2025-2026 Graduate Catalog | 20263

SPED 5105 Professional Practice in Special Education I (1 credits)

This one-credit course is designed to augment the clinical experiences required throughout the Special Education Licensure Program and facilitate interaction with teacher coaches/mentors. This course is taken during the candidate's first semester in the program. Signature Assessment 1 is completed in this course. Prerequisites: Current teacher license or completion of a teaching degree or completion of ED 5100, ED 5110, enrolled in or completed ED 5350 or consent of instructor. Corequisite: SPED 5600.
Common Course Outline

SPED 5400 Instructional Decision Making (3 credits)

This course is designed to provide an overview of and practical application with curriculum-based procedures for assessment and evaluation. The emphasis will be on classroom-based measures that can be used to make educational decisions to plan instruction for students¿particularly those who are experiencing academic difficulty. Prerequisite(s): SPED 5600
Common Course Outline

SPED 5450 ABS Educational Psychology (3 credits)

A study of the teaching and learning process with a focus on students with special education needs and how to ensure effective planning instruction, management, and assessment; learning from behavioral, information processing, and constructivist views focusing on how learning is influenced by cognitive, personal, social, and moral development, and by teaching approaches, motivation, and other factors attributed to the students' unique needs.
Common Course Outline

SPED 5566 Survey of Mild Disabilities (3 credits)

This is an introductory level survey course that studies the strategies, methods and materials for educational programming necessary when teaching students with mild disabilities. This course focuses on history, etiology, characteristics, and instructional needs for individuals with mild disabilities including Specific Learning Disabilities and Emotional Behavior Disorders. This course addresses learner traits relevant to specific intervention methods and instructional strategies across content areas as well as the roles of educators in inclusive settings to successfully collaborate to meet the needs of individuals with exceptionalities. Prerequisite(s): SPED 5600, SPED 5650.
Common Course Outline

SPED 5570 Autism Spectrum Disorder and Developmental Cognitive Disability Methods (3 credits)

This is an introductory level course that studies the strategies, methods and materials for educational programming necessary when teaching students with mild disabilities. This course focuses on history, etiology, characteristics, and instructional needs for individuals with mild disabilities including Autism Spectrum Disorder and Developmental Cognitive Disability. This course addresses learner traits relevant to specific intervention methods and instructional strategies across content areas as well as the roles of educators in inclusive settings to successfully collaborate to meet the needs of individuals with exceptionalities. Prerequisite(s) SPED 5600.
Common Course Outline

SPED 5600 Foundations of Special Education (3 credits)

This course provides future educators with a foundational understanding of special education. Students will learn about the history of special education and disabilities in American schools, characteristics of students with disabilities, special education processes, and evidence-based practices. Prerequisite(s): none
Common Course Outline

SPED 5620 Specific Learning Disabilities Methods (3 credits)

This course prepares students to apply the historical foundations, current educational definitions, federal and Minnesota eligibility criteria for services, etiology, comorbidity, impacts of information processing deficits, and social or emotional aspects of specific learning disabilities to their work with students with specific learning disabilities. Students will apply, analyze, and evaluate evidence-based practices to improve outcomes for students with specific learning disabilities. Prerequisite(s): SPED 5600
Common Course Outline

SPED 5650 Collaboration: Practitioners, Professional Partnerships, and Parents (3 credits)

This course prepares special educators for effective collaboration with practitioners, professionals, and parents to improve academic, behavioral, and post-secondary outcomes for students with disabilities in school, home, and community settings. Prerequisite(s): none.
Common Course Outline

SPED 5655 Due Process Foundations (3 credits)

This course provides students with practical knowledge of due process procedures for special education teachers including managing referrals, interpreting evaluations, developing IEP¿s, utilizing special education documents, following timelines, and conducting IEP meetings to improve outcomes for students with disabilities in schools. Prerequisite(s): SPED 5600
Common Course Outline

SPED 5665 Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (3 credits)

This course prepares educators to apply the principles of PBIS to improve student outcomes through the use of evidence-based practices including functional assessment, social skills instruction, and classroom management techniques.
Common Course Outline

SPED 5715 Foundations of Instruction for Special Educators (3 credits)

This course prepares students to apply the concepts of learning theory, evidence-based instructional design, and curricular interventions and techniques for the inclusive classroom. Prerequisite(s): SPED 5600.
Common Course Outline

SPED 5750 Applied Behavior Analysis for Teachers (3 credits)

This course is designed to teach pre-service special education teachers the basics of Applied Behavior Analysis as well as classroom management skills that foster positive interactions among students in pre-K through 12th grade. Students will learn to conduct behavioral assessments, and report results through professional writing. Prerequisite(s): SPED 5600
Common Course Outline

SPED 5840 Student Teaching - Special Education (6 credits)

Full-time teaching with guidance and supervision by university supervisors and assigned school personnel. Graded Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory only. Prerequisites: Completion of special education, foundations, core, and methods courses.
Common Course Outline

SPED 5917 DIS Tchg Assoc | (1-2 credits)

Directed Independent Study | Teaching Associate
Common Course Outline

SPED 6170 Student Teaching Workshop (1 credits)

The Graduate Student Teaching Workshop (8-week) is one of the final courses in the SPED licensure program and is taken 1 semester before student teaching. This course will outline the major tasks and responsibilities of student teaching as well as discuss the agencies, laws, and resources candidates will need prior to and during student teaching.
Common Course Outline

SPED 6180 Graduate Student Teaching Seminar (2 credits)

This course, taken concurrently with student teaching, supports students as they progress through student teaching and completion of the edTPA. The course discusses application of content and skills learned in coursework as well as current issues and trends in special education. Additionally, students will identify and examine resources used in student teaching and into their careers as special educators.
Common Course Outline

SPED 6530 Emotional Behavioral Disorders Methods (3 credits)

The course is an introduction to the characteristics and assessment of students with emotional and behavioral disorders within the context of school, family, and community settings. Prerequisite(s): SPED 5600
Common Course Outline

SPED 6560 Autism Spectrum Disorders Methods (3 credits)

This course prepares students to apply the historical foundations, current educational definitions, eligibility criteria, etiology, comorbidity, and social or emotional characteristics of students with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Students will apply, analyze, and evaluate evidence-based practices to improve outcomes for students with Autism. Prerequisite(s): SPED 5600
Common Course Outline

SPED 6603 Math Difficulties: Assessment and Intervention (3 credits)

This course prepares special education teachers to address student needs related to mathematics through the development, implementation, and assessment of evidence-based math interventions. Prerequisite(s): SPED 5600.
Common Course Outline

SPED 6605 Advanced Due Process (3 credits)

This course prepares special educators to responsibly conduct special education evaluations for the purposes of developing sound and legally correct IEPs. Prerequisite(s): SPED 5600 and SPED 5655.
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SPED 6608 Reading Difficulties: Assessment and Intervention (3 credits)

This course prepares special education teachers to assess the needs of and develop evidence-based interventions for students who exhibit reading deficits. Prerequisite(s): SPED 5600.
Common Course Outline

SPED 6610 Applying Special Education Research (3 credits)

This course provides special education practitioners with a practical understanding of special education research including the basics of experimental, single-case, and qualitative research designs. Additionally, students will learn how to identify, access, and utilize quality evidence-based practices using both research and practitioner-oriented peer reviewed publications from the field of special education. Prerequisite(s): Prerequisite(s): Admission to the MSPED program
Common Course Outline

SPED 6620 Advanced Specific Learning Disabilities Methods (3 credits)

This course prepares special education teachers to plan, identify, design, implement, and evaluate evidence-based specialized instruction and intervention techniques to improve outcomes for students with Specific Learning Disabilities. Prerequisite(s): SPED 5600, SPED 5620.
Common Course Outline

SPED 6630 Advanced Emotional Behavioral Disorders Methods (3 credits)

This course prepares special education teachers to plan, identify, design, implement, and evaluate evidence-based specialized instruction and intervention techniques to improve outcomes for students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders. Prerequisite(s): SPED 5600, SPED 6530.
Common Course Outline

SPED 6640 Advanced Strategies with Special Populations (3 credits)

This course uses scientifically based research strategies to identify the characteristics of teacher-student interactions and design curricular interventions that address socio-emotional interactions, classroom organization and management, as well as instructional support to accommodate diverse learners in reading, writing, mathematics, and social skills. This course requires a 20-hour approved field experience that includes developing an individual application project in collaboration with a supervising teacher licensed in the area the student is seeking licensure in. Prerequisite(s): Initial Special Education license already completed or instructor consent.
Common Course Outline

SPED 6650 Practicum Strategies with Special Populations (2 credits)

This is a 2-credit graduate practicum course where students, using scientifically based research strategies, learn to identify the characteristics of teacher-student interactions and design curricular interventions that address socio-emotional interactions, classroom organization and management, as well as instructional support to accommodate diverse learners in reading, writing, mathematics, and social skills... This course requires an 80-hour practicum approved that includes developing an individual focus project. This course is for Conventional and Add-on Licensure students (those who take 3 classes for an ASD, EBD, or SLD license after they have completed the requirements for their first license). Prerequisite(s): Completion of initial SPED license: SPED 3/5600, 3/5650, 3/5655, 4/5715,6605,6608,6603
Common Course Outline

SPED 6660 Advanced Autism Spectrum Disorders Methods (3 credits)

This course prepares special education teachers to plan, identify, design, implement, and evaluate evidence-based specialized instruction and intervention techniques to improve outcomes for students with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Prerequisite(s): SPED 5600 and SPED 6560.
Common Course Outline

SPED 6680 Single Subject Research in Special Education (3 credits)

Study of single subject research analysis as used in special education. Includes strategic issues for conducting single subject research design, methodology, and interpretation of data. Students complete the proposal for the Master in Special Education project. Prerequisites: SPED 6610 or consent of instructor.
Common Course Outline

SPED 6690 Summative Applications in Special Education (3 credits)

Culminating experience where students demonstrate their development as reflective professionals within the field of special education. Students complete and present their Master in Special Education project. Prerequisites: SPED 6610 and SPED 6680, or consent of instructor.
Common Course Outline

SPED 6800 Special Education Comprehensive Examination (0 credits)

This course houses the comprehensive exam as the final piece for our Master of Special Education degree. Students will be given 4 questions from the 25 identified. They will be given 28 days to write on the topics and will be evaluated based on the rubric.
Common Course Outline

SPED 6910 Directed Independent Study (3 credits)

DIS
Common Course Outline

SPED 6920 Directed Group Study (3 credits)

Arranged group study
Common Course Outline