The graduate (post-baccalaureate) Certificate in Special Education requires a baccalaureate degree in elementary education, secondary education, or a related field such as social work or psychology; current State of Illinois Professional Educator License (PEL) with endorsement in a teaching area; undergraduate grade point average of 2.75 or higher on a 4.0 scale; a minimum of two letters of recommendation; a letter of application; and a program application form.
Coursework
SPED 411: Assessment in Special Education (3 CH)
SPED 417: Behavior Management for Children and Youth with Disabilities (3 CH)
SPED 418: Methods and Materials for Teaching a Functional Curriculum (3 CH)
SPED 419: Academic Methods and Materials for Student with Disabilities (3 CH)
SPED 420: Advanced Theories and Practices in Special Education (3 CH)
SPED 423: General Procedures in Special Education (3 CH)
Elective (Based on the applicant's current PEL restrictions) (3 CH)
Total credits: 21 Credit Hours
September 2025
School of Education
Southern Illinois University,
MC 4624,
CARBONDALE,
Illinois,
62901, United States
To be eligible to be considered for admission to a graduate degree program, you must meet the following minimum Graduate School requirements: 2.7 (on a grading scale with 4.0=A; approximately a "B-" average) on the last two years of Bachelor's coursework; 3.0 on all previous graduate work (approximately a "B" average).
The English language requirement may be met by submitting: 550 on the paper-based TOEFL; 80 on the internet-based TOEFL; 6.5 on the IELTS; 5.0 on the iTep Academic Plus Exam; C1 required on the Cambridge English Exam.
*There may be different IELTS requirements depending on your chosen course.
