graduate program
• Special Education (MEd) graduate program
• Transition to Work (Special Education) (Endorsement) graduate program
• Pre-Kindergarten Special Needs (Endorsement) graduate program
• Gifted/Talented Special Education (Endorsement) graduate program

Accreditation

Xavier’s School of Education is fully accredited by the Ohio Department of Education and the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation.

Licensure

The Special Education program at Xavier University prepares students for the following licensure areas in Ohio:

• Intervention Specialist: This licensure qualifies teachers to work with students who require additional support to access and learn from the general education curriculum.
  • Mild/Moderate: For students with mild to moderate disabilities.
  • Moderate/Intensive: For students with moderate to severe disabilities.
  • P-5 Primary Special Education: For early childhood special education (Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 5).
• Teacher of Students with Autism: This licensure qualifies teachers to work specifically with students with autism spectrum disorder.

Career Paths

A special education degree prepares students for a variety of career paths within the field of education, including:

• Special Education Teacher
• Special Education Specialist
• Behavior Specialist
• Assistive Technology Specialist
• Learning Disabilities Specialist
• Autism Spectrum Disorder Specialist

University Overview

Xavier University is a private university located in Cincinnati, Ohio, providing a liberal arts education in the Jesuit Catholic tradition. Founded in 1831, the University is the sixth-oldest Catholic university in the nation. It has been ranked among the top 10 master's-level universities in the Midwest by U.S. News & World Report for the past two decades. The Princeton Review names it one of the "Best 385 Colleges in America."