New special education program to be introduced next fall

Story by Samantha Wensel, Freelancer

UW-Eau Claire’s College of Education and Human Sciences is offering a newly developed special education program next fall for prospective students.
The Unified Early Childhood Program is a special education program that was initiated by professor Cathy Thorsen. Thorsen is an associate professor of the special education department, and she said she is very confident in the success this newly developed program will have on campus.

Thorsen said this program will include instruction that will lead students to be able to become certified in special education starting at birth through third grade.

“Having this type of certification will be highly coveted by education employers,” Thorsen said.

Students enrolled in the Unified Early Childhood Program will have a step up on others who have completed special education schooling because this program focuses on special education in kindergarten, which Thorsen said no other program currently offers that course coverage.

This newly developed special education program will ensure that early childhood education students get an education that will not only instruct them in teaching younger children, in general, but teaching all younger children.

“This means that education students will get training in special education, so that if they are teaching a class alone – without a special education assistant that is proficient in special needs of children in education settings – they will be better equipped to handle it by themselves,” Thorsen said.

Thorsen also believes that this is what will benefit special education as a whole and give people a leg up when applying for jobs.

Thorsen said Head Start now wants at least 50 percent of its teachers to actually have education degrees. Thorsen also commented on how there will always be a need for teachers, and if a teacher is also special education certified, then they will be more versatile, and being versatile will allow that teacher to be more desirable by education facilities (i.e. – schools and pre-k programs).

In regards to any words of advice that she may have for prospective special education students, Thorsen said “GPA is everything.” She said a 2.75 GPA might not even be good enough.

“Even though the special education program is a comprehensive major, there is still a lot of work,” Thorsen said. “The average student can get out of this program in four years, if they work hard and stick to the required course list.”

The course list does require one winterim course and two summer courses, which most students try to avoid, but that will not be possible with this major.

Though Thorsen would said the program is not easy, she hopes that it draws a lot of newcomers and strengthens the world of special education. She also asks that if anyone has any questions regarding the Unified Early Childhood Program, they can feel free to make an appointment with her.