New bachelor’s degree enables dual certification in elementary, special education

Aspiring teachers interested in becoming dually certified in special education and elementary education have a new option at the University of Kentucky College of Education.

The new Bachelor of Arts in Learning and Behavior Disorders and Elementary Education prepares students for dual certification to teach in:

• a general elementary classroom (kindergarten through fifth grade) or
• a special education classroom with expertise in learning and behavior disorders, primary through 12th grade (ages 5-21).

“Dually certified teachers are in high demand to meet the needs of all learners,” said Kera Ackerman, Ph.D., assistant professor of special education in the Department of Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education. “Teachers who are certified in both elementary education and special education have the skillset to support students in inclusive classrooms. Many school districts seek graduates who are dually certified to meet the diverse needs of their students.”

Students pursuing dual certification will participate in field experiences across K-5 general education and P-12 special education classrooms.

Tiffany Thomas is among the first UK College of Education students in the dual certification program. She has long known that elementary education/learning and behavior disorders is where she wants to plant her roots and grow, and it was her own kindergarten teacher who inspired her to teach.

“Seeing how much she changed my life makes me want to be a part of something so great,” she said. “I am interested in working in inclusive classrooms and learning to differentiate instruction to help meet the various needs of students, so this degree is a perfect fit. I have found it helpful that some of my courses are embedded in local schools, which means I attend college classes taught by my UK professors in an elementary school. After my college class, I can simply walk down the hall to apply what I have learned by working with mentor teachers and their students.”

The embedded programs are part of a robust strategy to develop high quality teachers. During their studies, students in the dual certification program gain more than 200 field hours across elementary and special education settings and complete a semester of student teaching split between both settings.

College and departmental scholarships and undergraduate research funding, as well as external funding opportunities, may be available to students majoring in the dual certification program. Email jenna.demastes@uky.edu for more information.