Alma College introduces Special Education degree program
A Bachelor of Arts in Special Education — Mild to Moderate Disabilities will be available to students beginning in the Fall 2024 semester.
Alma College has implemented a new degree program: Special Education — Mild to Moderate Disabilities. The program will be available for students to pursue beginning in the fall of 2024, and will award students with a Bachelor of Arts degree. The program is a unique offering, as according to Professor Peggy Yates of Alma College, it is the first of its kind for undergraduates in the state of Michigan, as students will not need to obtain general education certification before being qualified to teach special education.
According to an article on Alma College’s website, Yates, who is an associate professor of Education at Alma College, was quoted as saying, “We have an incredible need for special education teachers in the state of Michigan and each teacher needs to be prepared to manage varying needs of students with special needs simultaneously. Preparing special education majors to work with students who have academic and behavioral needs while also learning to work with students who need extensive supports will equip future teachers with the skills needed to teach special education students at any level.”
This new program is unique in that generally, in order to become a special education teacher in the state of Michigan, an individual needs to first become a certified general education teacher and then become further certified to be eligible to teach special education. This program allows a student to move straight into special education, though they can also become certified as a general education teacher if they choose. After completing the program, students will need to pass tests with the state that certify them to teach special education for kindergarten through 12th grade.
Yates said, “Alma is working toward alleviating the shortage of special education teachers in Michigan through optimizing their preparedness which in turn, may help to retain special education teachers in the field.”
For more information about Alma College, visit the school’s website.