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Special Education Studies

Bachelor of Science

Home Adult Undergrad Adult Undergraduate Academics Special Education Studies

With a degree in special education studies, you’ll build the skills to support K-12 students with disabilities and take your next step toward a career in special education.

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At a glance

Delivery

Online

Finish in as few as

30 months

Cost per credit

$464

Learn more about the cost of attendance.

Learning that fits your life. In Bethel’s B.S. in Special Education Studies program, you’ll prepare to support students with mild to moderate disabilities in K-12 settings. You’ll learn to assess student needs, use evidence-based practices, and provide academic and behavioral support. This degree lets you complete your bachelor’s degree without student teaching and become eligible for a Tier 1 or Tier 2 teaching license in Minnesota. If you want to pursue Tier 3 eligibility later, you can complete student teaching after finishing your degree or as a graduate student. You can also continue building your credentials through Bethel’s stackable graduate-level licenses in autism spectrum disorders (ASD), developmental disabilities (DD), and emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD), or through Bethel’s M.A. in Special Education.

Program details

The B.S. in Special Education Studies builds the skills you need to support students with mild to moderate disabilities. You’ll learn to assess student needs, use data to guide decisions, and plan academic and behavioral support. Course-based field experiences connect your learning to real educational settings as you prepare for Tier 1 or Tier 2 special education teaching license eligibility in Minnesota.

Unlike Bethel’s B.S. in Special Education Academic Behavioral Strategist degree, student teaching is not included in this program. You can complete student teaching later if you want to pursue Tier 3 eligibility.

Special Education Studies Program Details

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Program highlights

Experienced professors

Learn from professors with deep academic knowledge and real classroom experience. They connect coursework to the challenges you’ll face as an educator, so your learning stays practical and relevant.

Field experience

Build practical skills through field experiences connected to your courses. Experienced mentors will guide you as you connect your learning to real classrooms and prepare for your next step in education.

Student success

You’ll have support from admission through graduation. Advisors and professors will help you understand your path, stay on track, and keep moving toward your goals.

Flexibility

Keep moving forward while balancing work and life. Courses are mostly online, with some in-person Saturday sessions. New courses begin every six weeks, giving you several ways to start throughout the year.

Christian environment

Explore how your values shape the way you teach and serve. Professors teach from a Christian perspective and welcome students from all backgrounds. You’ll build practical skills alongside peers who bring their own experiences and goals.

Practical experience

Apply what you learn to real educational settings throughout the program. You’ll connect your experience to discussions and assignments, learn from peers, and build confidence for your work in special education.

Our mission

In our adult undergraduate and graduate education programs, we lead in faith-based teacher preparation and evidence-based innovation in education. We prepare educators to pursue academic excellence in K-12 classrooms and beyond while recognizing the value and dignity of each individual as made in God's image. Learn more about our program's mission. Learn more about our program's mission.

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Grow as a resilient teacher

B.A. in Special Education

Teaching asks a lot of you, but Bethel will help you prepare for the classroom while building habits that help you stay grounded in the work.

  • Charting Hope series. Explore practices that support teacher resilience and well-being. You’ll reflect on what sustains you, how your values shape your teaching, and how hope can guide your work with students.
  • Refresh event. This annual in-person gathering for education professionals gives teachers space to pause, connect, and return to their work with renewed purpose. Together, these experiences help you prepare for the classroom and the realities of teaching. You’ll grow as an educator who can serve students well while caring for your own long-term calling.

Through these events and more, you’ll grow as an educator who can serve students well while caring for your own long-term calling.

Career Outcomes

Outcomes

The B.S. in Special Education Studies will help you build the skills and field experience to support students with mild to moderate disabilities and to pursue a Tier 1 or Tier 2 special education teaching license in Minnesota.

Skills

Learn how to:

  • Use data and critical thinking to guide special education programming
  • Teach students with mild to moderate disabilities in K-12 settings
  • Develop strategies for academic and behavioral support
  • Carry out legal requirements and school procedures with ethical care
  • Collaborate with families, caregivers, colleagues, and school communities
  • Support students from culturally and ethnically diverse backgrounds
  • Use technology to interpret, evaluate, and apply information

Careers

Our graduates become:

  • Special education teaching roles with appropriate Minnesota licensure
  • Paraprofessionals
  • Special education support professionals
  • Group home directors or administrators
  • Ministry professionals serving students with disabilities
  • Support staff for Special Olympics, camps, or recreational programs

Employers

Our graduates have gone on to work at:

  • Anoka-Hennepin Schools
  • Kasson-Mantorville Schools
  • Intermediate District #287
  • Bemidji Area Schools
  • ACR Homes
  • St. Paul Public Schools
  • Roseville Area Schools
  • Minnesota Association of Charter Schools
  • Ada-Borup School District
  • Rochester Public Schools
  • Many other districts across the state
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