College Life

Private Schools That Are Well Known for This Major

• D'Youville College
• Vanderbilt University
• University of Great Falls
• Seattle University

State Schools That Are Well Known for This Major

• California State University—Dominguez Hills
• University of Wisconsin La Crosse
• Georgia Regents University
• Michigan State University
• College of Charleston

Classes in the Major

Education. Before you learn how to teach kids with special needs, you have to learn how to teach in general. You have to start with the basics—you know, make sure you can ride a bike with training wheels before you unicycle on the edge of the Grand Canyon. Part of being taught how to teach will include service learning, which is college-speak for "getting your butt out there and learning your trade the hard way." In this case, you'll likely find yourself in some sort of classroom, either watching the action or getting into the mix, or some combination of the two.

Special Education. This is where you get into the nitty-gritty of teaching students with special needs. In these courses, you'll learn everything from the juicy details of the Americans with Disabilities Act to specific strategies for dealing with some of the more widespread differences. You'll leave well-equipped to walk the walk and talk the talk, armed with both the vocabulary and understanding necessary to navigate the murky waters of different abilities.

Psychology. There are a variety of ways in which people are different, and since some of these are psychological, it only makes sense that you'll need to spend some time in psych classes. Here, you'll learn about how average students operate, as well as develop a deeper understanding of what happens psychologically for special needs students. In other words, you'll come away with an understanding of what some students are personally up against, as well as what they're up against when compared to their peers.

Sociology. Much like with psychology, the reason you'll be taking sociology classes is to better understand how the average student operates, as well as how those with special needs work. The emphasis here, though, will be on socialization. In order to help students who struggle socially, you'll need to understand both what makes non-special needs students get along, as well as what makes it hard for students with different social wiring and abilities to fit in. After all, how else will you be able to help them?

Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic. Hey, guess what? This is an education major. So chances are beyond good that you're going to find yourself in the kind of situation where you'll have to teach stuff. By tradition, this "stuff" is probably going to include some reading, writing, and arithmetic. And since you can't teach these things without being taught them yourself, well, here we are.