Special Education and Applied Behavior Analysis

Department Website: Special Education and Applied Behavior Analysis

The department offers a degree with an optional concentration, a minor, and an accelerated program starting in senior year to earn a master’s degree (students must apply for the accelerated program)*: 

• Bachelor of Education in Special Education and Applied Behavior Analysis
• Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA) Minor in Special Education

Students have several options in completing the major. Students may complete the major by itself or with our BCaBA concentration, complete the major and add teacher certification in Special Education (SpEd), complete the major and add SpEd teacher certification along with other certification areas (like elementary education, early childhood special education, Math, English, Spanish, etc.), complete the major and add elementary education certification, complete our BCaBA verified course sequence and/or complete the major while adding courses toward an accelerated master’s program that starts senior year.
As one of the top 25 Special Education programs in the United States - ranked 18th for 2024 (collegefactual.com) - our program is committed to educating students to become leaders who serve for the common good. We choose to fulfill this commitment one individual at a time, with the understanding that our endeavor requires getting to know our students and addressing their needs as whole individuals. Through a personalized experience that includes the creation of individual plans for success, faculty and staff model effective teaching practices in genuine ways. Many courses in the program offer opportunities for community engagement through service-learning activities to provide students opportunities to experience servant leadership. As a community of reflective learners, Gonzaga’s faculty, staff, and students form supportive relationships that encourage service to others while fostering an understanding of responsibility toward each other as well. 
The Special Education and Applied Behavior Analysis Department offers a major and minor that emphasizes experiential learning in applied settings. As a part of the program, students gain experience in public or private schools, as well as a variety of non-school settings (e.g., working with students in specialized programs, behavior analytic clinics, etc.). These experiences provide students the opportunity to combine academic training with practical/career development. Candidates who earn the Bachelor of Education degree with a major in Special Education are prepared to work with individuals having mild to severe disabilities, such as learning disabilities, autism, pervasive developmental disabilities, and behavior disorders. Majors seeking teacher certification take courses that focus on developing skills needed to function in a variety of classrooms including but not limited to resource, self-contained, and inclusionary. Adding teacher certification is an optional component that can be added as an undergraduate or at the graduate level. 

The Special Education and Applied Behavior Analysis Department also prepares candidates who plan to work in non-school settings like clinics, workshops, homes, etc. Courses for those seeking BCaBA certification are also an option. A BCaBA is an undergraduate level certification that allows the recipient to implement and supervise clients receiving behavior analytic treatments. Treatment may include but is not limited to language, social skills, and/or replacement behavior training. In addition, the Special Education degree is a great starting point for those seeking advanced degrees in behavior analysis, speech and language pathology, occupational therapy, mental health counseling, school counseling, marriage and family counseling, and/or school psychology.
In conjunction with the Early Childhood Special Education Endorsement, the Special Education Department offers an on-site lab preschool to provide Gonzaga candidates with hands-on experience in working with young children ages 3-7 years. To obtain a birth through third grade Early Childhood Special Education teaching certification in the state of Washington, candidates must complete all certification requirements that includes but is not limited to four Early Childhood Special Education courses and complete at least 120-hours of experience in an Early Childhood Special Education setting. These hours may be stand alone or completed as part of the student teaching experience. Since Gonzaga's goal is to promote the best learning opportunities available, we provide immediate and practical application of our program’s skills to our candidates through linking all of the Early Childhood courses to the Gonzaga Special Education Integrated Preschool.

State of Washington teaching requirements indicate that certification in Special Education (SpEd) and Early Childhood Special Education (ECSpEd) are stand-alone endorsements. Although not required, many candidates choose to add a second endorsement. Special Education students often add elementary, reading, early childhood special education, and/or ELL endorsements among others. Two departmental endorsements (SpEd and ECSpEd) may be earned through completion of the B.Ed. A Special Education endorsement permits teaching students with special needs in preschool through age 21. The ECSpEd endorsement permits teaching student’s with special needs birth through third grade. Students seeking teacher certification complete courses beyond what is required for the major to meet Washington program completion requirements. It is best to meet with your Special Education advisor to make sure you are taking the necessary coursework. All students majoring in special education and applied behavior analysis who wish to become endorsed to teach special education in the State of Washington must:

1. Complete required coursework in line with the Special Education Major.
2. Earn a grade of “Satisfactory” (S) for all required field placement courses.
3. Take a basic skill assessment in each of the following categories: Reading, Writing, and Math by taking the SAT, ACT, and/or WEST B prior to being admitted to the certification program. Those who have not completed this requirement are prohibited from student teaching.
4. Complete an application for and obtain acceptance into the teacher certification program.
5. Obtain and maintain WSP/FBI clearance throughout all field experiences including student teaching.
6. Create and maintain an eCertification PreResidency Clearance Account throughout the program.
7. Take the West-E/NES exam in Special Education or another endorsement area prior to student teaching.
8. Receive a C or better for all courses required for certification.

Candidates who wish to become endorsed in Early Childhood Special Education must complete all the requirements above as well as the following:

1. Complete the series of four courses specifically addressing critical issues, background, and pedagogy for early development, methodology, physical development, and communication (EDSE 350 Early Childhood Special Ed, EDSE 351 Physical Development, EDSE 352 Language and Communication, and EDSE 353 Development of Children with Exceptionality) with a grade of C or better.
2. Complete student teaching in an Early Childhood Special Education classroom or complete student teaching in another area and complete an additional practicum placement in an ECSpEd classroom for a minimum of 120 hours.

All Gonzaga University students may enroll in:

All other upper division courses require official acceptance into the major or minor in special education. Acceptance and continuance in the major or minor are dependent on an overall Gonzaga GPA of at least a 3.00; a 3.00 average or higher in EDSE 150 Psychology of Children with Exceptionality and EDSE 320 Applied Behavior Analysis; a minimum of 3.00 in EDSE 320 Applied Behavior Analysis; a pass and positive evaluations in EDSE 306 In School Exp Elementary, EDSE 307 Special Education Application, EDSE 406 In School Experience Secondary, or EDSE 407 Special Education Applications with Adults; recommendation by the advisor; and approval by the faculty in the Department of Special Education.

Special Education and Applied Behavior Analysis (B.Ed) Major

Program Requirements

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Pre-requisite EDSE 465 Classroom Management

Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analysis (BCaBA, B.Ed) Major

BCaBA

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Pre-requisite EDSE 465 Classroom Management

Special Education Minor

Program Requirements

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Pre-requisite EDSE 465 Classroom Management

Courses