Education - Secondary Education
Please note: Overview information for Education Majors can be found by clicking here.
Education & Academic Success
Associate in Applied Science;
Specialized Diplomas conferred
Program Narrative
Special Education is an important and exciting career for persons interested in the education of children with disabilities! The federal Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA) and related state laws and standards require personnel working with children with disabilities to be appropriately trained and qualified. Northampton Community College's special education program prepares students with the competencies necessary to meet these requirements. Grounded in a philosophy that emphasizes family and disability perspectives, inclusive practices, and current educational approaches, NCC's special education program provides a valuable program of study.
Program Features
The Special Education Paraeducator (A.A.S.) degree is designed to prepare individuals to work with children with varying abilities in diverse educational classrooms, under the direct supervision of a certified teacher. A Special Education Paraeducator Specialized Diploma is also available. Students who successfully complete either option are considered "highly qualified" and satisfy the requirements for Pennsylvania's Credential of Competency for Special Education Paraeducators. NCC will assist students with the credentialing process.
Graduates are qualified to work as special education paraeducators, sometimes referred to as teaching assistants, in a wide variety of educational settings. Students are prepared to respect and value the unique perspectives of family and children with disabilities as well as the importance of building and maintaining collaborative relationships. To this end, NCC's curriculum offers a combination of special education coursework and field experience opportunities that integrate federal and state special education legal and professional competencies.
The program is offered at the Bethlehem Campus and through Online Learning with select courses offered at the Monroe Campus.
Program Outcomes
Graduates of the program will:
- Explain the philosophy, foundation, requirements, and current trends relevant to special education programs and practices.
- Describe universally-designed and inclusive environments.
- Apply appropriate instructional responses using multiple and varied assessments, technologies, strategies, and supports within a universally-designed and inclusive framework.
- Discuss the role and nature of collaborative relationships between schools and families.
- Define and use special education vocabulary, professionalism, and ethical practices, to support thinking and communicating in educational environments.
- Act as a paraeducator in diverse learning environments.
Associate in Arts Degree
| Course Code | Course Title |
Credits
|
| First Semester | ||
| CMTH 102 | Speech Communication |
3
|
| EDUC 115 | Education for All Students |
3
|
| ENGL 101C | English I |
3
|
| MATH ______ | Mathematics Transfer Elective (QL) + |
3
|
| ------------------ | Social Science Transfer Elective (SIT) + |
3
|
|
15
|
||
| Second Semester | ||
| ENGL 151C | English II |
3
|
| SPED 160 | Intro to Special Education |
3
|
| MATH______ | Mathematics Transfer Elective (QL) + |
3
|
| ------------------ | Social Science Transfer Elective (SSHB) + |
3
|
| ------------------ | Transfer Elective + |
3
|
|
15
|
||
| Third Semester | ||
| EDUC 105 | Pre-Service Academic Assessment (PAPA) Preparation |
1
|
| ------------------ | Social Science Transfer Elective (SIT or SSHB) + |
3
|
| ------------------ | Transfer Electives + |
12
|
|
16
|
||
| Fourth Semester | ||
| ENGL 215G | Multicultural Adolescent Literature (A/H) (WI)(D) |
3
|
| ------------------ | Social Science Transfer Elective (SIT or SSHB) + |
3
|
| ------------------ | Science Transfer Electives (SCI) + |
4
|
| ------------------ | Transfer Electives + |
6
|
|
16
|
||
| Total Credits |
62
|
+ Transfer Electives must be selected with the advice of an academic advisor so that courses will transfer to the student's intended transfer institution, and, correspond to the area of content the student will teach at the high school level. Refer to transfer guides.
- EDUC105 Pre-Service Academic Assessment (PAPA) Preparation course helps students to prepare for the standardized exam. The course is not otherwise AA/AS applicable and is not transferable.
- ENGL215G fulfills one Writing Intensive requirement. One other course must be taken as writing intensive. ENGL215G also fulfils the Diversity elective.
- Taking both ENGL101C and ENGL151C satisfies the general education Computer Literacy Requirement.