Become a Licensed Special Education Teacher at WGU

Western Governors University offers many different Online Teaching Degrees and Education Programs. One of those is a The Special Education Program.

The special education degree programs at WGU will ensure you're ready to impact students, classrooms, and your community. You'll be prepared to teach students with a range of disabilities (from mild to moderate) and learning needs. You'll do your coursework online but have student teaching opportunities that give you classroom experience. When you earn your teaching degree online from WGU, you become a credentialed expert, ready to help students.

Our curriculum integrates research-based concepts from the Science of Learning and the Science of Reading. From the beginning, you’ll experience clinical practice opportunities that start with embedded virtual simulations and progress into in-person classroom experiences. These hands-on experiences, coupled with advanced coursework, ensure that you are well-prepared to make a difference in today’s diverse classrooms.

You’ll complete your coursework online, with practical, in-classroom experiences, including early clinical, advanced clinical, and a student teaching component hosted by an experienced teacher and directed by a clinical supervisor. Upon graduation, you’ll be ready to meet teacher certification requirements in your state, enabling you to teach special education.

Two Programs to Choose From

Special Education and Elementary Education (Dual Licensure): This version of our special education program is for individuals who are seeking an elementary education teaching license and a special education teaching licensure for grades K-12.
Special Education (Mild to Moderate): This version of our special education program is for individuals who are looking to obtain licensure as a special education teacher for grades K-12.