Alternative Routes to Certification
Teacher of Students with Special Needs
As schools strive to provide a relevant and challenging education for all their students, they rely more heavily on the specific skills of teachers who have gained expertise educating children with special needs. Through UD ARTC, there are two different ways to become a teacher of students with special needs:
| UD ARTC (non-degree/certification only) | MPCP (Master’s Degree plus certification) |
| Earn certification in one of the following: | Earn certification in one of the following: |
Or, if you already hold standard certification in Elementary, Math, Science, Social Studies, or English, add on certification in:
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| 15 credits + 1 non-credit course | 33 credits |
| Rolling applications/admissions year-round | Applications due April 1st |
Although both options are tailored for candidates who have earned bachelor’s degrees, but haven’t taken education courses, each program has differences in addition to those listed above. Our non-degree program allows teacher candidates to begin teaching immediately, but MPCP students work during the first year as a full-time, paid paraprofessional in a special needs classroom (while taking their first year of Master’s coursework) and then work the second year as the full-time, paid special needs teacher of record (while finishing their Master’s degree). Successful completion of either program results in standard certification.