The Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and Special Education is designed for students who wish to become an elementary special education teacher. This program prepares students for an elementary or cross-categorical teaching license to teach children with special needs in the K-12 classroom setting. The format and courses of this regionally accredited and Arizona State Board of Education approved program are designed to maximize the content knowledge that the teacher candidate will possess upon graduation. All courses are directly aligned with professional teaching standards and the associated national content standards.

Graduates of the BS in Elementary Education and Special Education are prepared to work as an elementary special education teacher, helping special needs populations in the areas of learning disabilities, emotional and behavioral disabilities, and other physical and cognitive impairments, in implementing individualized educational plans. Opportunities are provided to apply concepts, theories, and research throughout the program. Assignments within each course guide students through observational and practice-based experiences.

Teacher candidates must be prepared to complete a student teaching component at the end of the program that will include two placements; one in an elementary classroom and the other in a setting with students with special needs.