COURSE CURRICULUM

The Special Education program at Concordia University Chicago requires a minimum of 121 credit hours, including 77 hours of major coursework that integrates general education, foundational education courses, and specialized training in special education. All major courses must be completed with a grade of C or higher, and only the student teaching internship may be taken on a Pass/Fail basis. Foundational courses include Introduction to American Education, Media and Technology in the Classroom, Teaching in Diverse Classrooms, and Characteristics and Instruction of Exceptional Learners. Prerequisites such as Foundations of Literacy, Literature for Children and Adolescents, Mathematics for Teachers, and Child and Adolescent Psychology prepare students for professional coursework. The program’s professional sequence is organized into three Special Education Methods Blocks, covering literacy, mathematics, characteristics of students with high and low incidence disabilities, assessment, assistive technology, instructional strategies, collaboration, inclusion, and behavior management. Students also take Literacy Instruction in the Content Areas and complete a rigorous 15-credit Student Teaching Internship and seminar, providing hands-on classroom experience. Through this combination of theory, pedagogy, and practice, graduates are prepared for Illinois licensure and careers supporting learners with diverse educational needs. The program emphasizes collaboration, inclusive teaching, and adaptive instruction across varied classroom settings.