The special education minor at USI provides you with opportunities for interdisciplinary courses. If you are interested in working with individuals with special needs, then adding a special education minor will be a good addition to your education major, better preparing you for teaching since most classrooms are inclusive, serving children with special needs as well as their typically developing peers.
In this program, you will have opportunities for practicum experiences at both the elementary and secondary levels. Through volunteer work and field experiences you will learn more about which age groups suits you best. In addition, courses are designed to enable you to use both CEC recommended practices and evidence based practices. You’ll find mentoring provided by college faculty, field-based teachers and site coordinators. USI special education faculty will be especially helpful to you as you navigate through this program as they are all former special education teachers. Classes are limited to 28 or less which will give you more opportunities for collaboration and co-teaching practice.
An undergraduate student should initiate a Change of Academic Program if they wish to add or remove a minor.
The student obtains a Change of Academic Program form from the Registrar's Office or the department of the new major/minor, secures the signature of the department chair/director (or dean) of any major/minor to be added, and returns the form to the Registrar's Office for processing.
A student must submit the completed form by the Thursday before priority registration if the change is to be made within the current semester. Unless granted a waiver by the department of the new major, the student must meet all current program requirements for graduation.
To apply to the University of Southern Indiana (USI) for undergraduate enrollment:
Once USI has processed your application, transcript(s) and scores (if needed), a decision will be made by Undergraduate Admissions and you will receive a notification.
Upon acceptance to USI, you'll receive detailed information about next steps, including orientation, registration and housing.
The field of special education is growing and teacher candidates at USI typically find employment within the first year after graduation.
This minor pairs well with an Elementary Education major or an Early Childhood Education major and prepares teachers to serve children with special needs in a P-12 setting.
*income information provided by O*NET Online. Occupation opportunities vary by region and experience.
The University of Southern Indiana is committed to making college accessible to those wishing to further their education by providing numerous scholarships, grants, and financial aid options to assist students in managing tuition expenses.
Requirements for licensure and certification vary by profession and by state. USI has reviewed the educational requirements for each state and licensing agency to determine if the academic program here at USI meets the educational requirements to be eligible for licensure/certification in each state or not. Please note that some states may have additional requirements for licensure, such as residency requirements, additional non-academic certifications, etc. that USI cannot determine. We encourage you to check with your state's licensing agency for all requirements needed to obtain licensure.
