The Director of Special Education endorsement (DOSE) program within the SOE sees the professionals of the future as thoughtful persons able to analyze situations, set goals, plan and monitor actions, evaluate results, and reflect on their own professional thinking.
This program utilizes a cohort model. Twelve students will make a cohort and a cohort is capped at 15 students. Enrollment in the program is contingent upon meeting the cohort minimum. If the minimum is not filled, students pursuing the DOSE endorsement will take courses with students in the School Psychology EdD program.
The SOE uses transformative education as a tool for challenging and inspiring students to improve the world around us. We view transformation on a continuum from a highly personal process (requiring risks, vulnerability, and trust) to the transformation of supports, services, and outcomes for our students, community partners, and those whom they serve. Each point on this continuum requires both reflection and a commitment to interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary collaboration that challenges our perceptions and decision-making. Programs incorporate Ignatian pedagogy and traditions, including the four processes of knowing: attention, reflection, judgment, and action and commitment. Transformative education does not have the narrow learning of a knowledge base as its outcome, but rather it prioritizes the notion of disruptive knowledge, a means or process of questioning knowledge and the valuing of learning more. The SOE prepares our candidates to critique the knowledge base and to question knowledge through a social justice lens, and simultaneously to use and contribute to knowledge for just purposes (Learn more about Transformative Education).
CURRICULUM
The Director of Special Education Endorsement program provides 12 credit hours toward the 30 hours required by the Illinois School Board of Education (ISBE) for the endorsement. Applicants will complete 150 hours of field experience that are embedded in the program coursework. Students must complete the Director of Special Education (234) exam before being eligible for the endorsement from ISBE after completing coursework and field experience.
All students must pass ILTS 234 exam.
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| CIEP 510 | Accessing & Adopting General Education Curriculum | 3 |
| ELPS 468 | Problems in Finance and Business Management | 3 |
| CIEP 527 | Ethics and Law for School Psychologists | 3 |
| ELPS 472 | Administration of Special Education and Pupil Services | 3 |
| Total Hours | 12 |
After admission, you will be contacted by your advisor who will complete a transcript review to ensure that you have the 18 credits from your Masters or Doctoral program that are applicable to this endorsement as laid out by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). It is possible that after this review, you may need to take more courses in addition to the 4 courses required by the program to ensure you meet ISBE’s requirements for the endorsement. These reviews will be completed before the Fall semester begins.
Suggested Sequence of Courses
The below sequence of courses is meant to be used as a suggested path for completing coursework. An individual student’s completion of requirements depends on course offerings in a given term as well as the start term for a major or graduate study. Students should consult their advisor for assistance with course selection.
Plan of Study Grid
| Year 1 |
|---|
| Fall |
|---|
| CIEP 527 |
Ethics and Law for School Psychologists |
3 |
| ELPS 468 |
Problems in Finance and Business Management |
3 |
| | Hours | 6 |
| Spring |
|---|
| CIEP 510 |
Accessing & Adopting General Education Curriculum |
3 |
| ELPS 472 |
Administration of Special Education and Pupil Services |
3 |
| | Hours | 6 |
| | Total Hours | 12 |
Graduate & Professional Standards and Regulations
Students in graduate and professional programs can find their Academic Policies in Graduate and Professional Academic Standards and Regulations under their school. Any additional University Policies supersede school policies.
