Best Bachelor's in Elementary Special Education Programs in 2026

This Geneseo B.S. led to New York State initial certification in both Childhood Education (Grades 1-6) and Special Education (Grades 1-6). Education coursework was organized into six sequential blocks, and candidates completed 150 hours of field experience before student teaching in both general and special education settings, culminating in Block VI. As of the fall 2024 semester the program is no longer accepting students; the School of Education has moved to a dual-certification Teaching Students with Disabilities pathway. As a bachelor's degree in elementary special education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as special education teachers in New York.

This Bachelor of Science in Inclusive Elementary and Special Education prepares candidates to teach grades 1 through 6 in inclusive classrooms. It meets the academic requirements for dual New York State initial certification in Childhood Education (grades 1-6) and Students with Disabilities (grades 1-6). Students pair inclusion and special education coursework with a liberal arts concentration in humanities, social sciences, mathematics, or natural sciences. Field practicum begins in the first semester, with later field placements. The program is being phased out in favor of the new Inclusive Childhood Education major. Delivery is on campus. A bachelor's-level path in elementary special education, it builds toward a career among special education teachers in New York.

For students who want to serve younger children and learners with disabilities at the same time, Towson University's Elementary Education and Special Education (EESE) major offers a single path to dual certification, covering elementary grades 1-6 and special education grades 1-8. It is a screened, selective-admission program in the College of Education, and its 127-credit design leans heavily on practice, placing candidates in four fourth-year internships that pair elementary and special education settings. Those placements scale from a couple of days a week to full-time immersion across several Maryland districts, so candidates steadily take on more responsibility as they grow. This structure makes the experience hands-on and classroom-centered from the outset rather than front-loaded with theory. Offered on campus and at TUNE and The Universities at Shady Grove, the major is accredited by CAEP and approved by the Maryland State Department of Education. Earning a bachelor's degree in elementary special education is a common route toward becoming one of Maryland's special education teachers.

Built for students drawn to working closely with children who learn differently, Spring Arbor University's Bachelor of Arts in Special Education-Elementary: Learning Disabilities pairs a 37-credit special education major with a Learning Disabilities endorsement. The coursework sits within the School of Education and rests on a liberal-arts foundation with the university's Christian faith woven through it, giving the program a distinctly values-centered feel. Because that unit is CAEP accredited and approved by the Michigan Department of Education, graduates qualify for state certification. Candidates learn to assess, adapt, and support young learners across the elementary years, gaining the practical tools that specialized classrooms demand. It is an on-campus program that leads to Michigan teaching certification. Graduates of this elementary special education program at the bachelor's level often go on to work as special education teachers.

Messiah University's Bachelor of Science in Education takes an unusually broad approach by leading to dual Pennsylvania certification in both Early Childhood, PreK-4, and Special Education, PreK-12, which opens the door to regular PreK-4 classrooms or special education roles in preschools and elementary and middle schools. The fieldwork is deliberately paced, starting with sophomore-year observations, moving into a junior placement in regular classrooms, and building to senior student teaching in special education alongside a clinically supervised internship in specialized settings. Students who want it can even complete part of their student teaching internationally. Along the way, coursework digs into behavioral intervention, assessment, and individualized academic support, the tools that matter most in inclusive classrooms. The program is delivered on campus. A bachelor's-level path in elementary special education, it builds toward a career among special education teachers in Pennsylvania.

Lee University's Bachelor of Science in Special Education carries dual licensure, pairing an Interventionist I, K-8 credential with an Interventionist II, 6-12 credential so graduates can teach across a wide age range. The Interventionist I track digs into the primary, elementary, and middle grades with an emphasis on literacy and math foundations, while the dual option adds a required subject-area concentration and opens the door to secondary licensure as well. Senior-year clinical practice runs alongside methods courses before candidates step into full-time student teaching in partner schools. The Helen DeVos College of Education rounds the degree out with a capstone linking faith and academics, plus extras such as optional global education trips and McNair Scholars research. For students who want the broadest possible special-education license, the dual track is the appeal. Earning a bachelor's degree in elementary special education is a common route toward becoming one of Tennessee's special education teachers.

The University of Northern Iowa's Special and Inclusive Education Teaching B.A. is a four-year, on-campus degree that prepares candidates to support learners across the K-12 range in inclusive classrooms. Housed in the Department of Literacy, Early Childhood and Special Education, it asks for at least 120 hours, of which 24 are devoted to professional experiences, signaling how much weight the program places on time in schools. Candidates complete two methods-paired internships, student teach at both the K-8 and 5-12 levels, and finish with a 12-credit capstone, so preparation spans elementary and secondary settings. Completion leads to Instructional Strategist endorsements 260, 261, and 264. Approved by the Iowa Board of Regents effective fall 2026, the degree grows UNI's earlier special education minor into a full major for students who want this work at the center of their training. A bachelor's-level path in elementary special education, it builds toward a career among special education teachers in Iowa.

For students who want to teach in a general classroom and support learners with disabilities in the same role, Ball State University's Dual Major in Elementary Education and Special Education, Exceptional Needs is a BA or BS that earns two Indiana licenses at once, Elementary Education and Exceptional Needs: Mild Interventions, both for grades K-6. Offered on campus in Muncie through Teachers College, the 123-credit program reserves a substantial block of hours for professional education coursework. Candidates complete student teaching in both an elementary and a mild-interventions setting, so the dual credential is grounded in real practice rather than theory alone. Progress unfolds through a structured, three-tier decision-point sequence that checks readiness along the way. It is a demanding but coherent path for teachers who expect to work with a range of learners. A bachelor's-level path in elementary special education, it builds toward a career among special education teachers in Indiana.

City University of Seattle offers a fully online Bachelor of Arts in Education that prepares candidates to teach both general and special education, a combination well suited to working adults who need a flexible schedule. Delivered through the School of Education and Leadership, the 190-credit program grants dual endorsement in Elementary Education for grades K-8 and Special Education for grades P-12, with room to add areas such as English Language Learners or Reading. Classroom preparation is substantial, since students complete 25 credits of field experience, including three internships and separate student teaching placements in elementary and special education settings. Coursework can be taken online, on Saturdays, or in a mixed format to fit around other commitments. Admission includes a faculty interview and the WEST-B basic skills test, and the program is approved by the Washington State Professional Educator Standards Board. Graduates of this elementary special education program at the bachelor's level often go on to work as special education teachers.

Oklahoma Baptist University's Bachelor of Science in Education in Special Education, on the Elementary Track, is built for students drawn to teaching children who learn differently, and its design leans hard into practice. Rather than saving fieldwork for the end, the program layers 85 to 120 hours of observation and practicum across all four years, with some virtual practicum options, before candidates step into a 14-week student teaching internship in the senior year. That steady classroom exposure suits a field where reading individual students well matters as much as knowing the content. Faculty in the Henry F. McCabe Family School of Education bring more than a combined century of public school experience, and they emphasize an individualized, multisensory, hands-on approach. The program leads to licensure and is nationally accredited through CAEP, with each licensure area accredited by the state of Oklahoma. As a bachelor's degree in elementary special education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as special education teachers in Oklahoma.

Boise State University's College of Education offers a Bachelor of Arts in Dual Special Education and Elementary Education, a four-year program leading to two Idaho teaching certifications, All Subjects K-8 and Exceptional Child Education K-12, within a single degree. Candidates complete an internship semester in local schools followed by a full-time student teaching semester, and graduate prepared to teach in both general and special education classrooms. A bachelor's-level path in elementary special education, it builds toward a career among special education teachers in Idaho.

Saint Joseph's College of Maine offers a Bachelor of Science in Elementary and Special Education that grew out of two long-running programs the Education Department eventually merged, and the college describes it as the only combined degree of its kind in Maine. Rather than blending the two fields into a lighter version of each, students complete both the full elementary and full special education programs, then student teach in one for single certification or both for dual. The fieldwork builds in deliberate stages, from freshman classroom visits to sophomore practicums, junior-year internships, and finally an intensive 15-week senior student teaching placement. That gradual climb lets confidence grow alongside responsibility. A Fast Track to MSEd option even lets undergraduates get a head start on graduate coursework. Graduates of this elementary special education program at the bachelor's level often go on to work as special education teachers.

Marietta College's Special Education Elementary Dual Preparation is a Bachelor of Arts designed for students who want to be ready for two kinds of classrooms at once. Rather than a single credential, the 100-credit program leads simultaneously to an Ohio Primary teaching license for general education, grades PreK-5, and an Ohio Intervention Specialist license for special education across the same grades. That dual path suits candidates drawn to inclusive settings where general and special education work side by side. Preparation is heavily clinical, running through Elementary Dual Preparation Internship I and II, worth 18 credit hours together, plus earlier field placements embedded in pedagogy coursework. Housed in the Teacher Education Department, the program holds candidates to a 3.0 overall grade point average and a 3.0 in their education classes. This bachelor's-level elementary special education program prepares graduates for work as special education teachers in Ohio.

Ohio Wesleyan University's Inclusive Elementary Education major, housed in the Department of Education, is built for future teachers who want to serve every learner, leading to dual PreK-5 licensure as both a Primary teacher and an Intervention Specialist in special education. That double credential shapes the whole program, preparing candidates for traditional and inclusive classrooms alike. The training is deeply practical, asking students to complete more than 50 hours of field experience before student teaching, followed by additional clinical placements in real classrooms that build toward the culminating student-teaching term. Earning the Bachelor of Arts means graduates leave ready to teach across a range of PreK-5 settings. The program is CAEP accredited and delivered on campus, in person. A bachelor's-level path in elementary special education, it builds toward a career among special education teachers in Ohio.

Concordia University-Nebraska's Bachelor of Science in Education in Special Education prepares K-6 special education teachers through a 120-credit program in the College of Education, Health and Human Sciences. It is built around sustained time with students, asking candidates to complete 100 hours of field experience across four years plus two eight-week student teaching placements, one local and one in a different town, state, or even country. The degree also rewards students who want to broaden their credentials, offering field, subject, and supplemental endorsements along with optional Lutheran, Christian, or International Teaching Diplomas. Programs are approved by the Nebraska Department of Education and accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation, so the preparation meets recognized standards for the field. A bachelor's-level path in elementary special education, it builds toward a career among special education teachers in Nebraska.

Abilene Christian University's Bachelor of Science in Special Education, Early Childhood and Elementary is designed for candidates who want to reach children across a wide spectrum of learning needs, from mild differences to significant disabilities. Housed in the School of Education, the roughly 130-hour program deliberately blends work in self-contained special education settings with time in regular classrooms, so graduates are ready for the inclusive realities of today's schools. Fieldwork anchors the experience, with more than 200 hours spread across early childhood, primary, and intermediate classrooms before student teaching even begins. That heavy classroom exposure gives candidates a practical, hands-on preparation rather than a purely theoretical one. The program is approved by the Texas Education Agency and the State Board for Educator Certification, holds AAQEP accreditation, and leads to Texas teaching licensure. Graduates of this elementary special education program at the bachelor's level often go on to work as special education teachers.

Now known as Trinity College of Jacksonville, Trinity Baptist College offers a Bachelor of Science with an Education major and an Elementary Education Concentration with Special Education, taught on campus through its Division of Education. The track is built for teachers who want to serve students with special needs from kindergarten through sixth grade, and its 23-semester-hour special education block digs into areas such as diagnosis and remediation in reading and math, language development, and curriculum adaptation. Field experience builds gradually, moving from earlier EDU299 and EDU399 placements toward the EDU412 capstone. That capstone is substantial, asking candidates for at least 360 hours of full-day supervised teaching over 14 weeks in an accredited school. Time is split between regular and special education classrooms, so graduates leave ready for both. Earning a bachelor's degree in elementary special education is a common route toward becoming one of Florida's special education teachers.

The University of Wyoming's B.A. in Elementary Education/Special Education, offered through the College of Education, packs two credentials into a single degree of at least 120 credit hours. Graduates leave qualified for both K-6 elementary licensure and a K-12 special education endorsement, a combination built for teachers who want to serve every learner in a classroom. The centerpiece is a 16-week student teaching residency split between general elementary and special education settings, backed by practicum hours in diverse schools. Students can extend their reach further with endorsements in areas such as Disability Studies, Early Childhood Education, and English as a Second Language. CAEP accredited and approved by the state teaching standards board, the program runs in a flexible hybrid form across Laramie, UW Casper, and online. Earning a bachelor's degree in elementary special education is a common route toward becoming one of Wyoming's special education teachers.

Neumann University's Bachelor of Arts in Education is a fully online degree-completion program built for adult learners and run through the Education Division. It leads to dual Pennsylvania teaching certification in PreK-4 Early Elementary and PreK-12 Special Education. Field experiences are woven through the coursework, and students complete a student teaching placement in their final semester. The program is approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. A bachelor's-level path in elementary special education, it builds toward a career among special education teachers in Pennsylvania.

Delivered fully online by the University of New Hampshire College of Professional Studies, this Bachelor of Science joins Elementary Education and General Special Education into a single dual-licensure track, so graduates leave prepared to teach in both general and specialized classrooms. Students personalize the degree by choosing a content-area concentration, with options such as Social Studies, English Language Arts, or Math Studies that deepen their subject knowledge alongside their teaching preparation. The program builds through clinical placements toward a culminating teaching experience and seminar, giving candidates real classroom footing before they finish. That work leads to New Hampshire licensure in Elementary Education, covering grades K through 6, and General Special Education, covering ages 5 to 22. The online format also meets requirements in Maine, Massachusetts, and Vermont, so students across the region can enroll. As a bachelor's degree in elementary special education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as special education teachers in New Hampshire.

Rhode Island College's Elementary Education with a Concentration in Special Education, B.S. lets students graduate ready to teach in two settings at once, qualifying them for grades 1-6 in both general elementary and special education classrooms. Offered through the Feinstein School of Education and Human Development, the degree packs dual-licensure preparation into a single program. Candidates shape their focus by choosing one of three pathways, from mild to moderate disabilities in grades K-8, to severe intellectual disabilities across all grades and ages 3-22, to a combined option that spans both. The coursework reflects the realities of an inclusive classroom, taking up topics such as literacy intervention, social and emotional learning, and strategies for teaching all learners. Study happens on campus and includes hands-on classroom experience. Graduates of this elementary special education program at the bachelor's level often go on to work as special education teachers.

The University of Tennessee Southern offers a Bachelor of Science in Special Education through the Grace G. Grissom School of Education, giving candidates two interventionist routes to match the grade levels they want to teach, K-8 or 6-12. The clinical experience is a defining feature, with fifteen weeks of practice spread across two placements within 50 miles of campus, plus flexibility for job-embedded and Grow Your Own candidates already working in schools. The program earned initial full CAEP accreditation in October 2024 and prepares educators specifically for initial licensure. It has grown quickly, described as the fastest-growing education major at UT Southern, and program materials report a 100% job placement rate. Together those details paint a picture of a practical, fast-rising pathway into special education classrooms. Earning a bachelor's degree in elementary special education is a common route toward becoming one of Tennessee's special education teachers.

Oral Roberts University's Bachelor of Education in Elementary Education, with a Special Education concentration, prepares candidates to teach grades 1-8 while learning to support students with a wide range of needs. Delivered through the College of Education and accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, the program front-loads experience, giving candidates roughly 90 to 155 hours in classrooms before they reach two student teaching placements at different schools and grade levels. That structure means graduates have practiced across varied settings rather than a single one. Dual certification options in Early Childhood, English Language Learners, or Special Education let students widen their reach, and a 16-week micro-credential tied to Oklahoma's Strong Readers Act adds a literacy focus. A Fifth-Year Mentoring Program and a Fast Track into graduate coursework extend support well past graduation. A bachelor's-level path in elementary special education, it builds toward a career among special education teachers in Oklahoma.

Shorter University offers a Bachelor of Science in Special Education General Curriculum with Elementary Education, an on-campus program housed in the School of Education. Candidates study both general elementary instruction and the methods used to support students with disabilities, preparing to teach across grades Pre-K through five. The degree leads to initial teacher certification in Georgia. As a bachelor's degree in elementary special education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as special education teachers in Georgia.

New England College's Bachelor of Arts in Education, on its General Special Education track, leads to New Hampshire licensure for grades K-12 through the Education Department in the School of Humanities and Education. The 120-credit program is carefully balanced, weaving together a 40-credit education core, 38 credits of special education content, a 38-credit liberal arts and sciences core, and room for electives. Field-based learning runs through the whole curriculum and builds toward an on-site student-teaching placement, and students can complete the degree on campus or online. A defining thread is its emphasis on trauma-informed, brain-based learning, folding neuroscience into everyday teaching strategies. That blend gives future special educators both a strong liberal-arts foundation and a modern, research-minded approach to reaching every learner. Earning a bachelor's degree in elementary special education is a common route toward becoming one of New Hampshire's special education teachers.