Special Education Major, K-12

The Special Education major (K-12 Comprehensive and Modified) requires the Professional Education minor for students who seek teacher licensure. If teacher licensure is not desired, the education minor must be chosen. Contact College of Education for availability of non-licensure program.

	Credit Hours
General Education (see TBR Common Core ) University-Wide Freshman Seminar Requirement	41 1

Specific General Education Requirements for this major: 26 Credit Hours

Upper Division Major Requirements: 39 Credit Hours

Note

*Substitutes for EDUC 4270 in Professional Education Minor

Additional Requirements for Licensure and Graduation: 6 Credit Hours

Professional Education Minor

(Required for licensure in all endorsement areas: K-6, 4-8, 7-12, and K-12)

This minor leads to licensure for students seeking teacher licensure in all fields. Successful completion of this minor, successful completion of Clinical Practice (with seminar), and required licensure examinations leads to teaching licensure for grades K-6, 4-8, 5-8, 7-12, and K-12. Testing requirements, electronic portfolio development, and other prerequisites for provisional admission and full admission to Teacher Education will require consultation with an education advisor. For students not seeking licensure but a minor in Professional Education, contact the College of Education Dean.

Other Licensure Options Through the College of Education

In addition to the teacher licensure options noted above (K-6, 4-8, and Special Education), licensure is also available in the following secondary and K-12 specialty fields.

Art (K-12)
Biology (7-12)
Chemistry (7-12)
English (7-12)
French, Spanish, German or Latin (7-12)
Government (7-12)
Health and Human Performance (K-12)
History (7-12)
History with Economics (7-12)
History with Geography (7-12)
History with Government (7-12)
History with Psychology (7-12)
History with Sociology (7-12)
Mathematics (7-12)
Music, Instrumental (K-12)
Music, Vocal and General (K-12)
Physics (7-12)
Theatre (7-12)

Consult the individual academic departments for information about the majors that lead to these teaching licensures.

Additional Requirements

Clinical Teaching

All students seeking undergraduate certification are required to complete a full clinical semester (student teaching) at the appropriate levels (10 credit hours). Student teaching is taken concurrently with a seminar (2 credit hours). Student teaching is required for completion of the B.S. degree. Students will contact the Coordinator of Clinical Teaching Experiences for enrollment in appropriate student teaching courses. Full Admission Status must be attained for approval for student teaching. Completion of required Praxis II specialty examinations are components of Full Admission status.

Clinical Teaching and Seminar Courses

PRAXIS II Licensure Examination

All students seeking teacher licensure must complete PRAXIS II licensure examinations required by the State of Tennessee. Attaining minimum scores on required PRAXIS II specialty examinations prior to Full Admission to Teacher Education is required. For information about these requirements, please consult the Certification Office in the College of Education (Claxton 206). Tennessee Department of Education revisions of test score requirements supercede Bulletin criteria at matriculation.

Portfolio Development and Presentation

All students seeking certification are required to develop a Live Text electronic portfolio that represents professional growth and development across the full program of study. The purchase and development of a Live Text electronic portfolio is required in all professional education and restricted enrollment courses in majors leading to licensure. The presentation of the electronic program portfolio is an essential element of the summative assessment activities conducted during the Teaching Seminar (EDUC 4950 , 2 credits) and is a requirement of program completion and licensure.

Non-Licensure Option

Students selecting the Interdisciplinary Studies major or Special Education major but not wishing to seek teacher licensure may select an approved University minor other than Professional Education Minor and clinical teaching. Course substitutions for clinical teaching and seminar must be preapproved by the Dean of the College of Education.