The Department of Special Education at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is consistently ranked by U.S. News and World Report as one of the Top 10 Special Education programs in the country. In 2020, the program was ranked #9.
This small teacher preparation program provides opportunities to work closely with faculty. Teacher candidates complete the Special Education sequence of courses as a cohort. This program structure enables cohort members to form personal and professional bonds that often extend beyond graduation.
Rigorous, research-based coursework is offered in conjunction with hands-on learning within local schools. Teacher candidates receive four semesters of supervised fieldwork. These experiences focus on applying content learned through coursework directly with children with diverse support needs and types of disabilities.
The program includes a minimum of 10 weeks of full-time pre-service clinical experience, or its equivalent. The program provides supervision and support services to the teacher.