The B.S.Ed. in Secondary Special Education degree is earned through the Community of Teachers (CoT) program, an innovative, student-centered approach to teacher education. CoT students work closely with a faculty facilitator, a cohort of students across content fields and at different stages in their education, and a teacher mentor of their choice.

CoT students majoring in secondary special education obtain teacher licensure at the secondary level (grades 5-12) in special education (Exceptional Needs – Mild Intervention) and have the option of adding licensure in one of three general education content areas (Language Arts/English, Mathematics, or Science). Students take challenging coursework in their identified content area and in special education that focuses on meeting the unique needs of individuals with mild/high-incidence disabilities in various educational settings. Students learn how to:

• design lessons that incorporate practices, programs, and methods that are supported by research,
• use assessments to inform instruction and monitor students’ progress
• select and use assistive technology,
• manage classroom environments,
• collaborate effectively with school-based professionals (e.g., teachers, administrators, school psychologists), outside agencies, and students’ families,
• support students’ social and emotional learning,
• develop and implement high-quality individualized education plans (IEPs), and
• support students’ content-area learning through accommodations, modifications, universal design for learning, and differentiated instruction.

• Admissions Requirements

  Direct Admit Scholars

  To be considered for direct admission into the School of Education, students must first be admitted to IU with an intended major within the School of Education. Students who meet the Direct Admit Scholars qualifications are invited to apply to the program.

  Certification from University Division

  Students should meet with a University Division advisor, who can provide guidance in meeting certification requirements. These requirements include:

  • An overall IU grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 or higher
  • 30 credit hours of college level coursework completed
  • Completion of EDUC-G203: Communication for Youth Serving Professionals, with a grade of C or better. (Under certain circumstances, students may substitute another college level public speaking or interpersonal communication class.)

  Learn more about how to apply

• Financial Aid

  We offer a range of scholarships for qualified students. Current students can be considered for most School of Education scholarships by completing one application each year.

  We also encourage students to visit Student Central for information about financial assistance.

  If you are a prospective student who applies to our Direct Admit Scholars program, you’ll be considered for scholarship opportunities as an entering freshman.

• Field Experiences & Student Teaching
  • CoT students complete at least two semester-length field experiences in which they work alongside an experienced special education teacher (their mentor) for a minimum of 6 hours each week.
  • The program culminates in a semester-long field experience in a secondary setting (grades 5-12), which consists of 10 weeks of student-teaching in special education and 6 weeks of a practicum in their content area.
• Licensing

  The B.S.Ed. in Secondary Special Education leads to an initial practitioner license in Exceptional Needs – Mild Intervention (Grades 5-12). To obtain this license, students must pass students must pass all three of the following Indiana CORE assessments:

  • Developmental Pedagogy: Secondary Education [5-12] (Code: 006)
  • Content Area: Exceptional Needs – Mild Intervention (Code: 025)
  • Content Area: Exceptional Needs – Mild Intervention: Reading Instruction (Code: 064)

  Students may also choose to add licensure in their selected content area (Language Arts/English, Mathematics, or Science) by passing the corresponding Indiana CORE content area assessment:

  • Mathematics (Grades 5-12; Code: 035)
  • Middle School Mathematics (Grads 5-9; Code: 034)
  • Language Arts (Grades 5-12; Code: 021)
  • Middle School Language Arts (Grades 5-9; Code: 020)
  • Life Science (Grades 5-12; Test Code: 045)
  • Middle School Life Science (Grades 5-9; Code: 036)
  • Chemistry (Grades 5-12; Code: 043)
  • Earth/Space Science (Grades 5-12; Code: 044)
  • Physical Science (Grades 5-12; Code: 046)
  • Physics (Grades 5-12; Code: 047)

  Learn more about applying for your initial license.

• Current Students

  Visit the Undergraduate Portal for forms, course requirements, and other resources you'll need as you work to complete your program.

• Community of Teachers (COT)

  This degree is earned through the Community of Teachers (COT) program, which provides a unique support system and added perspective on secondary education. As a member, you’ll develop strong relationships with fellow teaching students in ongoing seminars and work directly with a mentor teacher in that put you in real-world classrooms one to two days a week.