There are two certification options in the post-baccalaureate Education of Students with Mental and Physical Disabilities specialization. One option is for teacher certification only; the second option combines teacher certification with a Master of Education (MEd) degree. Admission follows successful completion of an undergraduate degree, selected prerequisite courses, and the PRAXIS I exam. Most students enter the MPD specialization on a full-time basis; however a part-time option is also available.
The certification-only option prepares qualified applicants to obtain the Pennsylvania Special Education N-12 Instructional I Certificate in Cognitive, Behavior, Physical, and Health Disabilities. Teachers with this certificate may provide specialized support and instruction to eligible students at preschool, elementary, and secondary levels in a variety of settings. These include special education classrooms and resource rooms, general education classrooms and settings, and the community. Special education teachers may also assist in the assessment and identification of students in need of special education services, coordinate the development and implementation of Individualized Education Programs, and collaborate with or provide consultative support to general educators.
MPD certification students must complete 33 credits beyond the prerequisite course work. Most Instructional I candidates complete the program after twelve months of full-time study. Each year a new cohort of students begins the program together, starting in late June in one year and finishing in early June of the next. With the exception of the first summer term, MPD courses are offered in the evening. Each course in the MPD specialization is offered only one time per year, so students who miss a course offering will need to wait a full year to enroll in the needed course.
Students are required to complete two different full-time student teaching practica in the spring, each of eight weeks duration. Additionally, during the fall term MPD students are required to spend one day per week at each school to which they are assigned for student teaching. At the end of the student teaching, certification candidates in MPD are also required to submit a professional portfolio.