Special Education, General Curriculum

Do you feel called to teach? Do you seek a fulfilling career you are excited about, a career through which you make a real difference in the lives of people with special needs?

The special education program area offers an exciting array of undergraduate, graduate, and licensure-only special education programs, both on-campus and through distance education (online and through SECU Partnership East). The BS in special education general curriculum (GC) requires foundations curriculum and professional courses, with an emphasis on effective teaching practices, authentic assessment, technology integration, and serving students with diverse learning needs and backgrounds. The BS in special education general curriculum leads to K-12 licensure.

The GC program prepares you to work with children with disabilities who are ultimately pursuing a high school diploma and are studying in the general education curriculum. The courses in this program provide a common core of general knowledge and skills necessary for beginning teachers. Candidates in the special education GC program also complete all requirements for a Reading license.

The special education program area works in partnership with the educational community in the development of the professional special educators. The special education program at East Carolina offers a rich combination of mentoring and course work coupled with extensive field-based practices to prepare you to teach students with special learning needs. You will learn about disability characteristics for students with high-incidence disabilities, research-based instructional strategies and methods, and assessment practices designed to provide ongoing formative data for effective student learning. Along with early and ongoing field-based practicum courses, you will work closely with faculty, master teachers and university supervisors. That extensive educational experience means you will be empowered with the theory and the practice that will make you an expert in your field.

Institutional and Professional Licensure Disclosures for Enrolled and Prospective Students

ECU degree programs satisfy the professional licensure and/or certification requirements in North Carolina and prepare students to sit for these exams. However, requirements in other states may be different.

If you are considering a degree program that may, would, could or potentially lead to a professional license and/or certification, please note that at this time ECU may or may not be able to advise whether a program meets requirements outside of North Carolina. Prior to enrolling in a degree program, please discuss this important topic with your program of interest.

• Department Website
• College Website
• How Do I Apply
• Apply Now

Program Director: Chris Rivera (104 Rivers Building; 252-328-6865; [email protected])

The degree requires a minimum of 120 s.h. as follows:

(For information about courses that carry general education credit view the General Education Program section.)

• ART 3850 - Art in the Elementary School
OR
• Any approved general education fine arts course


• COMM 2020 - Fundamentals of Speech Communication
OR
• COMM 2410 - Public Speaking


• MATH 1065 - College Algebra
OR
• MATH 2127 - Basic Concepts of Mathematics
OR
• Any 2000 level or higher general education mathematics course


• PSYC 1000 - Introductory Psychology


• PSYC 2777 - Ethnocultural Psychology
OR
• SOCI 1010 - Race, Gender, Class

• EDTC 4001 - Technology in Education
• EDUC 3002 - Introduction to Diversity
• EDUC 3200 - Foundations of American Education
• READ 3501 - Foundational Literacy Skills: Differentiated Instruction and Assessment for the Elementary Classroom
• SPED 2123 - Early Experiences for Prospective Teachers
• SPED 4320 - Communication and Collaboration in Special Education
• SPED 4324 - Internship in Special Education

• SPED 2000 - Introduction to Exceptional Children
• SPED 2300 - Teaching Students with Disabilities, General Curriculum
• SPED 3004 - Managing the Learning Environment
• SPED 3300 - Reading and Writing for Students with Disabilities, General Curriculum
• SPED 3309 - Practicum in Reading and Writing for Students with Disabilities, General Curriculum
• SPED 3500 - Mathematics and Content Areas for Students with Disabilities, General Curriculum
• SPED 3509 - Practicum in Mathematics and Content Areas for Students with Disabilities, General Curriculum
• SPED 4000 - Technology in Special Education
• SPED 4100 - Issues and Strategies for Students with Disabilities in the General and Adapted Curricula
• SPED 4300 - Practicum in Special Education
Choose 8-9 s.h. from the following:
• MATE 2129 - Investigations into Concepts of Elementary Mathematics
• MATE 3030 - Geometry and Measurement for Elementary Teachers
• READ 3000 - Literacy Learning in a Diverse World


• SCIE 3270 - Physical Science for Grades K-6
OR
• SCIE 3280 - Life and Environmental Science Grades K-6
OR
• SCIE 3290 - Earth Systems Science Grades K-6


• SPED 3750 - Global Studies in Special Education
• SPED 4550 - Seminar in Special Education
• Or any course approved by the program coordinator

• MATE 3050 - Mathematics and Methods for Grades Pre-K-2
• MATE 3051 - Field Experience in Mathematics Grades K-2
• MATE 3060 - Mathematics and Methods for Grades 3-6
• MATE 3067 - Algebra and Number Foundations
• READ 3502 - Reading for Understanding: Differentiated Instruction and Assessment for the Elementary Classroom


• READ 3990 - Teaching Reading in the Content Areas in the Secondary School
OR
• READ 5317 - Adolescent Literacy in the Content Areas


• SCIE 3216 - Teaching Science in the Elementary School

For more information about this degree visit the university's academic catalogs.

Graduates with this degree are successful in many fields and careers, including the following:

• Special Education, General
• Special Education Teachers, Preschool, K and Elementary
• Special Education Teachers, Middle School
• Special Education Teachers, Secondary School

Career Opportunities

ECU has developed resources to help you learn more about career opportunities and job market outlook. In addition, the websites below provide specific information on careers in the various majors from which students may choose:

NC Tower

This website provides graphs and tables of in-depth information on employment rates, wages and ongoing higher education enrollment of graduates from the North Carolina Community College System and from the University of North Carolina system schools. NC Tower includes data on former UNC students who are working in roughly 90% of all jobs in North Carolina. This database excludes information for graduates who are:

• Self-employed;
• Work for the federal government, including the military: or
• Work outside of North Carolina.

US Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook

This website also provides in-depth information regarding pay, projected new jobs, required education, growth rate and on-the-job training information on various occupations.

Degree-specific internships

For information on internship information for specific majors, go to the home page of the department in which the major is located and, as available, find the link to the information on internships in that major.