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Early Childhood Special Education Minor

Improve children’s learning outcomes and expand your teaching career options with a minor in Early Childhood Special Education. Learn assessment, teaching and behavioral management techniques for working with young children with exceptionalities from the University of Central Missouri’s highly respected Special Education program.

In addition to providing skills and knowledge that will enrich your teaching in any field, UCM’s Early Childhood Special Education minor will prepare you for future certification. Once you’ve graduated with your bachelor’s degree and received your initial teaching certification, you can take Missouri’s content assessment for Early Childhood Special Education (Birth–Grade 3).

An in-demand professional specialty

The number of children diagnosed with disabilities and developmental delays has increased sharply in recent decades. A significant percentage of public school students receive special education services, and the nation is experiencing a shortage of educators qualified to work with these high-needs children. Your Early Childhood Special Education minor will enhance your appeal to hiring managers in school districts across the country.

CEC accreditation logo

CEC-accredited program

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Practical, hands-on experience

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Valuable professional specialty

A certificate

Qualify for ECSE teaching certification

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Help young learners succeed

A graduate

An ideal minor for BSE candidates

 

What you will study

UCM’s minor in Early Childhood Special Education will train you to work with children from birth through third grade who have disabilities or developmental delays. You’ll master teaching strategies for different learning styles, learn to assess students’ needs and design curricula to optimally support their development.

When you add a minor from UCM’s accredited Special Education program to your degree, you’ll be taught to the highest standards set by the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). Our expert faculty will guide you through your first experiences working with special needs children, so you’ll graduate with the knowledge and confidence you need to support young children in multiple learning environments.

Courses you may take for the minor in Early Childhood Special Education include: 

  • Education of the Exceptional Child
  • Teaching Emergent and At-Risk Readers
  • Behavioral Management Techniques
  • Screening, Diagnosing and Prescribing Instruction

 

Excellence in Early Childhood Special Education

  • Accredited by the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC).
  • Accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).
  • A Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Special Education (College Factual, 2022)
  • A Best Value College for Elementary Education (College Factual, 2022)
  • Top 15%: Best Value Bachelor’s Degree College for Elementary Education (College Factual, 2022)
  • One of the Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Education (College Factual, 2022)
  • Top 15%: Most Focused Colleges for Education (College Factual, 2022)
  • Top 5.5%: Most Popular Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Education (College Factual, 2022)
  • Top 6%: Most Popular Colleges for Education (College Factual, 2022)
  • Top 6%: Most Popular Colleges for Elementary Education (College Factual, 2022)

 

Unique learning opportunities in early childhood special education

The University of Central Missouri has been training educators since our founding more than 150 years ago. We know that hands-on engagement with the material is a crucial component of the best education. In the courses for your Early Childhood Special Education minor, you’ll take part in both clinical and field experiences that will give you opportunities to apply and refine your new knowledge.

Hands-on learning experiences for your minor in Early Childhood Special Education include:

  • Behavioral management: Design your own behavioral management programs and environments, skills you’ll use to create optimal learning experiences for your future students.
  • Literacy for children with exceptionalities: Gain experience identifying and addressing reading disorders in young learners with developmental delays and disabilities. Practice methods that will enable you to improve literacy skills for children with a range of conditions, including autism spectrum disorders. 
  • Diagnose and prescribe: Learn how to screen, diagnose and assess learning developmental disorders to support individualized educational planning for infants and preschool-aged children.

 

What can you do with an Early Childhood Special Education minor from UCM?

There are not enough special education teachers to meet the increasing need for them, and school districts across the country are eager to hire candidates with special education knowledge and experience. UCM’s Early Childhood Special Education minor will expand your career options by educating you in this in-demand field. 

Coursework from this minor will prepare you to sit for Missouri’s assessment for Early Childhood Special Education (Birth–Grade 3). Passing this assessment will give you an additional credential for your teaching certificate and show hiring managers that you’ll bring valuable expertise in Special Education to their district.

Learn more about early childhood special education careers

Explore salary and employment trends in early childhood special education using our interactive tool below.

 

 
 


 

Financial assistance options for your Early Childhood Special Education minor

LendEDU has recognized the University of Central Missouri for our commitment to low student debt. We make it possible to obtain a high-quality education at affordable rates. Adding an Early Childhood Special Education minor to your UCM Teaching degree further enhances the value of your education by broadening your career options with a professional specialty that’s in strong demand. 

More than 90% of UCM undergraduate students receive financial aid every year. We distribute grants, loans, work-study opportunities and scholarships to help you finance your college education. A financial aid advisor will work with you to determine the best financial aid package for your needs.

In addition to university-wide funding, your major may qualify you for program-specific scholarships. Learn more by using the UCM Scholarship Finder.

 

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Take your degree further.
 

UCM’s accredited Special Education degree program offers several options for graduate study in the field:

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Explore programs related to early childhood special education.
 

Future teachers interested in adding a Special Education minor with a broader focus may also wish to consider this alternative UCM minor:

 

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UCM is the longest continuously CAEP accredited public institution in Missouri

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The program is nationally recognized by the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), the leading advocacy organization for special education in the country.

 

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