Special Education Major

• What is Special Education?
• What are Some Specializations Within this Broad Major?
• What Kinds of Students Major in Special Education?
• What Courses Do Special Education Majors Take?
• List of Special Education Jobs
• What is the Median Salary Range for Special Education Careers?
• College and University Departments to Consider

What is Special Education?

Special Education is centered on the education of behaviorally difficult, mentally disabled, physically disabled and learning impaired students. A specialized kind of teacher, this person must have great patience with children with all kinds of conditions, and is their responsibility to ensure that the education these children receive is a thorough and complete one.

top

What are Some Specializations Within this Broad Major?

Various specializations related to a major in Special Education may be offered by colleges and universities. These specializations may be of greater or lesser interest to you. A few of these specializations related to this field include, but are not limited to:

Education of the Autistic	Education of the Emotionally Handicapped
Education of the Gifted and Talented	Education of the Mentally Handicapped
Education of the Multiple Handicapped	Education of the Physically Handicapped
Education of the Speech Impaired

top

What Kinds of Students Major in Special Education?

In this major, many individuals in this field will be presented the challenge of educating students with significant learning disabilities. Students in this major have a high desire to help students, children and adults, who require special attention and increased levels of support in order to become productive citizens. There is a high demand for qualified teachers in this area.

Is Special Education the right major for you?
Take the MyMajors Quiz and find out if it is one of your top recommended majors!

What Courses Do Special Education Majors Take?

The required and elective courses you would take for Special Education majors vary considerably among institutions. Courses are listed here that are illustrative of the breadth of topics you are likely to experience were you to major in this field.

Moderate/Severe Disabilities	Assessment in Special Education
Assistive Technology	Behavior Management
Cultural and Linguistic Diversity	Human Development and Learning
Issues in Special Populations	Mild/Moderate Disabilities

top

List of Potential Jobs in Special Education

These professions and professional organizations illustrate the types of positions you might qualify for if you complete this major. Some majors are more directly related to employment than others, however. You should consider the likelihood of employment after graduation carefully, if you do not plan to go on for graduate work in a field. Even with the completion of graduate work in some fields, however, employment is difficult, so you should determine what the prospects are for this or any major. Employment possibilities are often enhanced by the selecting employment-related courses and by the enrollment in second major or in a minor.

Early Interventionist	Educational Therapist
Rehabilitation Counseling	Rehabilitation Services
Resource Specialist Teacher	Special Education Teacher
Teacher of the Gifted and Talented

top

What is the Median Salary Range for Special Education Careers?

Actual expected salaries will vary depending on your chosen career path, experience, and even your geographic location. Are you interested in detailed information about the forecasted demand for a particular profession? Are you interested in the estimated salaries such positions are likely to pay? This government Web site allows you to search on a particular job, whether listed here or not, to give you this information.

Bureau of Labor Statistics

top

Colleges and Universities offering majors in Special Education

MyMajors complete list has 713 schools in the USA with a major in Special Education.
-View the national listing!

top

For information on options available to campuses wishing to see their programs listed on MyMajors, contact for details.