Gladys L. Benerd School of Education

Education Specialist Credential: Mild/Moderate Level I or II or Moderate/Severe Level I or II

About the Credential 

Who should enroll in this program?

• Incoming students and current undergrads interested in becoming Special Education teachers
• Post-baccalaureate graduates interested in earning either an Education Specialist credential or an Education Specialist credential and an M.Ed.
• Current teachers with an elementary (multiple subject) or secondary (single subject) credential who want to earn an Education Specialist credential
• Individuals who have completed the Education Specialist Level I requirements, have been recommended for the Level I, are employed in special education, and are interested in pursuing the Level II program.
• Students may make significant progress in earning an Education Specialist credential through our 4-year accelerated major, degree, and Education Specialist Level I program for undergraduates.  The Diversified major includes the prerequisite courses for the Level I program.

Credentials Offered

• Level I Education specialist in Mild/Moderate Disabilities
• Level I Education Specialist in Moderate/Severe Disabilities
• Level II Education Specialist in Mild/Moderate Disabilities
• Level II Education Specialist in Moderate/Severe Disabilities

Prerequisite Courses

• CURR 105x, Introduction to Education, 3 units
• EPSY 121, Learner-Centered Concerns, 3 units
• SPED 123, The Exceptional Child, 3 units
• SPED 166, Building Family and Professional partnerships, 3 units
• CURR 134x, Educational Computing, 2 units
• CURR 130x, Teaching and Assessment, 3 units

Requirements for Education Specialist (Level I) Program

• CURR 135x, Teaching Reading and Language Arts (Multiple Subject), 3 units
• SPED 124 or 224, Assessment of special Education Students, 3 units
• SPED 128m or 128s/or SPED 228m or 228s, Advanced Programming (Mild/Moderate or Moderate/Severe Disabilities), 3 units
• SPED 195e or 295e, Positive Behavioral Support in the Classroom, 3 units
• SPED 198m or 298m or 198s or 298s, Directed Teaching (Special Education): Mild/Moderate or Moderate/Severe, 1-10 units
• Directed Teaching (Student Teaching):
  • If the Education Specialist Level I credential will be the first credential, students are required to take 10 units of Directed Teaching.
  • For graduate students who hold a Multiple Subject or Single Subject Credential, the number of Directed Teaching units will vary from 6 to 10 units.
• SPED 298mi or SPED 298si, Internship in Mild/Moderate or Moderate/Severe, 10 units.  This option is for post-bachelor's degree students who are approved for an internship with an area school district.  Typically, an internship is two semesters of supervised teaching.
• A passing score on the  Reading Instruction Competency Assessment (RICA) exam.
• Students may combine the Level I Education Specialist credential with an M.Ed. degree, if they have no credential.
• Multiple or Single Subject teachers adding a Level I Education Specialist Credential may combine the credential with an M.A. degree.

Education Specialist (Level II) Program

• An M.A. degree may be combined with the Level II credential or for current teachers adding a Special Education credential (Level I).
• The Level II program includes courses in developing a professional development plan, developing a professional portfolio, as well as a selection of and completion of courses for professional development in collaboration with the student's employing district and graduate courses in the School of Education.  A minimum of 12 to 16 units is required for Level II Credential only.
• The M.A. option is a minimum of 32 units, including the M.A. Core, and  Commission of Teacher Credentialing (CTC) requirements for the Level II Credential program.

Admission Information

Students must submit all materials to the  Research and Graduate Studies Office at the University of the Pacific.  Admission is a holistic judgement, based on the following:

• 3.0 grade point average (GPA) (on a 4-point scale) on the last 60 units of undergraduate study.
• The Graduate School application form
• An essay about your goals and reasons for applying to the program
• Three letters of recommendation
• Official transcrips(s)
•  Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Exam Scores

Additional Information 

For additional information, please contact:

 Dr. Michael Elium
Department of Curriculum and Instruction
Gladys L. Benerd School of Education
University of the Pacific
3601 Pacific Ave
Stockton, CA 95211

Phone: (209) 946-2336
Fax: (209) 946-3110