Graduate Certificate: Add-On Licensure in Teacher of Students with Moderate Disabilities (PreK–2, PreK–8, or 5–12)

The Boston University Wheelock College of Education & Human Development offers a Graduate Certificate program for licensed educators who are interested in adding an Initial Licensure as a Teacher of Students with Moderate Disabilities in the PreK–2, PreK–8, or 5–12 grade bands. Students who are successful in completing this program will develop the knowledge and skills necessary to demonstrate the required competencies for the Teacher of Students with Moderate Disabilities license.

This certificate can be completed with part-time or full-time enrollment. Students can begin the program in summer 1, fall, or spring. Students also have the option of completing this graduate certificate concurrently with a BU Wheelock teacher preparation graduate program.

Learning Outcomes

As a result of this program, students will be able to:

• Define educational terminology for students with mild to moderate disabilities.
• Prepare, implement, and evaluate Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).
• Design or modify curriculum, instructional materials, and general education classroom environments for students with moderate disabilities.
• Support students with disabilities in appropriately using augmentative and alternative communication and other assistive technologies.
• Develop behavioral and academic strategies to prepare and maintain students with disabilities for general education classrooms.
• Explain services provided by other agencies.
• Describe federal and state laws and regulations pertaining to special education.

Requirements

Total units: 16

• WED SE 515 Assessment and Eligibility in Special Education (2 units)
• WED SE 572 Culturally Relevant Approaches to Positive Behavioral Support (4 units)
• WED SE 584 Inclusive Pedagogy: Foundations (4 units)
• WED SE 601 Collaborative Approaches to Individualized Education Programming (2 units)
• WED SE 706 Disability, Education, and Society (4 units)

The graduate certificate is intended as a pathway to “add on” licensure in Teacher of Students with Moderate Disabilities in the PreK–2, PreK–8, or 5–12 grade bands for teachers residing in Massachusetts who are already licensed in another academic area through the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). Completion of this certificate will satisfy the Subject Matter Knowledge (SMK) competency coverage required by DESE. In order to be eligible for the license, students must also complete a 150-hour supervised practicum-equivalent through the school/district or BU Wheelock in the state of Massachusetts and submit a signed verification letter as part of the application. BU Wheelock’s Professional Preparation office will provide all required documentation to any students who complete this certificate and elect to complete a supervised practicum-equivalent through BU.

Admissions Information

Students must hold or be eligible for a valid initial or professional license in a core academic area in the state of Massachusetts to enroll in this graduate certificate.