My.EOU Portal Current Students Faculty/Staff
Apply Visit Request Info Give Now
July 29, 2021 LA GRANDE, Ore. – This fall, students in Eastern Oregon University’s College of Education may be able to major in Special Education for the first time, putting them on track to graduate with a state-approved license and go directly into classrooms where their expertise is in high demand.
“There’s a shortage of SpEd teachers in the U.S., and especially in rural Oregon,” said EOU Education Professor Jerred Jolin, who helped design the new curriculum. “I’m enthusiastic about this project. I’ve been trained in this field and have firsthand experiences with the positives of helping students with learning differences be successful in the classroom.”
The on-campus program stacks neatly on top of two years of core coursework, making it easy for transfer students to apply credits from a community college and earn a bachelor’s degree in two years.
“Getting the licensure at the undergraduate level is the most efficient way to do it,” Jolin said. “It basically replaces 1.5 years of a graduate program.”
Students participate in practicums during their junior and senior years, and then a 15-week student teaching field placement in the final year of the program. Jolin explained that offering multiple hands-on experiences allows students to explore the wide range of special education settings, such as resource rooms, life skills classrooms, classrooms for students with behavior challenges, or academic interventions with math or reading.
“The placements show a range of special education classroom experiences,” he said. “This program ensures students get a general education because there are K through 12 students with disabilities.”
While it spans the breadth of ages and needs, EOU’s program prioritizes special education in a rural environment. Practicums and student-teaching placements will be located in Eastern Oregon. Jolin said schools in less populated areas and small communities tend to have the highest demand for special education teachers.
“We’re the only program like this in the eastern part of the state,” he said. “We plan to focus on the unique challenges of being a SpEd teacher in rural settings.”
EOU’s College of Education boasts four faculty members with doctorates in special education, and plans are in place to hire an additional professor.
The Special Education program is awaiting final approval from regional accrediting authority NWCCU. Learn more at eou.edu/special-education.
« Teachers-in-training attend weeklong professional development | Call for entries: EOU 2021 Homecoming Parade »
Eastern Oregon University Hosts First New Nature Writing Event with Top Authors and Hands-On Workshops LA GRANDE, Ore. – The EOU Masters of Fine Arts program in Creative Writing is excited to announce its inaugural New Nature Writing Con on July 19-20, 2024. The conference will consist of two days of readings, conversations, and workshops […]Read more
Eastern Oregon University Announces Grand Staircase Construction LA GRANDE, Ore. – Eastern Oregon University is set to begin construction on the Grand Staircase this month. Completed in 1929, just after Eastern Oregon Normal School opened its doors, the iconic landmark provides a pathway between the University and downtown La Grande and has been an important […]Read more
Eastern Oregon University Foundation Announces Historic Milestone with Over $1 Million in Scholarships LA GRANDE, Ore. – The Eastern Oregon University Foundation has achieved a historic milestone by surpassing $1 million in privately funded scholarship dollars available for EOU students for the first time in its history. This achievement comes at a critical time when […]Read more