Special Education Undergraduate Degree Program
College of Education
Campus Location: Crete
A special education degree program helps prepare you for teaching children and youth with mild or moderate mental handicaps, learning disabilities, or behavioral disorders. Teachers graduating from this special education program have certification for teaching kindergarten through 12th grade.
Students may obtain certification in both elementary education and special education. A coaching endorsement may also be added to the teaching majors.
The Doane University Education Program is known nationwide for its innovative, performance-based approach to teacher education based on a quality model of theory and developmental experiences.
Field Experience/Student Teaching
At Doane, students complete a minimum of 225 clock hours of clinical field experience prior to student teaching.
- This field experience component is designed to engage the pre-service teacher in teaching and learning experiences in PK-12 classrooms during their sophomore and junior year.
- These experiences can include lesson design and implementation, small group facilitation, and one-on-one instruction.
- Student teaching is an extended ten to fourteen week experience in a PK-12 setting where each student has primary responsibility for a classroom during the senior year. Each major or endorsement may extend into an additional student teaching experience.
Teacher Warranty / First Year Mentoring
Doane was the FIRST college/university in the nation to offer a warranty of its teacher education graduates to hiring school districts. The college will provide for first year teachers a Teacher Support System.
- Employing school appoints a mentor
- Area meetings of first year teachers
- Individual site visits / in-person classroom visits
- First year teachers opportunity to enroll in Beginning Teacher Seminar course
Master of Education Degree
Following graduation in the teacher education program, all students extend their training in a summer semester of graduate work
- 12 credit hours of graduate work
- Graduate classes give Doane students an advantage over other college graduates in credits toward a master's degree
- Site-based, the M.Ed. is offered at numerous locations in Nebraska, allowing our students to finish their graduate degree with ease.
Faculty
Courses
Our education program emphasizes the interdependence of educational theory and practice with other disciplines, integrating knowledge and concepts from various fields. Students studying education will learn a wide range of teaching methodologies, learning theories and educational perspectives. They will be challenged to explore that learning in a variety of educational environments. This diverse curriculum equips future educators with the tools to address the needs of all learners.
Because our education program fosters collaboration across other programs, students in our education program are equipped to create well-rounded, inclusive educational experiences that reflect the diverse knowledge and skills that empower them.
Students in the education program gain practical skills and knowledge that they can directly apply to solve real-world educational challenges. Through hands-on experiences, such as field placements and community engagement, students learn to address the complexities of education and implement innovative solutions that foster inclusive, supportive, and transformative classroom environments.
Our education program emphasizes the interdependence of educational theory and practice with other disciplines, integrating knowledge and concepts from various fields. Students studying education will learn a wide range of teaching methodologies, learning theories and educational perspectives. They will be challenged to explore that learning in a variety of educational environments. This diverse curriculum equips future educators with the tools to address the needs of all learners.
Because our education program fosters collaboration across other programs, students in our education program are equipped to create well-rounded, inclusive educational experiences that reflect the diverse knowledge and skills that empower them.
Students in the education program gain practical skills and knowledge that they can directly apply to solve real-world educational challenges. Through hands-on experiences, such as field placements and community engagement, students learn to address the complexities of education and implement innovative solutions that foster inclusive, supportive, and transformative classroom environments.
