Special Education, M.A.T. (Alternative Teacher Licensure)

This route to the M.A.T. and teacher licensure is for candidates accepted into one of NLU’s partner programs. Candidates in these programs teach in high-needs schools while earning their degrees and licenses with endorsements in Special Education LBS I (K to age 22). A specialized mentoring program will be in place to support and guide the teacher candidates throughout the two years of the program.

For more information on state licensure and certification information please visit NLU’s Public Disclosures page.

Program Details

• Requires 44 SH for completion
• Candidates must earn a grade of "B" or better in EDU 572 to be eligible for the ELS (APE) Provisional Educator License and continue in the program
• Candidates must earn a grade of "B" or better in all methods courses (SPE 507, SPE 508, SPE 509, SPE 523, and SPE 573) and all practicum courses (SPE 572 and SPE 587)
• Requires immersive school placement
• Candidates must apply for a Provisional Educator License prior to beginning their internship and assuming a placement as the teacher of record
• Please note, any candidate who wishes to teach in a preK special education setting must have completed SPE 510, SPE 532, SPE 533 and SPE 534.

Program Learning Outcomes

PLO1. Candidates will apply ethical and legal requirements of disability procedures and practices.

PLO2. Candidates will explore special education and disabilities studies through social, cultural, economic, and equitable contexts in order to engage in advocacy with and for people with disabilities.

PLO3. Candidates will employ culturally responsive, evidence-based pedagogy, assessment and instruction to meet individual differences in academic, social/emotional and cultural contexts.

PLO4. Candidates will use and critique research in the field to inform effective, culturally responsive teaching through multiple forms of practitioner research.

PLO5. Candidates will cultivate culturally responsive, collaborative relationships with families and other stakeholders in the school and community.

PLO6. Candidates will use an intersectional lens of social justice and equitable educational access for people with disabilities to analyze and critique systems in order to intentionally act to change systems that reinforce inequity and oppression.

PLO7. Candidates will demonstrate teaching competencies in practicums and student teaching: lesson plan development and implementation, assessment of learning, Individual Education Plan participation and collaboration, and individual and small group instruction.

PLO8. Candidates will implement instructional and assistive technologies to support student accessibility, learning and inclusive school experiences.

Admission Requirements

In addition to National College of Education Graduate Admissions Requirements, applicants must:

• Have a bachelor’s degree from a school with institutional accreditation with a major in the content area of reading, English/language arts, mathematics or one of the sciences. If the individual does not have a major in a content area for any level of teaching, transcripts must be evaluated by the State Superintendent of Education for equivalency. This process will be started by the Transfer Articulation Analyst in the Registrar’s office and appropriate documents send to ISBE.
  • ISBE review requires a min of 9SH in any one or a combination of the four areas listed above to be admitted to the program
    • Please note: The Transfer Articulation Analyst will review transcripts prior to admission and submit evaluation to ISBE to seek approval. When approval is granted, the TAA will notify the student, Admissions and the Enrollment Specialist.
• Have a GPA no lower than 3.0, on a 4.0 point scale. Candidates may be provisionally admitted to the program with a GPA between 2.5 and 2.99. They must complete the first four courses in the program with grades of B or better.
• Receive a minimum score of 240 on the Special Education Content Test to be admitted to the program
• Submit form indicating employment experience in schools and working with students for a minimum of four weeks in grade level or content related to application
• Submit letter of confirmation of interview and position pending ELS (APE) from the District 
• Provide description of employment experience in schools and working with students or evidence of a minimum of 4 weeks substitute teaching experience or school support experience in at the appropriate grade level or content area
• Provide three references (from BA degree, employment experience appropriate for teaching experience)

Required Courses

SPE Alternative Teacher Licensure Coursework

EDU 510	Social Justice Perspectives on the History and Philosophy of American Education	2
EDU 572	Creating Diverse and Equitable Classrooms	3
LSE 511	Human Learning and Development in Instructional Contexts	2
SPE 500	Introduction to and Methods of Teaching Students with Disabilities	3
SPE 501	Educational and Diagnostic Assessment in Special Education	3
SPE 502	Language Development, Differences, and Challenges in Children and Adolescents	2 OR 3
SPE 506	Frameworks, Perspectives, and Collaboration in Special Education	3
SPE 507	Methods of Social/Emotional Support	3
SPE 508	Methods of Instruction: Literacy Across the Curriculum for Special Education	3
SPE 509	Methods of Instruction in Foundational Literacy for Diverse Learners	3
SPE 523	Methods and Content in Mathematics for Students with Disabilities	3
SPE 572	Practicum 1: Roles, Responsibilities, and Practices of the Special Educator	2 OR 3
SPE 573	Methods for Low Incidence Differentiated & Inclusionary Curriculum & Instruction	3
SPE 587	Seminar/Teaching Children and Adolescents with Special Needs	1 TO 3

Note: SPE 502 and SPE 572 must be taken for a total of 3 semester hours, SPE 587 must be taken for a total of 7 semester hours. SPE 500 may be waived per advisor if SPE 500 or its equivalent has been previously taken.