Special Education Certification and Minor Information

Required certification areas

All Western Michigan University students in the special education curriculum must complete coursework in the four certification areas listed below:

  1. Elementary education
    • Eligible certifications:
      • Kindergarten-5 in all subjects
      • Kindergarten-8 in all subjects when teaching in a self-contained classroom—one in which the majority of instruction is provided by a single teacher
  2. Learning disabilities
    • Eligible certification:
      • Kindergarten-12 special education—learning disabilities
  3. Emotional impairments
    • Eligible certification:
      • Kindergarten-12 special education—emotional impairments
  4. One content area minor
    • Eligible certification grades 6-8:
      • Elementary and middle language arts
      • Elementary and middle mathematics
      • Elementary and middle science
    • Eligible certifications grades 6-12:
      • Biology, chemistry, english, geography, German, history, mathematics, physics and political science

Additional optional certification areas

Special education students can also choose to complete additional certification requirements for:

  • Early childhood—eligible certification: pre-school to young fives programs
  • Health education—eligible certification: grades 6-12
  • Physical education—eligible certification: grades 6-12
  • Industrial technology—eligible certification: grades 6-12

Students interested in special (adapted) physical education

Undergraduates interested in teaching adapted physical education should complete either:

  1. a bachelor's degree in special education or
  2. a bachelor's degree in physical education and then complete a master's degree or additional endorsement in special adapted physical education.

For more information, visit special (adapted) physical education.

Students interested in special education—visual impairments

Undergraduates interested in teaching children with visual impairments are encouraged to complete a bachelor's degree in regular elementary education and then a master's degree in teacher of children with visual impairments. For more information, visit blindness and low vision studies.