Special Education (BSE)
The Skills to Help Students in Need
- Available as
- Major
- Degrees/Options
- Bachelor’s of Science in Education
- Length
- 4 years
- Locations
- Fort Wayne
Why Study Special Education?
Special education is a demanding and challenging career path — and it’s also one of the most rewarding, satisfying teaching roles you can find. Your work will have a profound, lasting impact on your students’ lives.
There’s also a growing need for special education teachers nationwide; in Indiana, it’s estimated that 13,900 new positions will be created through 2029. To become a special ed teacher, you’ll first need to complete your bachelor’s degree — including the coursework and student teaching — required to take the special education licensure exam for the state of Indiana.
Majoring in special education equips you with a highly specialized, marketable skill set, which can lead to a range of other special education jobs: leading community programs, working in curriculum development or providing support services to students and their families, to name a few.
100%
Job placement rate for Saint Francis special education graduates
$62,950
Median annual salary for special education teachers in 2022
BLS.gov
300 hours
of field experience before graduation
Why Choose Saint Francis’ Special Education Program?
With an academic mission rooted in values of respect and dignity for all, the University of Saint Francis is an incredibly fitting environment to prepare for purposeful work, such as a career in special education.
Expert instruction, a well-rounded curriculum, and extensive field experience will prepare you to educate and inspire students of all abilities and learning styles in grades Pre-K through12.
Hands-On Learning: Student Teaching and Field Experience
You will get into the field right from your first semester in the special education program:
Field Experiences
Your 300+ hours of engaging with students of all backgrounds will take you to public, private, and religious schools and in urban, suburban, and rural settings.
Student Teaching
You will spend a semester paired with a professional special education teacher. Under their mentorship, you will apply what you’ve learned in a classroom setting and build confidence in your professional skills.
Professional Development
All Saint Francis education majors also participate in professional development and networking events such as the Best Practices Showcase, which highlights educators who demonstrate outstanding teaching practices.
“Going to Saint Francis has prepared me for the teaching world through the various field placements. The faculty has prepared and provided a multitude of opportunities for their students to gain experience and more knowledge.”
Jaya Ellis ’24 Special Education PreK-12
“The USF teacher education program has prepared me to be an effective educator through field hours in a variety of settings. Saint Francis professors are dedicated to their continuing education and that of their students and include a commitment to the university’s Franciscan values.”
Sophia Shoppell ’23 BSE Special Education PreK-12
“One summer I worked at an equine therapy camp for students with special needs. That experience fueled my interest in special education. When it was time to student-teach, my professor helped place me in a special education classroom in a Catholic school — another goal of mine!”
Claire Manning ’20 Elementary education/special education
Faculty and Facilities
Class sizes are small at Saint Francis, so you will get personal attention from faculty mentors who are experts in their field. You’ll also have access to the Antoinette V. Murray Cougar Classroom, a learning lab filled with technology, resources, and materials — everything you need to create lesson plans and get ready for student-teaching.
Campus and Community Involvement
Leading and serving others through campus organizations will help prepare you to become a special ed teacher. Here are just a few that might interest you:
- Educators in Action
- Campus Ministry
- Council for Exceptional Children
- Alpha Theta Epsilon (honor society)
- Jesters of the University of Saint Francis
Special Education Jobs: Careers in Teaching and Development
After you graduate and pass your licensure exam, you’ll be ready to become a special ed teacher, but that’s not all you can do with a bachelor’s in special education. There’s a wide range of special education jobs in schools, recreational facilities, community agencies and healthcare facilities:
- Advocate
- Classroom aide/paraprofessional
- Curriculum writer
- Education policy maker
- Emotional support specialist
- Program director
- Resources specialist
- Site director
With a master’s degree in special education, you can pursue additional opportunities in teaching, counseling, and school administration.
Where You’ll Find Saint Francis Special Education Program Graduates
Saint Francis graduates teach and provide educational services in public and private school settings such as:
- Bluffton-Harrison Metropolitan School District
- East Allen County Schools
- Edgerton High School
- Fort Wayne Community Schools
- Indianapolis Public Schools
- Northwest Allen County Schools
- Southwest Allen County Schools
- Warsaw Community Schools
- Westview School Corporation
Graduate School and Advancement Opportunities
Teachers are life-long learners: You’re likely to return to the classroom to earn continuing education credits, graduate certificates or other credentials to help you advance your career.
Saint Francis offers graduate programs in education, special education, school psychology, and school counseling. Our special education majors have also been accepted into programs at:
- Ball State University
- Indiana University
- Lewis University
- University of Northern Colorado
Accreditation
The Department of Education is accredited by the Indiana Department of Education and the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), which was previously known as the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).
