Special Education Learning Disabilities K-12 and Elementary Education PK-3
Western ¾ÅÒ»Â鶹ÖÆƬ³§ University's special education learning disabilities K-12 and elementary education PK-3 program, is a five-year program that addresses a critical ongoing shortage of special education teachers nationally as well as locally. The department has the highest job placement rate in teacher education at WMU. Students will have the option to earn a minor in the core content areas.
Upon completion, graduates will be eligible for:
- ¾ÅÒ»Â鶹ÖÆƬ³§ teacher certification in Elementary Education K-5.
- Elementary Education K-8 (self-contained).
- Special Education endorsements in Learning Disabilities (K-12).
- Emotional Impairment (K-12).
The Special Education Program offers multiple study abroad experiences at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Students can complete their 15-week special education internship with the U.S. Department of Defense Schools throughout Europe. During the Summer I session, students may engage in a three-week study abroad experience, conducting active research by studying the impact of globalization on systems in Senegal, West Africa.
Special education faculty also offer a number of program options at the undergraduate, master and doctoral levels with an emphasis on the application of research-generated practices to improve students’ educational and post-school outcomes. Within each program area, faculty are engaged in research initiatives that enhance both student engagement and learning.
Recent WMU graduates with degrees in special and elementary education are working as:
- Classroom teachers
- Resource room teachers
- Inclusion teachers
- Self-contained special classroom teachers
Among the organizations they work for are:
- Schools
- Kalamazoo