Mayville State University has a special opportunity for North Dakota high school students for Summer 2024 and Fall 2024-Spring 2025. Any North Dakota High School Junior or Senior student with a 3.0 GPA or higher can enroll in SPED 289 Foundations of Special Education (Fall 2024 and Spring 2025) or EDUC 250 Introduction to Education (Summer 2024, Fall 2024, and Spring 2025) free of charge. These courses are online 3-credit courses with university credit earned from Mayville State University. The credit earned will transfer to other universities for teacher education program requirements or elective credit.
Additionally, for those dual credit students who enroll in SPED 289 Foundations of Special Education in Fall 2024 or in Spring 2025 with Mayville State University, SPED 289A is available free of charge for dual credit students in Fall 2024 and Spring 2025.
For students interested in early childhood or special education, SPED 237 Special Needs in ECE is offered for any North Dakota Junior or Senior student with a 2.5 GPA or higher free of charge. For students looking to pursue an associate's degree in early childhood or enter the workforce as an early childhood center employee, preschool teacher, or paraprofessional, this course prepares them to work with young children with special needs.
Fall 2024-Spring 2025 Dual Credit Education and Special Education Classes Factsheet
Course Descriptions
EDUC 250 Introduction to Education: This course provides students with historical, philosophical, social, and psychological foundations of education. Study of the structure and roles of the local, state, and federal government within the American educational system is a focus of the course along with student-led research on global educational systems, diversity and multiculturalism in education. Current trends in curriculum and instruction are also a focus of the course. Students will participate in a structured field experience to include elementary or secondary placement and special needs. Special emphasis will be placed on observing the teaching-learning process, performing instruction-related duties, working individually with students, and the operating procedures of a K-12 classroom. Students will also be introduced to the professionalism of teaching.
SPED 237 Special Needs in ECE: Designed with Early Childhood student in mind, this course surveys various special needs (physical, cognitive, communication, social, emotional) and approaches to dealing with them in the mainstream group care setting. Students will learn to adapt strategies and environments to meet the specific needs of all children, including those with disabilities, developmental delays, and special needs. Students will be able to identify family, cultural, and community influences on child development, both typical and atypical. This course is designed for educators who will teach in birth to third grade classrooms.
SPED 289 Foundations of Special Education: This course is designed to provide historical and foundational knowledge and understanding of characteristics of the disability experience, a variety of disability types under IDEA law, their implications, associated conditions and the impact of disability on physical, cognitive, and psychosocial development. The course also provides a model for understanding individuals with disabilities, appropriate decision making, facilitating educational programs, accommodations and modifications, and collaboration with families, professional roles, and outside agencies. A goal of the course is to provide training for education and service providers who serve exceptional children, youth, and adults in a variety of settings.
SPED 289A Foundations of Special Education Practicum: This course provides an initial classroom observation experience. It is required for students who have taken Foundations of Special Education without an associated field experience. Prospective education professionals will follow a structured process to gain first-hand information on the demands a full-time teacher meets on a daily basis. Students will observe the teaching-learning process, perform instruction-related duties, work individually with students, and the operating procedures of a special education classroom. Students will observe in a special needs classroom.
Who is eligible?
• North Dakota High School Junior or Senior Student
• Student must have Cumulative GPA of 3.0 (2.5 for SPED 237)
Why is it free?
The Department of Public Instruction (DPI) will pay for each student wanting to take EDUC 250, SPED 237, SPED 289, or SPED 289A. The application fee, books, and dual credit tuition will be paid. The State of North Dakota has a teacher shortage, and this dual credit course is designed to motivate juniors and seniors to consider all education fields, but especially the special education field.
More Information
If you have questions, contact Emily Rice in the Mayville State Admissions Office at 701-788-4763 or emily.g.rice@mayvillestate.edu.
See complete Dual Credit Course List and Enrollment Information at: https://www.mayvillestate.edu/future-students/dual-credit/.
