- Degree Level
- Undergraduate
- Degrees Offered
- Bachelor of Arts
- school/college
- School of Education
Bachelor of Arts in Special Education, PK-12
The major in Special Education PK12 is designed to prepare special educators for initial PA teacher certification to work with diverse individuals with disabilities, their families, and related service providers in birth-age 22 settings, across 13 categories of disability.
This program is designed around four major themes:
- Inclusion and diversity
- Evidence-based, Culturally Responsive Pedagogy
- Collaboration and Consultation
- Leadership
Each course embeds these themes within the content of the course in the following ways:
- Stressing inclusion as the default option for all students while striving to build communities of diverse individuals;
- Enacting professional dispositions and advocacy centered on addressing equity and justice for diverse students, families, and communities in relation to processes and outcomes in special education and related services;
- Designing evidence-based, authentic, culturally responsive instruction and related service provisions that address intersectional needs of diverse students and families;
- Focusing on successful strategies for consultation, collaboration, and co-teaching to provide effective instruction and services that build communities of support for students; and
- Fostering cultural self-awareness, resulting in cultural awareness of different groups as well as implementing culturally responsive instruction, assessment, and communication with students, families, and communities.
- Understand the role of Special Educator as leader and advocate in building truly responsive and inclusive programming in educational and community contexts
- Learn through course-based and hands-on experiences to innovate and design classrooms for children from birth to grade 4.
- Enjoy camaraderie, idea sharing, and collaboration with other students and faculty in Arcadia’s close-knit undergraduate programs.
- Explore global learning and teaching experiences through Arcadia’s accessible and acclaimed study abroad program.
- Develop a broad-based understanding across disciplines through the other elements of Arcadia’s Undergraduate Curriculum.
The program embeds interdisciplinary and experiential learning through a variety of service learning projects, fieldwork in diverse settings with students with diverse special education services, and flexibility to study abroad. This program also offers the opportunity to explore a range of electives and earn a comprehensive education. Students develop a broad-based understanding across disciplines through the other elements of Arcadia’s Undergraduate Curriculum.
Program outcomes are based, in part, on PDE PreK-12 Special Education Educator Certification, PDE Common Ground Framework Competencies, PDE Ethical Educator Standards and Structured Literacy Standards (as per guidelines) together with Pre-service Educator (BA), PDE content course requirements, and University General Education/AUC requirements. In addition, all fieldwork and practicum experiences outcomes are based on the PDE Field Experience and Student Teaching Competencies.
Program Highlights
Courses accredited by The International Dyslexia Association
Literacy coursework meets IDA accreditation standards.
Early entry into Arcadia’s Master’s Degree and/or Graduate certificate in related fields: Applied Behavior Analysis, Autism Certificate, Social Emotional Learning Certificate, Reading Specialist, etc.
Approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education
Relationship with a wide variety of regional Special Education professionals and institutions, including:
- Opportunities for internship at A Step Up Academy (ASUA), a K-12 & Transition school for students with Autism and Developmental Disabilities located on Arcadia’s campus
- Opportunities to work as a paid mentor in the Inclusive College Program (REAL Certificate)
Flexibility in the program allows for several options for study abroad (brief global field study courses and full semester abroad)
Opportunities for mentored collaborative research and conference presentations with faculty
Featured Courses
Early Intervention
This course provides an overview of evidence-based best practices in program development and implementation of inclusive services for young children with disabilities, including philosophical, historical, and legal foundations. Inclusive, integrative, collaborative, family-focused and activity-based models of service delivery are emphasized with an overview of family-centered issues and trends in early intervention.
Differentiated Instruction
Required Course
Develop a basic understanding of principles and practices related to effectively addressing academic diversity in contemporary classrooms. The guiding framework for the semester is designed to reinforce the idea that defensible differentiation requires thoughtful and consistent attention to multiple aspects of curriculum, instruction, assessment, and learning environment.
Teacher Certification Agreements
Pennsylvania has signed the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement that provides for acceptance of state-approved educator preparation programs between certain states to facilitate educator mobility.
Teacher Certification Reciprocity
Arcadia University School of Education is an approved provider of educational programs leading to Pennsylvania Department of Education Professional Certification and offers certification at the undergraduate and post baccalaureate (graduate) levels. Arcadia University has not determined if our curriculum meets the requirements for teacher certification in other states or US territories.
