Special Education N-12 with Teacher Certification PreK-12B.S.

As a special education major at Messiah University, you’ll be able to:

• Study in a program that has been named an “Education College of Distinction” by Colleges of Distinction for 2023-2024.
• Integrate sociocultural and developmental understanding toward high expectations for learners with disabilities.
• Design evidence-based supports and interventions to promote social, emotional, and behavioral well-being.
• Use multiple methods of assessment in making educational decisions.
• Implement evidence-based interventions and adaptations to advance learning.
• Integrate faith, identity and vocational calling with standards of ethical practice.
• Collaborate to serve and seek justice for learners with disabilities.
• Integrate expertise in early childhood instruction with expertise in special education interventions.
• Build expertise to fit your chosen career goal.
• Create a professional portfolio for potential employers.
• Spend time in our Teacher Exploration Center, a resource room with SmartBoard technology, video recording capabilities, a small laminator, white board tables and materials as needed. 
• Study abroad to compare education in other cultures.
• Start in the classroom your sophomore year, observing suburban, urban and rural teaching settings. By your junior year, you will be out full days to teach!

As a graduate of the special education program, you will be equipped to secure positions such as:

• Special education teacher in low incidence populations (typically more severe disabilities) or high school settings (when paired with a minor in literature, math or other high school subjects)
• Special education teacher for any grade or specialization (though for elementary grades with high incidence disabilities, we suggest Dual Certification with Early Childhood)
• Early intervention specialist in home or center-based settings paired with a minor in Human Development and Family Wellness or Disability and Family Wellness or other social sciences
• Supporter of individuals with disabilities in postsecondary programs

For more information on career planning, visit the Messiah University Career and Professional Development Center. 

Messiah helps place students in extensive field experience settings beginning in sophomore year, including:

• Local public school class observations
• Junior-level field experience in regular education classrooms designing and implementing instructional plans
• Student teaching experience in special education during senior year
• Clinically supervised internship in specialized classrooms for students with significant physical, intellectual, social and behavioral difficulties during senior year
• Option to complete part of student teaching internationally

The special education program builds in-depth perspectives on learners with special needs, and skills for behavioral intervention strategies, assessment, and individualized academic intervention strategies. For authentic experiences across the range of disabilities and settings, many assignments serve specific schools, students, and organizations. Through the core curriculum, you will acquire a foundation for effective thinking, systematic planning, decision making and differentiating instruction in the classroom.

Our 94% pass rate on Certification Exams and 100% employment rates are just two indicators of how well Messiah University prepares students for teaching certification and teaching careers. You will graduate ready to use your solid foundation in effective curriculum development, instructional planning, assessment, behavior interventions, and specialized techniques to help students learn.