Why study to be an intervention specialist at BGSU in Ohio?
- Learn from leaders in the field. We share your passion for ensuring students of all abilities thrive.
- Dual licensure. All BGSU intervention specialist graduates essentially get two degrees in one, as they’re prepared to teach in mild-moderate (MM) and moderate-intensive (MI) learning environments.
- Innovative teaching tools. Utilize teaching tools like virtual simulation classrooms, which allow for instant reflective feedback, video reflection (GoReact) and microteaching.
- Enrichment opportunities. Intervention specialist majors are strongly encouraged to join Best Buddies Ohio or Rally Cap, a sports-focused organization geared toward children with disabilities. Find others on campus who share your passion by joining Inclusive Culturally Responsive Educators (ICRE) and Disability Rights Education Activism & Mentorship (DREAM).
- Real-world experience. BGSU intervention specialist majors start field experiences early in the program, racking up nearly 1,000+ hours by the time they graduate.
- Graduate school options. Stay at BGSU to take your career to the next level with online special education master’s degree programs, with specializations in applied behavior analysis (ABA), assistive technology, autism spectrum disorders and secondary/transition-to-work.
BGSU hosts one of the largest teacher job fairs in the U.S., attended annually by hundreds of potential employers from across the state and country.
Career - what can you do with an intervention specialist degree?
If you’re considering a special education major you should know demand for these skills is higher than ever. 15% of K-12 public school students receive special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education ACT (IDEA) – double what it was in the 1970s.
Intervention specialists often work 1:1 with students or in small groups in separate classrooms. They also provide support in traditional classrooms, so students with Individual Education Programs (IEPs) have the opportunity to learn in the least restrictive environment.
Nearly 90% of intervention specialists work in K-12 elementary and secondary schools, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Responsibilities for special education teacher jobs typically include:
- Assess and evaluate students with disabilities and other learning challenges.
- Design instructional curriculum for students with disabilities.
- Plan and manage behavior interventions, social interactions and optimal learning environments.
- Collaborate with teachers, parents, administrators and others to ensure every child has what they need to succeed – in the classroom and beyond.
Depending on a district’s size and resources, teachers may work with a single grade level or school, but they often collaborate across grade levels – making the BGSU intervention specialist degree with dual licensure especially marketable.
Career paths
- Special education teacher
- School district intervention specialist
- School administrator
- Resource room teacher
- Residential facility consultant
Quick Facts from the Bureau of Labor Statistics
100% of BGSU intervention specialist graduates report they’re employed, in graduate school or starting a business within six months of graduation.
Curriculum
The intervention specialist program at BGSU starts with evidence-based, theoretical foundations of special education. By the time you graduate, you will have the in-depth knowledge and practical skills necessary to effectively teach those with broadly diverse learning needs.
Admission to this competitive program requires a GPA of 3.0 and passage of the OAE Licensing Examination prior to enrolling in methods. In addition to completing all BG Perspective requirements, intervention specialist majors must finish:
- 29 hours of professional education curriculum (all with a field component)
- 45 hours of intervention specialist coursework
- 15 hours of student teaching/seminar
Sample courses
- Teaching Students With Exceptionalities
- Assessment and Evaluation
- Applied Behavior Analysis
- Phonics Instruction for Students With Exceptionalities
- Adapting Curriculum and Instruction for Students With Exceptionalities
Intervention Specialist Program is part of the School of Inclusive Teacher Education in the BGSU College of Education & Human Development
Updated: 09/11/2024 04:54PM