B.Ed. in Elementary Education | Special Education

Learn How to Effectively Teach and Set Your Students Up for Success

Educating young people is an important mission. And if you are pursuing a career in special education, it is often a calling. Liberty University’s Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) in Elementary Education – Special Education degree can help equip you with the tools you need to become an elementary school teacher as well as give you the additional training needed to teach special education general curriculum from kindergarten to the sixth grade.

Our Bachelor of Education in Elementary Education – Special Education is a teacher licensure degree with a special education add-on that focuses on general curriculum. Our program is designed to meet Virginia state licensure requirements, so you can teach students ranging from kindergarten to 6th grade. If you are looking to teach in another state, reciprocity* may be available.

Let us come alongside you as you pursue a teaching career that truly makes a difference. We will help you develop the skills you need to work with parents as well as students, so you will be as prepared as possible to set your students up for success. If you feel like your calling is to teach special education at the elementary school level, we have the degree for you.

*Upon successful completion of Liberty University’s Virginia state-approved Bachelor of Education program, you may apply for your teaching license in another state through reciprocity, which may or may not result in additional requirements based on your state’s Department of Education regulations.

Award-Winning Campus

At Liberty, you’ll find an affordable, high-quality education that equips students like you for the real world. Our commitment to excellence helped us rank among Niche.com’s Top 3 college campuses in America. Earning your degree from a nonprofit university with state-of-the-art resources like ours can help set you apart from your peers.

Why Choose Liberty’s Bachelor of Education in Elementary Education Degree?

Pursuing your teaching license is a commitment to the future of our nation as well as your calling to be a part of that future. We want to come alongside you as part of our mission to Train Champions for Christ. Since true work experience is the best way to gain confidence as a teacher, we offer valuable opportunities for you to apply your skills in the real world.

Liberty is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Additionally, Liberty University’s School of Education meets rigorous national standards for educator preparation set by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). Because of this, your degree will be well-recognized and respected among other schools and employers. You’ll gain over 300 hours of hands-on experience and be able to network with other education students who have the same passion to make a difference in the world.

Additionally, this program provides you with licensure approved by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE), allowing you to teach in the state of Virginia upon graduation.* This degree can prepare you with all the tools and education you’ll need to be successful in the classroom.

*If you are planning to teach in a state other than Virginia, please check the licensure requirements for your state.

What Will You Learn in Our Bachelor of Education in Elementary Education – Special Education Degree?

Our B.Ed. in Elementary Education is designed to grant you teacher licensure. Because of the requirements involved in teacher licensure, your coursework will focus on a variety of different subjects from general studies to education.

Firstly, you will complete foundational courses in math, history, English, and science to fulfill your need for content competencies. These include the major subjects that most elementary students will be learning. You will dive into principles of biology, geography, literature, geometry, and physics to highlight a few areas of study.

Additionally, you’ll study a variety of courses that focus how on to educate children and adolescents. Some of your courses will include topics like classroom teaching; instructional design for elementary and middle classrooms; how to teach reading, writing, and language to diverse learners; and behavioral and individual differences of students. Plus, you’ll complete over 90 practicum hours and at least 1 full semester of student teaching prior to graduation.

Once you start your special education courses, you will learn about the diversity of those with disabilities. By understanding how to manage the ranging severity seen in a class of children with disabilities, you will be able to create better behavior management and group inclusion for your students. This elementary bachelor’s degree program will allow you to complete the content competencies, student teaching, and practicum requirements for VA state teaching license with endorsements in Elementary Education and Special Education General Curriculum (K-6).

Review the Degree Completion Plan, and check out our featured courses below to learn more about what you’ll be studying!

Featured Courses

EDSP 363 – Behavior Management

Here’s what you’ll learn:

Applications for both general education and special education strategies
Individualized, classroom and school-wide behavior support, including functional behavior assessments and behavior support plans
Research for instructional approaches and methods for managing behaviors effectively

EDSP 413 – Inclusion and Diversity: Effective Practices and Strategies

Here’s what you’ll learn:

How to apply intervention strategies for adapting curriculum materials and methods to fit individual needs in various school settings
How to differentiate instruction for students with mild and moderate disabilities

EDSP 473 – Transition Planning

Here’s what you’ll learn:

Current methods and tools
Educational issues, independent living preparation, community living skills, and vocational preparation
How to work with families to provide successful student transitions throughout the educational experience

EDUC 225 – Instructional Design for Elementary Classrooms

Here’s what you’ll learn:

A systematic approach to instruction for diverse classrooms including purpose, process, and practice
Each teacher candidate will prepare lessons that follow the Liberty University model.
Teacher candidates will be expected to present these lessons in the practicum
Topics include elements of the desired model: objectives, instructional process, systems of evaluation, and resources

Highlights

Degree Information

Careers

Admission Requirements

Highlights of Our B.Ed. in Elementary Education – Special Education Degree

Liberty University’s School of Education meets rigorous national standards for educator preparation set by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).
Pursuing our Bachelor of Education in Elementary Education degree may make you eligible for the Federal TEACH Grant.
Receive over 90 practicum hours and at least 1 full semester of students teaching prior to graduation.
The Educational Technology Lab provides students with top-notch resources, software, and equipment designed to promote learning with technology.
All of our faculty who oversee licensure courses have K-12 teaching experience and a current teaching license.
You will have the opportunity to do your student teaching in various locations throughout Virginia as well as in Washington, D.C., through Liberty’s Washington Fellowship program.
Liberty offers a world-class education taught from a Christian perspective.
Our B.Ed. education licensure track can help you gain credentials to teach in the state of Virginia.
By joining a professional organization, you can expand your network and explore your interests!