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At Bethel, we’re passionate about supporting those serving in special education—and we’ve been doing it for more than 25 years.

We offer four K-12 license options through the M.A. in Special Education program:

Students also have the option to pursue any of these license areas without earning a master’s degree.

Who should earn a special education license?

Our special education graduate programs are designed for:

  • Licensed teachers who want to add a special education license
  • Other licensed professionals in education such as psychologists and social workers who want additional expertise in the area of special education
  • College graduates with a non-education degree who want to begin teaching students with special needs
  • Professionals who have experience working with students or clients with special needs such as paraprofessionals, educational assistants, group home personnel, personal care assistants, and social workers who want to begin teaching students with special needs

No matter the area of focus, our programs build skills in these key areas:

  • Teaching concepts and theories
  • Interventions and teaching strategies
  • Legal aspects and social issues surrounding special education
  • Administration of specific assessments, both formal and informal
  • Consultation and collaboration
  • Preparation of paperwork for students in special education

How are licenses awarded?

Bethel recommends students for licensure, which is awarded by the Minnesota Board of Teaching after completing all requirements, including:

  • Passing score on three required Minnesota Teaching Licensure Examinations (MTLE)
  • Satisfactory completion of student teaching in each licensure area
  • Application for licensure
  • Student Teaching Portfolio
  • Teacher Performance Assessment (TPA) for first-time license teachers