Loyola Marymount University is recognized as a leader in the field of Special Education. Our Special Education program provides you with the professional skills needed to teach students with mild/moderate disabilities within self-contained classrooms and in collaboration with general education teachers. The program also prepares you to successfully work with culturally and linguistically diverse students. You will be prepared to succeed as a classroom teacher, to excel as a site leader, and to advocate for students with learning needs.

Our program offers you a rigorous curriculum as well comprehensive support for completing the academic, fieldwork, and administrative requirements needed to obtain the California Mild/Moderate Education Specialist Credential. This credential, which can be earned in combination with an MA in Special Education, authorizes holders to teach in the California public school system, and to serve students with specific learning disabilities, mild to moderate mental retardation, attention deficit and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and serious emotional disturbances. Our program is authorized by the state of California, and is also NCATE accredited.

All Special Education candidates take core courses that provide an overview of current educational theory and best practices in education. After completing these classes, you will take specialized methodology courses that prepare you to work at either the Elementary or Secondary school level.

Depending on your background and employment status, you can enroll in either the Traditional track or the Intern track. Traditional track students complete their program in the "traditional" way, taking all required courses prior to fulfilling a student teaching assignment. Once they complete their program, they pursue employment opportunities. In contrast, Intern track applicants are employed as fulltime Special Education teachers while they complete our MA/Credential program.

LMU's Special Education Program is run as a cohort, and admits candidates in the Summer session only. The 2012 cohort begins on June 25, 2012. The priority application deadline is March 15, 2012 for the 2012 cohort.


Program Coursework: Traditional Track

Prerequisite Coursework

• EDUC 6300  Creating Effective Classrooms in Diverse Settings
• EDUC 6302  Informal Assessment and IEP Development for Students with Exceptional Needs
• EDUC 6101  Psychology and Education of Culturally/Linguistically Diverse Students with Exceptional Needs
• EDUC 6301  Creating Collaborative Partnerships
• EDUC 5000  Cultural Paradigms of Education
• EDUC 5003  Theories of Second Language Acquisition
• EDUC 6102  The Context of Schooling
• EDUC 6303  Teaching and Assessing Students with Mild/Moderate Disabilities
• EDUC 6201 (or 6250)  Foundations of Elementary Literacy Instruction (or Improvement of Literacy in Single Subject Classrooms)
• EDUC 6200 (or EDUC 6251, or EDUC 6252)  Elementary School Curriculum and Methods (or Secondary School Curriculum and Methods for Math and Science, or Secondary School Curriculum and Methods for Language Arts and Social Sciences)

Student Teaching (EDUC 5978: Directed Teaching)

Comprehensive Exam (EDUC 6995: Comprehensive Exam in Elementary Education)


Program Coursework: Intern Track

Pre-Service Coursework

• EDUC 5300  Introduction to Teaching and Learning in General and Special Education Programs
• EDUC 5301  Managing Learning Environments

Prerequisite Coursework

• EDUC 6300  Creating Effective Classrooms in Diverse Settings
• EDUC 6302  Informal Assessment and IEP Development for Students with Exceptional Needs
• EDUC 5981  Fieldwork 1
• EDUC 6201 (or 6250)  Foundations of Elementary Literacy Instruction (or Improvement of Literacy in Single Subject Classrooms)
• EDUC 6200 (or EDUC 6251, or EDUC 6252)  Elementary School Curriculum and Methods (or Secondary School Curriculum and Methods for Math and Science, or Secondary School Curriculum and Methods for Language Arts and Social Sciences)
• EDUC 5982  Fieldwork 2
• EDUC 6101  Psychology and Education of Culturally/Linguistically Diverse Students with Exceptional Needs
• EDUC 6301  Creating Collaborative Partnerships
• EDUC 5983  Fieldwork 3
• EDUC 5000  Cultural Paradigms of Education
• EDUC 5003  Theories of Second Language Acquisition
• EDUC 6102  The Context of Schooling
• EDUC 6303  Teaching and Assessing Students with Mild/Moderate Disabilities
• EDUC 5984  Fieldwork 4

Comprehensive Exam (EDUC 6995: Comprehensive Exam in Elementary Education)


Admissions and Application
If you are interested in LMU's Special Education Teacher Preparation Program, follow these steps to get started:

Step 1
Request a Program Overview, FAQ, and application packet by clicking here. Indicate "Teacher Education Program: Special Education" on the drop-down menu.

Step 2
Complete and submit your full application packet.

The Special Education program is cohort-based and admits in the Summer term only. The priority application deadline is March 15, but applications are accepted on a rolling basis and you are encouraged to apply early.

Step 3
Once your complete application has been received and reviewed, you will be contacted for an interview with the Program Director.

Step 4
Admitted candidates must complete several Post-Admission Requirements prior to entering Student Teaching.

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For the annual Title II Institutional Report, including results for Loyola Marymount University, please click here to view the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing Annual Institutional Report Cards section. For information on the most recent teacher preparation passage rate click here (PDF).