SKIP TO COURSE REQUIREMENTS
For Additional K12 SPED-ABS Licensure
Most practicum experiences may be completed where a student works as a teacher. However, practicum experiences working with students who have mild to moderate disabilities are required at the elementary, middle and high school level.
In addition to completing required coursework with a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher and practicums, the following are among the requirements for completing the additional SPED-ABS licensure program:
• Passing all required licensure exams.
• Licensure application with fee.
For Initial K12 SPED-ABS Licensure
Practicum experiences working with students who have mild to moderate disabilities are required at the elementary, middle and high school level (at least 120 hours total). Student Teaching (SPED 490) includes 15 weeks, full-time and two placements at different school levels (i.e. elementary, middle or high school).
In addition to completing required coursework with a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher and practicums/student teaching, the following are among the requirements for program completion and K12 SPED-ABS licensure:
• Passing all required performance assessments.
• Licensure application with fee.
For the Master's Degree (minimum of 34 credits earned at the graduate level)
In addition to the course requirements and earning at least 34 graduate credits and a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, to earn this master's degree students are required to complete a capstone project demonstrating significant mastery in understanding related to a central question on a particular topic of the student’s choice related to urban education. The capstone project may be a traditional, formal written thesis, or a 30-minute presentation. However, if a student decides to do a presentation option for their capstone project, then an additional 3 credit elective must be completed.
Research options for a traditional, formal written thesis include: An extensive literature review, action research or empirical research (qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods). Non-thesis, presentation options for the capstone include: an extensive literature review, an action research project, or an equity proposal/plan. Questions about these options should be directed to the M.S. Urban Education program director.
Special Education Core Requirements
These courses are required for all students in the program, whether seeking to earn either master’s degree only, additional licensure, initial licensure, or both degree and license. Consult your advisor for degree and/or license course sequencing.
The course shall provide students with an overview of student exceptionality: students with disabilities and students with gifts and talents. Special emphasis will be placed on characteristics of exceptional children; the legal aspects of educating students with disabilities; and assessment, instructional, and collaborative strategies. An important outcome of this course is to foster participant dispositions toward appreciating the diverse talents of all learners with exceptionalities and to value flexibility and collaboration in adapting instruction for urban students with diverse needs. The content and skills learned and practiced in this course are designed to meet Minnesota standards of effective teaching practice in the area of special education.
This course contributes to the mission, vision, and guiding principles of the Metropolitan State Urban Teacher Program. In addition the course is designed for students to integrate knowledge through content reflection and discussion and…
Full course description for Foundations of Teaching Urban Learners with Exceptionalities
This course is designed for special education professionals to build knowledge and skill in examining the characteristics and risk factors leading to chronic learning, behavioral, and mental health issues of diverse urban students with disabilities. Participants will learn mediating practices that support students with disabilities from an ecological perspective that examines, service integration, and individual social integration supports that promote lifelong social and academic learning. Students enrolled in this course fulfill requirements toward teacher certification in special education.
Competence Statement:
Participants in this course will develop content and skills well enough to meet Minnesota standards of effective teaching practice in the area of special education regarding knowledge and practice in federal and state law as well as pedagogy and professional responsibility in serving children and adolescents with disabilities.
Full course description for Applying Behavioral and Learning Principles in Urban Settings
This practicum is designed to give urban teacher candidates the opportunity to document and reflect upon at least 40 hours practical clinical experience working with diverse youth in an urban middle school or high school. Most of the field experience hours will be determined by field-based assignments required in other Education courses. Included with these experiences, urban teacher candidates practice using diagnostic assessment to guide their instructional planning of at least three lessons for a small group of 1-5 students needing help to improve their reading or mathematics literacy. Successful completion of this practicum is a prerequisite for student teaching. Requirements include attendance and participation in periodic seminars to help prospective urban teacher candidates reflect upon their field experiences, and prepare for future clinical field experiences including student teaching. Co-requisites: EDU 306, OR EDU 606, OR EDU 323, OR EDU 481.
Full course description for Urban Teaching Practicum and Seminar
Students in this course examine, discuss, and practice the elements of special education law, litigation, ethics of professional practice in special education and how these elements affect the identification, eligibility determination, planning, programming, and instruction of diverse student with disabilities. Attention is paid to the social and political issues and contexts affecting such services, especially regarding the differences and similarities that would facilitate the involvement of students with disabilities and their families from diverse ethnic/racial, linguistic, and social, gendered, and socio-economic backgrounds. Topics include the rights and responsibilities of students, parents, and educators, due process, data privacy safeguards, ethical practices, and effective communication strategies for working with diverse students with disabilities and their families.
Full course description for Legal, Political, and Ethical Issues in Urban Special Education
This course will introduce students to the basic psychometric foundations of standardized and classroom-based assessment to inform data-based decision-making about exceptionality, eligibility, and educational programming for students with disabilities. Students in this course will learn models of educational assessment, practice methods of observation in classroom and clinical education settings, and administration of standardized assessments of academic achievement. Participants will be introduced to methods of providing and promoting assessment accommodations, adaptations, and modifications for a range of diverse learners including the use of interpreters and assistive technologies. Finally, this course will be technology-enhanced in the following areas: (1) incorporate knowledge about technology-based program planning solutions in special education (2) use of online methods and materials to enhance instruction between class times and to compensate for potential class period…
Full course description for Assessment in Urban Special Education
This course will prepare urban special education teacher candidates in the development of individualized education programs, the management of teaching and learning for individualized instruction, and the implementation of models for collaboration with general educators, parents, and specialists including instructional assistants, cultural liaisons and language interpreters in urban settings. Participants will learn basic principles of group process, problem solving, decision making, collaboration, and teamwork for IEP development. Case management and collaboration processes will be integrated with computer-based systems for creating and managing IEPs including the potential for asynchronous electronic collaboration models. Students will create and differentiate between annual goals and learning objectives for instructional planning to promote educational achievement of students with high-incidence disabilities.
Full course description for Collaboration and Transition Practices in Special Education
This course will prepare educators and other professionals in advanced theory and practice to support the education of exceptional urban and diverse learners with mild to moderate forms of emotional or behavioral disorders, specific learning disabilities, developmental cognitive disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, and other health disabilities. The course will include characteristics of students from prevalent categories of mild to moderate exceptionality; the legal aspects of addressing students with mild/moderate disabilities, and assessment, instructional, and collaborative strategies in the knowledge and practice for managing the teaching and learning of culturally and linguistically diverse exceptional students in urban schools and other cross-cultural educational settings. Finally, students will learn models of culturally and linguistically responsive practices in the context of emerging models of special education and general education class-wide and school-wide systems.
Full course description for Characteristics of Diverse Urban Learners with Mild/Moderate Disabilities
Along with SPED Core Courses listed above, these courses are required for students seeking a Master’s Degree only and is not seeking an Initial or Additional SPED-Academic Behavior Strategist license.
Consult your advisor for course sequencing.
1) Literacy Education in Urban Schools
This course explores advanced theory and practice to support academic literacy among urban learners in secondary classrooms. First, through readings, discursive presentations, and applied exercises, participants in this course will acquire techniques to assist struggling readers and writers. Alongside these skills, course participants will learn how to engage secondary urban learners in assuming responsibility for literacy self-development. Third, the course will include review and development of a variety of materials to teach diverse middle and high school students whose reading and developmental levels vary widely.
Full course description for Literacy Education in Urban Schools - Advanced Theory and Practice
2) Advanced Reflective Practice (Summer, at the end of taking all program coursework, and taken concurrently with EDU 688
This course examines the important role of critical reflection for the professional development and
effectiveness of urban teachers in their efforts to provide equitable educational opportunities and
increase achievement of their diverse students. Various types of reflection will be practiced in critically
thinking about the multiple and complex aspects of the teaching and learning process within a racial,
socio-economic, cultural, historical, structural and systemic context. The role of urban educators as
agents and leaders of change will be examined, in addition to how reflection can be used as a tool to
foster change for educational equity. Reflection during the course will lead to identifying a central focus
and question for thesis research.
Full course description for Advanced Reflective Practice for Urban Educators
3) Research Methods (Summer, at the end of taking all program coursework, and taken concurrently with EDU 670
The course engages students in the variety of educational research designs, analyses and conceptual frameworks appropriate for research in diverse and urban educational settings. The course examines approaches to research for improving classroom or school practices and/or connections with diverse urban or cross-cultural communities. Research methods learned include responsible conduct of research and human subjects protections, quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods along with issues of sampling, measurement,
and technical adequacy of observed research results in urban educational settings.
Full course description for Research Methods in Urban/Cross-Cultural Education
4) Capstone Research Thesis Project (Fall)
This course provides both an introduction to modes of research and scholarship useful in urban education or other diverse cross-cultural educational settings and an opportunity for applying principles learned to classrooms, schools, or communities. Students develop and complete a culminating project of research to improve an aspect of teaching, student learning, a school program/initiative or a community service and share their findings with others.
Full course description for Capstone: Conducting Research in Urban Classrooms, Schools and Communities
Along with the SPED Core Courses, these courses are required only for students seeking an Additional license for K12 Special Education- Academic Behavior Strategist.
(Must already have a Tier 3 or 4 license.)
Consult your advisor for course sequencing.
This course explores the fundamentals of reading instruction. The course provides Early Childhood and pre service k-6 teachers with knowledge of the foundations of the reading and writing process, strategies and curriculum materials to support reading and writing instruction, assessment tools and practices to plan and evaluate effective reading instruction, and create a literate environment that fosters reading and writing.
Full course description for Foundations of Teaching Reading in Urban Grades K-6
This course presents an in-depth study of the predominant current philosophies and methodologies of Early Childhood and Elementary reading instruction. Emphasis will be placed on the critical elements in literacy development. These elements are: phonemic awareness, phonic instruction, vocabulary development, fluency, and comprehension. Current organizational procedures and foundations of reading instruction will be presented. Special consideration is given to effective practices and adapting instruction for culturally and linguistically diverse students.
Full course description for Methods of Teaching Reading in Urban Grades K-6
This course will familiarize students with the legal guidelines and required technology practices governing the use of technology devices and accommodations for individual with disabilities in school settings. Components include (a) current legislation governing uses of technology for students with disabilities (b) practices in the use of assistive technology and services in the classroom, (c) implications of technology use for students with various forms of disability, (d) assessment of student needs for "high" and "low¿ technology use in the classroom, and (e) methods for using computer-based planning and data recording in special education.
Full course description for Supporting Inclusive Education through Differentiation and Technology
This course will prepare special education teacher candidates seeking special education licensure¿Academic & Behavior Specialists, Emotional/Behavioral Disabilities, and Learning Disabilities¿in academic interventions and practices for differentiating instruction of diverse urban educational settings. Participants will develop a working knowledge of instructional methods, curricula, materials, skills; and strategies from which to draw when designing and implementing reading/writing/math and content area instruction to meet the needs of individual students with disabilities for differentiated instruction in resource and general education settings including settings in bilingual education, English as a second language programs, and other general education configurations for supporting a diversity of students. Methods will include instruction in literacy across the curriculum, mathematics, social studies, science, and study skills. Students will also learn approaches to adapting evidence…
Full course description for Interventions: Mild Disabilities
This advanced pre-student teaching practicum is designed to give urban teacher candidates the opportunity to document and reflect upon at least 60 hours practical clinical experience in an urban middle school or high school classroom within their subject area of licensure. Requirements include teaching at least 3 lessons in their licensure area to a whole class of students, but most of the clinical field experience hours and active classroom involvement will be determined by field-based assignments required in other Education courses and the cooperating urban school teacher hosting the practicum. Successful completion of this practicum is a prerequisite for student teaching. Requirements include attendance and participation in periodic seminars to help prospective urban teacher candidates reflect upon their field experiences, and prepare for student teaching.
Full course description for Advanced Urban Teaching Practicum and Seminar
Supervised student teaching with students in urban special education elementary to high school (grades K to 12) individualized for post-baccalaureate special education teacher candidates required for Minnesota teacher licensure in Academic and Behavior Specialist. Periodic seminars with other student teachers and a standards-based electronic assessment review are also required for course completion.
Full course description for Graduate Practicum: Mild Disabilities
The following courses are required for Master's Degree after completing all courses required for the Additional SPED License
1) Advanced Reflective Practice (Summer, taken concurrently with EDU 688)
This course examines the important role of critical reflection for the professional development and
effectiveness of urban teachers in their efforts to provide equitable educational opportunities and
increase achievement of their diverse students. Various types of reflection will be practiced in critically
thinking about the multiple and complex aspects of the teaching and learning process within a racial,
socio-economic, cultural, historical, structural and systemic context. The role of urban educators as
agents and leaders of change will be examined, in addition to how reflection can be used as a tool to
foster change for educational equity. Reflection during the course will lead to identifying a central focus
and question for thesis research.
Full course description for Advanced Reflective Practice for Urban Educators
2) Research Methods (Summer, taken concurrently with EDU 670)
The course engages students in the variety of educational research designs, analyses and conceptual frameworks appropriate for research in diverse and urban educational settings. The course examines approaches to research for improving classroom or school practices and/or connections with diverse urban or cross-cultural communities. Research methods learned include responsible conduct of research and human subjects protections, quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods along with issues of sampling, measurement,
and technical adequacy of observed research results in urban educational settings.
Full course description for Research Methods in Urban/Cross-Cultural Education
3) Capstone Research Thesis Project (Fall)
This course provides both an introduction to modes of research and scholarship useful in urban education or other diverse cross-cultural educational settings and an opportunity for applying principles learned to classrooms, schools, or communities. Students develop and complete a culminating project of research to improve an aspect of teaching, student learning, a school program/initiative or a community service and share their findings with others.
Full course description for Capstone: Conducting Research in Urban Classrooms, Schools and Communities
Along with the SPED Core Courses, these courses are required for students seeking an initial license for K12 Special Education - Academic Behavior Strategist.
Consult your advisor for course sequencing.
This course introduces psychological perspective to teaching and learning in classroom contexts through an overview of theories, principles, issues, and related research in educational psychology. Through readings, lectures, discussions, videos, activities and assignments, we will explore thinking, learning and memory in both classroom and daily life situations. Topics include, but not limited to: child and adolescent development, research in educational psychology, cognitive process and motivation, information processing, assessment of student learning, classroom management, and instructional strategies in education.
Full course description for Educational Psychology
This course will cover the normal development of skills and understandings necessary for a young child to learn to read and write. The individual nature of readiness and the differences in children's approaches to learning to read and write will be a focus of the course. The instructional strategies and materials that constitute a developmentally and culturally appropriate reading and language arts program for young urban children will be presented and used in practice sessions. The important role of multicultural literature in an emergent literacy curriculum for diverse urban children from a variety of backgrounds, experiences, and families will be emphasized. Clinical field experience hours are part of the course requirements.
Full course description for Emergent Literacy in Urban Early Childhood Education
This course explores the fundamentals of reading instruction. The course provides Early Childhood and pre service k-6 teachers with knowledge of the foundations of the reading and writing process, strategies and curriculum materials to support reading and writing instruction, assessment tools and practices to plan and evaluate effective reading instruction, and create a literate environment that fosters reading and writing.
Full course description for Foundations of Teaching Reading in Urban Grades K-6
This course presents an in-depth study of the predominant current philosophies and methodologies of Early Childhood and Elementary reading instruction. Emphasis will be placed on the critical elements in literacy development. These elements are: phonemic awareness, phonic instruction, vocabulary development, fluency, and comprehension. Current organizational procedures and foundations of reading instruction will be presented. Special consideration is given to effective practices and adapting instruction for culturally and linguistically diverse students.
Full course description for Methods of Teaching Reading in Urban Grades K-6
This course provides the background for teaching contemporary mathematics in the elementary school. The use of mathematics manipulatives for modeling the basic operations is emphasized. Set theory, numeration, and the system of whole numbers, integers and rational numbers are considered. Requirements include knowing what mathematics is expected of and taught to K-6 learners. Mathematics is taught as an integrated and continuous curriculum.
Full course description for Math for Elementary Teachers
This course provides students with the knowledge and experience of intermediate and middle school mathematics to be an effective teacher in urban, multicultural classrooms. The content of this math methods course emphasizes the interconnectedness of curriculum, instruction and assessment. The overarching philosophical framework for this course is the social justice perspective of mathematics education particularly for urban students. Field experience in an intermediate or middle school mathematics classroom is required. Prerequisites for Mathematics Teaching majors: EDU 300 Assessment of Learning and Teaching in Urban Grades 5-12 and EDU 306 Urban Middle School and High School Methods and at least 24 credits of Math courses required for the Mathematics Teaching major. Prerequisite for Urban Elementary Education majors: MATH 106 Math for Elementary Teachers AND one of the following: MATH 110 Math for Liberal Arts OR MATH 115 College Algebra OR STAT 201 Statistics I. Corequisite…
Full course description for Teaching Mathematics to Urban Learners in Grades K-8
This course explores historical, cultural, sociological, and philosophical foundations of education in the United States with an express focus on urban education principles and practices. The metropolitan community is used as a resource for learning about the educational strengths and challenges faced by diverse groups. Students will gain understanding of the contributions and lifestyles of various racial, cultural, and economic groups in our society, including an emphasis on Minnesota-based American Indian culture, history, and tribal government. Core concepts include democracy and education, educational equity for all students, and historical as well as contemporary relationships between school and society. Emphasis is on issues of power and the educational segregation and attempted deculteruralization of historically marginalized groups. Resilience and persistent struggles for equal educational opportunity in the face of oppression are also emphasized from diverse cultural…
Full course description for Historical, Cultural, and Philosophical Foundations of Urban Education
This course includes an examination of theory, research, and practice regarding the process of second language acquisition and various strategies for teaching English Language Learners (ELL) subject matter content in urban K-12 classrooms. Prospective and current urban teachers will learn how to modify mainstream course materials and instructional strategies so that ELL students can engage in course content while simultaneously developing their English language skills. Course activities and expectations include demonstrating teaching strategies; developing lesson modifications; evaluating textbooks and other materials and resources available in the field; and examining issues in testing students of limited English proficiency for placement, diagnosis, exit, and evaluation. There is a requirement of a 10-hour field experience in urban setting involving classroom participant-observations and working with an ELL student.
Full course description for Teaching Assessing ELL Students in Content-Advanced Theory and Practice
This course will familiarize students with the legal guidelines and required technology practices governing the use of technology devices and accommodations for individual with disabilities in school settings. Components include (a) current legislation governing uses of technology for students with disabilities (b) practices in the use of assistive technology and services in the classroom, (c) implications of technology use for students with various forms of disability, (d) assessment of student needs for "high" and "low¿ technology use in the classroom, and (e) methods for using computer-based planning and data recording in special education.
Full course description for Supporting Inclusive Education through Differentiation and Technology
This course will prepare special education teacher candidates seeking special education licensure¿Academic & Behavior Specialists, Emotional/Behavioral Disabilities, and Learning Disabilities¿in academic interventions and practices for differentiating instruction of diverse urban educational settings. Participants will develop a working knowledge of instructional methods, curricula, materials, skills; and strategies from which to draw when designing and implementing reading/writing/math and content area instruction to meet the needs of individual students with disabilities for differentiated instruction in resource and general education settings including settings in bilingual education, English as a second language programs, and other general education configurations for supporting a diversity of students. Methods will include instruction in literacy across the curriculum, mathematics, social studies, science, and study skills. Students will also learn approaches to adapting evidence…
Full course description for Interventions: Mild Disabilities
This advanced pre-student teaching practicum is designed to give urban teacher candidates the opportunity to document and reflect upon at least 60 hours practical clinical experience in an urban middle school or high school classroom within their subject area of licensure. Requirements include teaching at least 3 lessons in their licensure area to a whole class of students, but most of the clinical field experience hours and active classroom involvement will be determined by field-based assignments required in other Education courses and the cooperating urban school teacher hosting the practicum. Successful completion of this practicum is a prerequisite for student teaching. Requirements include attendance and participation in periodic seminars to help prospective urban teacher candidates reflect upon their field experiences, and prepare for student teaching.
Full course description for Advanced Urban Teaching Practicum and Seminar
This course is the clinical field experience where special education teacher candidates will demonstrate their learning in an urban environment, working with urban students with disabilities. Special education teacher candidates will be supervised by a university professional and a cooperating classroom teacher in an urban special education setting. Placement is for a minimum of twelve full-time weeks based on teacher candidate's Individualized Student Teaching Plan that is developed with and approved by the teacher candidate's advisor and the Field Experience Coordinator, the semester prior to clinical field experience. Weekly reflections, periodic seminars with other student teachers, and the development of a standards-based e-folio are also required.
Full course description for Student Teaching in Urban Special Education
The following courses are required for Master's degree after completing all courses required for the Initial SPED License
1) Advanced Reflective Practice (Summer, taken concurrently with EDU 688)
This course examines the important role of critical reflection for the professional development and
effectiveness of urban teachers in their efforts to provide equitable educational opportunities and
increase achievement of their diverse students. Various types of reflection will be practiced in critically
thinking about the multiple and complex aspects of the teaching and learning process within a racial,
socio-economic, cultural, historical, structural and systemic context. The role of urban educators as
agents and leaders of change will be examined, in addition to how reflection can be used as a tool to
foster change for educational equity. Reflection during the course will lead to identifying a central focus
and question for thesis research.
Full course description for Advanced Reflective Practice for Urban Educators
2) Research Methods (Summer, taken concurrently with EDU 670)
The course engages students in the variety of educational research designs, analyses and conceptual frameworks appropriate for research in diverse and urban educational settings. The course examines approaches to research for improving classroom or school practices and/or connections with diverse urban or cross-cultural communities. Research methods learned include responsible conduct of research and human subjects protections, quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods along with issues of sampling, measurement,
and technical adequacy of observed research results in urban educational settings.
Full course description for Research Methods in Urban/Cross-Cultural Education
3) Capstone Research Thesis Project (Fall)
This course provides both an introduction to modes of research and scholarship useful in urban education or other diverse cross-cultural educational settings and an opportunity for applying principles learned to classrooms, schools, or communities. Students develop and complete a culminating project of research to improve an aspect of teaching, student learning, a school program/initiative or a community service and share their findings with others.
Full course description for Capstone: Conducting Research in Urban Classrooms, Schools and Communities
