Dec 26, 2024

2024-2025 General Catalog

Special Education Online Practical Teacher Training (OPTT): Severe Emphasis - BA, BS

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Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services

Department of Special Education and Rehabilitation Counseling

About This Degree

USU OPTT is an innovative, online special education preparation program specifically designed for individuals currently working in a Utah school as a special education teacher or a special education paraprofessional. Applicants may choose to specialize in either birth to age 5 special education, K-12 severe, or K-12 mild/moderate disabilities, and will be fully qualified for special education licensure upon completion of this 5-semester program (fall-spring-summer-fall-spring). The program will be longer for applicants who are completing a first bachelor’s degree.

Severe Disabilities Emphasis: This emphasis prepares graduates to work with students who have low-incidence disabilities, such as intellectual disabilities, physical disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, traumatic and acquired brain injury, and multiple disabilities. Graduates typically teach academic and life skills in a K-12 classroom or in a post-secondary setting (students age 18-21).

For more information about Special Education and Rehabilitation Counseling, see the website.
Admitted and current students must meet with an academic advisor.
Log on to Degree Works to check student-specific program progress.
Students following the recommended schedule should be able to complete degree requirements in four years (eight semesters).
The highest math requirement for this degree is MATH 2020: Euclidean Geometry and Statistics for Elementary Education School Teachers (QI) .

Minimum University Requirements

Total Credits: 120
Credits of C- or better: 100
Total credits taken through USU: 30
Total major required credits taken at USU: 10
Minimum Grade Point Average (many majors require a higher GPA): 2.0 GPA
Credits of upper-division courses (#3000 or above): 40
Upper-division credits taken at USU: 20
General Education Requirements
University Studies Requirements
Undergraduate Degree Requirements

Admission Requirements For This Program

New freshmen must be admitted to USU in Good Standing.
Transfer students from other institutions or other programs at USU must have a 2.0 GPA.
Grade of C+ or better: ENGL 1010 (required for program admission; ENGL 1010 can also be met with AP ENGL or an ACT score of 30 or higher)
Grade of C or better: BAI , BLS , BPS (required for program admission); HDFS 1500

Major Requirements

Minimum Grade Requirements:

Grade of B- or better: All SPED and TEAL courses (except SPED 4910 , SPED 5230 and SPED 5900 )
Grade of C- or better in MATH 1050 or MATH 1051 ; C or better in MATH 2010 and MATH 2020 .
Grade of C or better in HDFS 1500 .
Grade of C- or better: All other courses required for the bachelor’s degree
Courses used to fulfill major requirements may not be taken pass/fail, except those courses that are only taught on a pass/fail basis.
3.0 GPA required in major coursework

Students are required to earn a grade of “B-” or better in all major courses (SPED, TEAL prefixes). Students who receive a grade below “B-” must retake the course. Each student will be allowed to repeat a maximum of one course (course is defined as didactic courses, practica and student teaching). Students who receive two grades below “B-” or withdraw from two practica (or one practica two times) will not be permitted to continue in special education. Student teaching may not be repeated without appeal and approval by the appropriate special education program committee.

HDFS 1500 - Human Development Across the Lifespan (BSS) 3 credit(s)
MATH 1050 - College Algebra (QL) 4 credit(s) or
MATH 1051 - Classical Algebra for Teachers (QL) 4 credit(s) or
MATH 2010 - Algebraic Thinking & Number Sense for Elementary Education School Teachers (QI) 3 credit(s) or
MATH 2020 - Euclidean Geometry and Statistics for Elementary Education School Teachers (QI) 3 credit(s)

Professional Education (8 credits)

ELED 3100 - Classroom Reading Instruction 3 credit(s)
SPED 4000 - Education of Students with Disabilities 3 credit(s)
TEAL 2660 - Educational Psychology for Teachers 2 credit(s)

Severe Specialization (35-47 credits)

Sophomore Year Fall:

Sophomore Year Spring:

SPED 5017 - Transition Planning and Collaboration for Exceptional Learners 3 credit(s)
SPED 5230 - Special Education Student Teaching (CI) 3-15 credit(s) (15 credits for first bachelors degree or 3 credits for second bachelors degree)

Teaching Support (15 credits)

COMD 3010 - American Sign Language I (CI) 4 credit(s)
HEP 2000 - First Aid and Emergency Care 2 credit(s)
Select the remaining credits from the following courses:
REH 1010 - Disability and Society (BSS) 3 credit(s)
SPED 1010 - Disability and Society (BSS) 3 credit(s)
ELED 1010 - Orientation to Elementary Education 3 credit(s)
HDFS 2400 - Couple and Family Relationships (BSS) 3 credit(s)
HDFS 2660 - Parenting and Child Guidance (HR) 3 credit(s)
HDFS 3100 - Abuse and Neglect in Family Context 3 credit(s)
HEP 3000 - Drugs and Human Behavior 3 credit(s)
PSY 1400 - Analysis of Behavior: Basic Principles 3 credit(s)
PSY 1410 - Analysis of Behavior: Basic Principles Lab 1 credit(s)
SOC 1010 - Introductory Sociology (BSS) 3 credit(s)
SPED 4910 - Undergraduate Research and Creative Opportunities 1-3 credit(s)
SW 1010 - Introduction to Social Welfare (BSS) 3 credit(s)

Diversity Requirement (3 credits)

All special education majors need to take ONE of the following classes (or another advisor-approved course) to complete their diversity requirement. The diversity requirement must be completed with a grade of C or better.

University Depth Courses

ANTH 3160 - Anthropology of Religion (DSS) 3 credit(s)
ANTH 3200 - Perspectives on Race (CI/DSS) 3 credit(s)
ANTH 4110 - Southwest Indian Cultures, Past and Present (DSS) 3 credit(s)
ANTH 5650 - Developing Societies (DSS) 3 credit(s)
HIST 4550 - Women and Gender in America (CI/DHA) 3 credit(s)
HIST 4720 - The Civil Rights Movement (CI/DHA) 3 credit(s)
LANG 3550 - Culture of East Asia (DHA) 3 credit(s)
PHYS 3020 - Great Scientists (DSC) 3 credit(s)
POLS 3190 - Politics of Economic Development 3 credit(s)
PSY 4230 - Psychology of Gender (DSS) 3 credit(s)
PSY 4240 - Multicultural Psychology (DSS) 3 credit(s)
SOC 3200 - Population and Society (DSS) 3 credit(s)

Teaching Support Courses

REH 1010 - Disability and Society (BSS) 3 credit(s)
SPED 1010 - Disability and Society (BSS) 3 credit(s)
ELED 1010 - Orientation to Elementary Education 3 credit(s)

Electives

ANTH 1010 - Cultural Anthropology (BSS) 3 credit(s)
ANTH 2010 - Peoples of the Contemporary World (BSS) 3 credit(s)
ANTH 3110 - North American Indian Cultures (DSS) 3 credit(s)
ELED 1010 - Orientation to Elementary Education 3 credit(s)
ENGL 2230 - Introduction to Film (BHU) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 4230 - Language and Culture (DSS) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 5300 - Special Topics in Literature (CI) 3 credit(s)
ENGL 5320 - Gender and Sexuality in Literature (CI) 3 credit(s)
FCSE 3080 - Fashion Studies and Society (DHA) 3 credit(s)
HDFS 3110 - Human Sexuality 3 credit(s)
HEP 5000 - Health Equity (CI) 3 credit(s)
HIST 1600 - American Cultures in Film 3 credit(s)
LING 4900 - Analysis of Cross-Cultural Difference 3 credit(s)
PHIL 1120 - Social Ethics (BHU) 3 credit(s)
POLS 4220 - Ethnic Conflict and Cooperation (CI/DSS) 3 credit(s)
SOC 3010 - Social Inequality (DSS) 3 credit(s)
SW 2100 - Human Behavior in the Social Environment 3 credit(s)
SW 2400 - Social Work with Diverse Populations 3 credit(s)
IGS 1010 - Introduction to Intersectional Gender Studies (BSS) 3 credit(s)

Licensure Notification

This program typically leads to licensure and was designed to meet licensing qualifications in the state of Utah. If students wish to work in another state within the United States, they should review the qualifications for that state and the Education Licensure Compliance Table provided by School of Teacher Education and Leadership.

For more information, please contact the School of Teacher Education and Leadership at https://cehs.usu.edu/teal/

Open Electives

Total elective credit is determined by General Education courses taken, degree type selected, additional credits earned, and any additional math or other prerequisite courses needed. Please consult your Academic Advisor for details.

Total Credits: 120

Suggested Degree Map - Special Education Online Practical Teacher Training (OPTT): Severe Emphasis BA, BS

Special Education Online Practical Teacher Training (OPTT): Severe Emphasis BA, BS - 4 Year Degree Map