Education Course Requirements (21-39 credits)

Pathway #1 (For those holding PA teaching certificate)

  • EDUC 452: Teaching Writing
  • EDUC 459: Strategies For Effective Teaching in Inclusive Classrooms (3)*
  • EDUC 458: Behavior Management Strategies for Inclusive Classrooms (3)*
  • EDUC 466: Foundations Of Teaching English as a Second Language (3)*
  • EDUC 477: Teaching Struggling Readers And Writers (3)
  • PSYCH 443: Treatment and Education Of Developmental Disabilities (3)
  • SPLED 404: Families and Professionals in Special Education (3)
  • SPLED 409C: Math for Special Populations
  • SPLED 462: Autism and Applied Behavior Analysis (WC) (3)
  • EDUC 495: Special Education Internship (3)

* recently certified teachers will likely have met this course requirement.

Pathway #2 (For those with a bachelor’s degree only)

  • Take all of the above Pathway #1 courses, plus the following:
  • EDUC 314: Learning Theory and Instructional Procedures (3) 
  • EDUC 315Y: Social and Cultural Factors in Education (3)  
  • One of the following:
    • HDFS 129: Introduction to Human Development and Family Studies (3)
    • HDFS 229: Infant and Child Development (3)
    • HDFS 239: Adolescent Development (3)

Field Experience Requirements (3 Options)

Option One: Candidate-directed Experience 

  • Available to candidates following Pathway #1 or #2.
  • Candidate arranges own clinical observation experience over the course of the first year, with required documentation and assignments. 
  • Take EDUC 495 Special Education Internship (3 credits) in the final semester, which will address PDE competencies for those in Pathway #1 and #2 and will also incorporate Penn State Harrisburg student teaching competencies for those in Pathway #2.

Option Two: Year-long Clinical Residency

  • Available to candidates following Pathway #2.
  • Participate in the year-long clinical residency during the final academic year in the program. This includes enrolling in EDUC 495: Internship (3 credits) in the Fall semester and EDUC 490: Student Teaching (9 credits) in the Spring semester.
  • Residency can only run from fall to spring.

Option Three: Traditional Approach (clinical residency optional)

  • Available to candidates following Pathway #2.
  • Take EDUC 313: Field Observation (2 additional credits) concurrently with EDUC 314 (Fall semester only).
  • Take EDUC 490: Student Teaching (9 credits) in the final semester.
  • Take EDUC 495: Special Education Internship (3 credits) in the final semester. This may be taken during Student Teaching.