Certificate Programs in the Department of Special Education

The Resource Specialist Certificate (RSP)
The Educational Therapy Certificate
Certificate in Early Intervention for Children with Special Needs/Birth to 8 Years

The Resource Specialist Certificate (RSP) is designed for experienced educators who have a Special Education Specialist Credential, and wish to qualify for positions as Resource Specialists.  This entails working with students with special needs who receive part of their education in general education, and collaborating with general education teachers in serving these students.  This credential is only available to teachers who hold a Learning Handicapped, Severely Handicapped, or Communication Handicapped Credential. 

Required Courses
SPED 620 Assessment and Evaluation in Special Education (3)
SPED 611 Collaborating to Meet the Needs of Special Populations (3)
SPED 612 Design and Development of Indirect Services (2)
SPED 612L Design and Development of Indirect Services in Special Education Lab (1)

Other Requirements
Verification of two or more years of successful teaching experience including both regular and special education.
Demonstration of competencies and a GPA of 3.0 in courses listed above.
Possession of a valid California Special Education Credential other than an emergency or intern credential.

For more information, contact Dr. Wendy Murawski.

The Educational Therapy Certificate is designed for post M.A. students who wish to further their expertise and professional skills related to serving pupils with exceptional needs on an individual basis and/or in a clinical setting.  The course requirements and program plan vary, based upon each student’s professional emphasis, and need to be designed in consultation with an Educational Therapy Certificate advisor.  Completion of the Educational Therapy Certificate Program, which includes courses and field experience, leads to the award of the Certificate of Advanced Study in Educational Therapy.

Prerequisites:
Completion of a Master of Arts Degree program in Education (any department), Psychology, Social Work, or other related fields as approved by the Certificate Program Coordinator.
Minimum of two years of experience in the fields of School Psychology, Counseling, Education or alternative experience with approval of the Certificate Program Coordinator, and/or two semesters of fieldwork in programs serving learners with disabilities.

Course Requirements
The Certificate requires a minimum of 25 units of coursework and field experience. Credit for a maximum of six units of coursework used for a degree program may be applied to the Certificate.

Introduction to Educational Therapy (6 units)
SPED 402A Behavior Assessment and Positive Behavior Support (3)
SPED 673 Principles of Educational Therapy for Exceptional Individuals (3)

Counseling Theory and Practice (3-7 units)
PSY 460 Counseling and Interviewing (4)
PSY 660 Seminar in Counseling (3) and PSY 660T Tutorial in Counseling (1) or EPC 655 Seminar in Techniques of Counseling (3)

Assessment and Evaluation (3-7 units)
PSY 625A-B Psychological Testing (Individual) (4-4)
EPC 663A-B Clinical and Psychometric Assessment Techniques (4-4)
SPED 672/L Clinical Procedures, Testing and Lab (3)

Professional Practice (9 units)
Language and Reading:
CD 462 Seminar in Language Development and Disorders (3)
EPC 634 Language and Concept Development in the School Years (3)
SPED 670 Reading Processes (3)
SPED 671 Advanced Study of Reading Problems (3)
SPED 675/L Clinical Procedures and Materials (3)

Extended Professional Activities:
PSY 601  Psychological Service Systems (3)
SPED 611/L Consultation Processes in Education/Lab (3)
Providing for Special Client Characteristics:
SPED 504MM Teaching Diverse Learners With Mild/Moderate Disabilities (3)
SPED 505MM Curriculum And Instruction For Diverse Learners With Mild/Moderate Disabilities (3)
SPED 610 Program Planning in Special Education (3)
PSY 626 Problems of the Atypical Child (3)
SPED 652 Educating Children with Moderate and Emotional Disturbance (3)
SPED 677/L Instructional Strategies for Adolescents and Young Adults with Mild/Moderate Disabilities (2)
SPED 699Z Supervised Independent Study: Instructional Programming in Specific Content Areas (3)
Capstone (3 units)
SPED 676/L Clinical Organization and Administration (3)

For more information, contact Marcy Dann.

Certificate in Early Intervention for Children with Special Needs/Birth to 8 Years is designed for Post BA students who wish to provide services to infants, toddlers and young children and their families who have or are at risk for disabilities. It provides transdisciplinary training to persons who possess Bachelor's degrees in one of the disciplines involved in early intervention (Child Development, Special Education, Communicative Disorders, Nursing, Early Childhood Education, Psychology, Educational Psychology, Physical Therapy, Adaptive Physical Education, Occupational Therapy, Social Work).