Special Education Degree

Special education is probably one of the most rewarding options in the teaching profession. A special education degree prepares a teacher for working with students who are in some way disadvantaged—physically, mentally or emotionally. Special education students may have learning difficulties or come from families where they have not been prepared for the rigors of the classroom curriculum. Special education (or “special ed”) may also involve teaching especially gifted students, those with the intelligence, talent, or previous experience to take on educational programs that might be too rigorous for most students.

A special education degree can be obtained at any of several levels. Let’s look at some of the possibilities.

Bachelor’s degree: Bachelor’s degrees in special education are available at a number of schools. Such a degree will require you to spend four years (three with advanced placement) in earning your degree. It’s worth investing this time because your special education degree is one of the things that will make it possible for you to earn your teaching certificate in the area where you wish to teach. You may even need to go on to a master’s degree before you can become certified to teach special education in some districts.

Master’s degree: A master’s-level special education degree is now required in many school districts to allow you to work as a special education teacher. This degree requires not only that you spend four years earning your bachelor’s degree in special education but an additional one or two years earning your master’s. This may be more time (and tuition money) than you were planning to spend, but in many cases. It is a necessity. Remember that there are sources of funding for your education that are available if you can prove that you are in financial need. These include grants, scholarships, and loans, many of which are available from the United States government.

Doctoral degree: A PhD is really only necessary if you plan to teach special education courses to other teachers at the college level. A special education degree is rarely needed for teaching at a university, but your doctorate will qualify you to become a professor of special education and pass your teaching knowledge and skills on to others. You might consider this option later in your career after you’ve worked in the special education field for several years.