Meet Your Major
As an education major concentrating in moderate disabilities (PreK–8), you’ll gain the expertise, skills and confidence to teach students with learning disabilities.
Approved by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, our programs provide you with the training required to earn your state teaching license in moderate disabilities.
Bonus? Through hands-on learning opportunities, you’ll develop your education philosophy, create a portfolio and hone your classroom management skills.
In the moderate disabilities education program, you will:
- Deepen your understanding of how students with learning disabilities can thrive and be successful in school.
- Learn how to conduct educational assessments and develop personalized education plans.
- Build your subject matter expertise by choosing from a wide variety of electives across departments.
Hands-On Learning
100% of education majors participate in at least one practicum. You’ll gain invaluable classroom experience during your pre-practicum and practicum student-teaching. It’s your chance to take what you’ve learned at Merrimack and apply it at one of the many schools in the area.
Career Options
Upon successful completion of the education program, you’ll be well equipped to pursue a career in education. Positions may include:
- Guidance Counselor
- Resource Room Director
- School Administrator
- Special-Education Teacher
What You’ll Take
All education majors concentrating in Mmoderate disabilities take a combination of required and elective courses to satisfy human development, teacher education, and subject matter knowledge requirements. Of the 124 credits required for your degree, you must complete 24 credits of human development courses, 52 credits of teacher education courses, and 24 credits of subject matter knowledge courses in addition to a semester of student teaching.
You must have a minimum of a 3.0 GPA in your required courses prior to entering your student-teaching semester. To graduate with a degree in moderate disabilities education and teach in Massachusetts, you must also pass the MTELs.
Required Courses
Complete all of the following:
BIO 1106 | Human Biology |
HDE 2130 | Diversity, Social Justice and Ethics |
HDE 1000 | Introduction to Human Development |
HDE 3000 | Research Methods and App. Stats |
Complete one of the following:
HDE 2230 | Applied Adolescent Psychology |
HDE 2240 | Adult Development |
EDU 3200 | Language and Social Processes |
EDU 4500 | Language Acquisition and Literacy Curriculum Development |
PSY 3310 | Development of Intelligence/ Thinking |
PSY 3340 | Developmental Psychopathology |
PSY 3380 | Psychology of Aging |
SOC 3850 | Sociology of Aging |
In addition, all moderate disabilities education majors must complete the following teaching and education courses:
EDU 2110 | Foundations and Principles of Education |
EDU 2210 | Child Growth and Development |
EDU 2410 | The Exceptional Learner |
EDU 2500 | Pre-Practicum I (and Seminar) |
EDU 2510 | Pre-Practicum II (and Seminar) |
EDU 3210 | Psychology of Learning & Assessment |
EDU 3310 | Teaching Reading and Language Arts |
EDU 3340 | Teaching Mathematics and Technology |
EDU 3360 | Teaching Science, Health and Physical Education |
EDU 4020 | Assessments in Special Education |
EDU 4220 | Differentiation and Inclusion |
EDU 4221 | Strategies for Group Management |
EDU 4320 | Teaching Social Studies |
EDU 4340 | Children’s Literature |
EDU 4500 | Language Acquisition and Literacy Curriculum Development |
EDU 4582 | Sheltered English Instruction |
EDU 4905 | Practicum – Early Childhood Education and Seminar |
Then, select your electives and subject matter knowledge courses:
Electives I (choose one)
Personalize your academic experience by selecting one elective from the following options:
CRM 2000 | Youth, Deviance and Crime |
HDE 3620 | Diversity in Practice with Families and Communities |
HDE 4260 | Foundations of Counseling Across Professions |
PSY 3250 | Cultural Psychology |
SOC 3330 | Racial and Ethnic Minorities |
SOC 3450 | Sociology of the Family |
WGS 1010 | Gender and Society |
WGS 2010 | Intro to Ethnic Studies |
Electives II (choose seven, as outlined)
American Civilization: |
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Literature (choose one): |
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Math (complete all): |
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Science: |
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World Civilization (choose one): |
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