Minor in Special Education

The purpose of the minor is to provide undergraduate students with an overview of the field of special education. An interdisciplinary program of required and elective courses ensures that students are exposed to a variety of experiences pertaining to disability in our society. Competencies attained by students completing this minor are of both a theoretical and practical nature and stimulate student interest in occupations serving individuals with disabilities. Service learning interactions with individuals with disabilities are designed to inspire students for a career in special education.

Email: spedminor@sfsu.edu

Program Learning Objectives (PLO)

  • PLO #1: Demonstrate an understanding of the knowledge and skills related to the application of 1) special education legislation/policy and related services, atypical and typical child development; 2) inclusive school practices, diversity in education, and ways to address inequity within school systems (e.g., Universal Design for Learning, capacity building, School-Wide Transformation); and 3) best practices within the field of special education including the use of evidence-based strategies and interventions, partnerships for family and communities, and cultural respectfulness. 
     
  • PLO #2: Understand the uniqueness of individuals with disabilities and apply the knowledge and skills related to working with those individuals by focusing on specific skill/topic/disability (e.g. American Sign Language, early intervention, positive behavior supports, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Visual Impairments, Deaf/ Hard of Hearing, young children at-risk and with disabilities). 

Declaring the Minor

Students can now change or add the minor in Special Education online through SFSU Gateway.  Once the department approves your change of major/minor request, the Registrar will send an email to your SFSU email address with confirmation of your change of major/minor.

Required Courses (9 units)

Course # Course Name Units
SPED 330 Introduction to Disability 3
SPED 630 Inclusive Education: Empowerment and Equity in Diverse Schools 3
SPED 675 Working with Families of Young Children with Disabilities 3

Elective Course: Choose two courses below: 6 units

Course # Course Name Units
SPED 310 Exploring Visual Impairments 3
SPED 370 Young Children Disabled or At Risk, and their Families 3
SPED 620 The Science of Early Intervention 3
SPED 655 Basic Orientation and Mobility for Learners with Visual Impairments 3
SPED 662 Education of Deaf/Hard of Hearing Children 3
SPED 671 Positive Behavior Support for Young Children 3
SPED 672 Inclusive Learning Environments for Young Children 3
SPED 688 American Sign Language I 3
SPED 689 American Sign Language II 3
SPED 691 Autism in the Contemporary World 3
HIST 484 Disability and Culture in the U.S. (meets UD-C; Arts and/or Humanities requirments) 3
  Total for Minor Program: 15 units

For PDF files, you'll need Adobe Acrobat 5.0 or above to view it. If you need Adobe Acrobat Reader it's available free from Adobe.