Early Childhood/Special Education, BS

The Early Childhood/Special Education Program is organized to provide prospective teachers with essential competencies needed to effectively meet the intellectual, emotional, and social needs of young children. The goal of the program is to prepare prospective teachers with the methodology, knowledge, and diagnostic skills imperative to meeting the diverse needs of typical and atypical primary students. The Early Childhood/Special Education Program views learning from a cognitive behavioral developmental perspective and universal design theory. Particular emphasis is placed on determining what the child already knows, while acknowledging the fact that many children will not have had experiences commensurate with their peers. The Program prepares prospective teachers to build on the child’s strengths, background knowledge, and experiences. From this perspective, the child is conceptualized as an active learner who functions within a broader ecological context that includes the family, the community, and a culturally and linguistically pluralistic society. Upon graduation, early childhood/special education majors qualify for dual certification by the State of Maryland. Candidates pursuing a degree in Early Childhood/Special Education must complete 126 semester hours of course work.