Early Childhood Special Education
About the Program
Are you looking for an innovative, interdisciplinary program—the only one in the Chicago area that blends the disciplines of early childhood education and special education? Do you want to support children with special needs—as well as their families? Do you want to participate in field experiences right away? Do you wish to work with young children with disabilities at a critical time in their lives, when effective intervention can have a substantial positive impact? Do you want to specialize in early intervention (birth to age three) or early childhood special education (age three through five)?
If you answered “yes” to most of these questions, then you owe it to yourself to learn more about our M. Ed. in early childhood special education.
What You'll Learn
In this program, you will:
- Learn firsthand how to support children with special needs.
- Establish strong, collaborative relationships with children’s families.
- Complete challenging, hands-on field experiences.
- Build learning partnerships with seasoned professionals.
- Engage in the self-reflection required to work successfully with infants, toddlers, and preschoolers with special needs and their families.
- Prepare to make a remarkable difference in young lives at critical moments, when effective intervention can make a substantial positive impact.
A Flexible Format
This is a two-year, part-time program. Classes meet two evenings a week, but observations, field experiences, internships, and student teaching usually require additional daytime commitments. You should plan to adopt a particularly flexible schedule during your second year of study—it may not be possible to maintain a full-time job in the second year.
You can earn your Illinois Type 04 certification: optional with completion of additional coursework and primary student teaching.