Beacon Special Education Certification (Grades K-12)

General Education 38-41 hrs

The general education component is to be completed according to Columbia College degree requirements. In order to complete the requirements set forth by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, the following courses must be included in your general education coursework. (Please refer to your entrance year catalog for specific degree requirements.)

  1. Basic Studies
    1. MATH 150 - College Algebra
    2. MATH 115 - Math for Elementary Teachers
  2. Arts and Humanities
    1. MUSI 122 - Music Appreciation or
      ARTS 105 - Art Appreciation or
      ARTS 111 - Arts and Ideas I or
      ARTS 112 - Arts and Ideas II
  3. Social and Behavioral Sciences
    1. PSYC 101 - General Psychology
    2. ECON 293 - Macroeconomics
    3. GEOG 101 - Introduction to Geography
Liberal Arts and Science Degree 37-54 hrs

Students seeking certification in Special Education may choose from the following recommended degree areas:

  • BA - American Studies
  • BA - Psychology
  • BA - Sociology

Students must complete the degree requirements as set forth by Columbia College. Hours required for completion will vary depending on area chosen. (Please refer to your entrance year catalog for specific degree requirements.)

Please note: certification will be Special Education (K-12), not content area certification.
Professional Education Coursework 57 hrs
EDUC 101 Intro to Education (must be taken w/first 9 hrs of EDUC classes) 1 hr
EDUC 105 Human Health 3 hrs
EDUC 200 Laws, Ethics and Education (meets college Ethics requirement) 3 hrs
EDUC 230 Educational Psychology 3 hrs
EDUC 270 Literature for Children and Adolescents 3 hrs
EDUC 300 Techniques of Teaching (NOTE: Must be admitted to Teacher Certification Program prior to enrolling in this course) 3 hrs
EDUC 302 Teaching Skills 3 hrs
EDUC 311 Classroom Management Techniques 3 hrs
PSYC 330 Lifespan Developmental Psychology 3 hrs
EDUC 331 Teaching of Reading 3 hrs
EDUC 336 Creative and Language Arts for Children 3 hrs
EDUC 340 Language Development for Spec. Needs Children 3 hrs
EDUC 358 Teaching Math in the Elementary School (Course will include 1 hr of field experience: 15 hr placement 3 hrs
EDUC 370 Intro to Mild/Moderate Cross Categorical 3 hrs
EDUC 380 Diagnostic and Corrective Reading 3 hrs
EDUC 382 Counseling for the Special Educator 3 hrs
EDUC 384 Assessment Diagnosis and Evaluation for Special Needs 3 hrs
EDUC 386 Methods of Mild/Moderate Cross Categorical (Methods course will include 1 hr of field experience: 15 hr placement) 3 hrs
EDUC 390 Education and Psychology of the Exceptional Child 3 hrs
EDUC 393 Mathematics for the Special Needs Population 3 hrs
EDUC 394 Transition/Career Counseling 3 hrs
EDUC 400 Senior Portfolio (This course to be taken concurrently with EDUC 426) 1 hr

Field Experience Coursework 8 hrs
EDUC 251 Beginning Field Experience 1 hr
EDUC 350/351 Advanced Field Experience I & II 2 hrs
EDUC 426 Student Teaching in Special Education [12 weeks] (Must receive a "B" or higher for certification) 8 hrs