Special Education 

Building an Inclusive Society Through Research-Based Practices!

Winthrop University offers multiple pathways to a career in special education at the undergraduate and graduate levels. You will be prepared to work with PK-12 students with a variety of support needs across school environments. Faculty with expertise in multi-tiered systems of support, trauma-informed and culturally responsive practices, transition planning, and teaching students with extensive support needs are here to guide you in your pursuit of teacher certification.

 

Bachelor of Science in Special Education

Students pursuing the Bachelor of Science in Special Education at Winthrop University can earn up to three teaching certifications in the state of South Carolina upon graduation. The program focuses on increasing inclusion and access to the general education curriculum for all students with disabilities. Special education graduates are prepared to teach preschool through secondary school aged children. In addition to Special Education: Multi-Categorical (PK-12) certification, each special education major graduates with the required coursework needed for add-on certification in Special Education: Severe Disabilities (PK-12) and Elementary Education (grades 2-6). Research has shown that PK-12 students experience greater success when their teachers are dual-certified in special and elementary education (Gomez-Najarro et al., 2023; Kirksey & Lloydhauser, 2022). Additionally, by having multiple certifications, graduates enhance their employment potential while also providing for increased flexibility in their careers.

Winthrop Special Education majors begin their field experiences in their first year by working directly with PK-12 students in school settings. Teacher candidates are encouraged to become actively involved in Winthrop’s chapter of the Council for Exceptional Children, engage in research with faculty and local teachers, attend and present at local, state, and national conferences, and support the work of https://www.winthrop.edu/ceshs/winthroplife/, an inclusive post-secondary program for college students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

 

4+1 Bachelor of Science & Master of Education

Earn two degrees in five years! Winthrop students majoring in Early Childhood Education or Elementary Education are encouraged to apply for the 4+1 program. Upon completing their B.S. in ECED or ELEM, candidates receive a Master of Education degree in Special Education Intervention, which leads to an add-on certification in Special Education: Learning Disabilities (PK-12). Candidates may choose to stay full-time at Winthrop to finish their two degrees or work as full-time teachers in SC public schools in their fifth year, which makes them eligible for funding under the SC CREATE project.

 

Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) in Special Education

The Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) is designed to prepare individuals who are seeking initial certification to be a classroom teacher. Through field-focused learning in school partnership settings, candidates demonstrate evolving skills in the domains of diverse needs of learners, learning environment, technology, assessment, instruction and learner engagement, literacy, and professional learning and ethical practice. We have three pathways for those pursuing an MAT in Special Education.

Traditional M.A.T. candidates are typically adult learners who majored in something other than education during their undergraduate program (e.g., business, nursing, engineering). These candidates take a mixture of online and in-person courses across two to three years, culminating in a year-long internship (i.e., student teaching). Candidates completing the M.A.T. in Special Education are eligible for initial certification in Special Education: Multi-categorical (PK-12) in the state of South Carolina upon graduation.

The Accelerated M.A.T. pathway is for Winthrop University students who majored in Educational Studies, a flexible pathway for students who plan to become teachers. Upon completing their Bachelor's of Science degree in Educational Studies, these candidates apply to the accelerated M.A.T. program and finish their graduate degree in one year! Candidates completing the accelerated M.A.T. in Special Education after completing the B.S. in Educational Studies are eligible for initial certification in Special Education: Multi-categorical (PK-12) and also have the opportunity to take the courses leading to add-on certification in Special Education: Severe Disabilities (PK-12) and Elementary Education (2-6).

Finally, as an affiliated SC CREATE (Centers for the Re-Education and Advancement of Teachers in Special Education and Related Services Personnel) Center, we provide a fully online M.A.T. Program for individuals employed full-time (any position, in or out of the classroom) by a South Carolina public or charter school. The South Carolina Department of Education provides full funding of tuition and fees as to eligible individuals who apply for SC CREATE. For more information: https://ed.sc.gov/districts-schools/special-education-services/projects-and-supports/create/

 

Master of Education in Intervention

Teachers certified in areas other than special education (e.g., elementary education, middle level education) are encouraged to pursue their M.Ed. in Special Education Intervention through our 30-credit, 100% online program. Designed for teachers who work with students with disabilities but who are not currently certified in special education, candidates take coursework to prepare them for add-on licensure in Special Education: Learning Disabilities (PK-12) and subsequent licensures in other special education areas (e.g., Pk-12 Multi-categorical Special Education) if they so choose. depending on specific state requirements.

 

Add-On Certification in Special Education: Learning Disabilities

Teachers certified in areas other than special education (e.g., elementary education, middle level) can pursue graduate coursework at Winthrop to add-on certification in Special Education: Learning Disabilities and Special Education: Multi-Categorical.