All children deserve an education, but some are not suited for the normal classroom experience. Education degrees are not always designed for teaching special needs kids.
Although most degrees include some required hands-on teaching experience, many Special Education degrees can be completed mostly online. The classwork, at least, can be finished remotely. This leaves the student to complete only the on-hand experiences in person.
Since online degrees are so flexible, online Special Education programs might be a great choice for you if you’d like to pursue the degree but don’t have the schedule to attend classes every day.
What is a Bachelor’s in Special Education?
A Bachelor’s in Special Education is similar to a general Education or Teaching degree, but it focuses on educating students with various special needs or disabilities. These degrees often have a disability focus or are designed to prepare teachers for educating kids within a specific age range, such as K-6 or K-12. If you know you want to work with children, consider an education degree focused on Early Childhood.
Many Special Education certificates allow a teacher to educate special needs students in a single state if they already have an Education degree. These certificates generally require around 20 or so credit hours for completion and can be “added on” to their main degree.
Finally, some Education degrees offer emphases or specializations in Special Education. The student still receives an Education degree but is also prepared to teach special needs students.
All of these options ensure that the teacher understands how to interact with and educate students that are not well suited for the typical classroom experience.
How Much Can You Earn with a Special Education Degree?
The average salary for a Special Education Teacher is around $50,000. However, this number is heavily dependent on state and local needs. Teachers in higher demand will earn more. In addition, teachers that are employed at a particular school for long enough can receive tenure, or guaranteed employment.
This is often seen as more valuable than a flat pay increase due to its inherent stability and security. Teachers that have more certificates or specializations can often demand more pay. Finally, teachers that receive a Master’s degree or Doctorate will earn more on average.
What is Required for a Bachelor’s in Special Education Degree?
To obtain a Bachelor’s in Special Education you’ll need to complete coursework that has been specialized to provide you with teaching training while accounting for the unique needs often seen with special education kids. Some classes you might take could be:
- Educational theory
- Communication courses
- Writing courses
- Body language education
- Conflict management/resolution training
- Adaptational learning techniques
- Deaf education training
All of these will prepare a potential teacher for the myriad challenges that can be expected in a special needs classroom. These skills can be particularly valuable for general Education degree recipients, as they can increase your pay and make you more valuable to schools in need of a teacher.
You’ll also almost always be required to complete some hours of in-person, in-classroom experience in preparation for your employment at a school.
What Are the Best Bachelor’s in Special Education Degrees?
OSR uses six data points: three school-wide and three program specific. For school-wide, OSR uses Student Satisfaction, Admission Rates, and the number of programs the school offers online. For program specific, OSR checks the Median Debt of graduates from that program, how many degrees are offered within that program’s umbrella department, and what percentage of students at that school graduated from that department.
The six statistics are displayed by each school. The sliding bar under each statistic represents how that school compares to other US institutions. “Not reported” means a school did not release that information to the US Department of Education. A more detailed description of the OSR process can be found on the methodology page.