Undergraduate Applications
Undergraduate Program in Special Education
Information on Applying
Special Education is a controlled major. This means that the number of students admitted in any one year is set; in Special Education, only 50 students are admitted annually. Eligibility for entry into the Special Education program is based on three criteria.
First, no student with a cumulative grade-point average less than 3.00 will be admitted.
Second, applicants must complete a number of prerequisite courses and other requirements. The following courses must be passed with a grade of "C" or better: EDPSY 14, EDTHP 115, PSY 002, PSY 213, HD FS 129. In addition, students must pass the Praxis Test 1: Reading, Writing, and Math. Finally, the applicant must present documentation of at least 80 hours of volunteer or paid work experience in two settings with individuals with exceptionalities; at least 40 of the 80 hours must be with individuals from underrepresented groups.
Third, students must complete a formal application.
Students may be admitted to the program by declaring Special Education as a major, transferring from a previously declared major, or transferring from another institution of higher education.
Students cannot be formally admitted to Special Education before their fifth semester although faculty members in Special Education advise "pre majors" - students who intend to major in Special Education but have not yet been admitted.
Because Special Education is a controlled major and admission is competitive, students have only one opportunity to be accepted into the major. Students are assigned to one selection pool. For example, Freshmen admitted in the summer or fall of 2006 are automatically assigned to the spring 2008 selection pool. Students who wish to transfer into Special Education for another major or university will be assigned to a selection pool based on the total number of credits they have earned and their completion of College of Education prerequisite courses.
Selection Procedures
Admission is automatically denied to students who have not completed the prerequisite courses with a grade of "C" or better, attained a grade-point average of 2.50, completed the NTE Communications test or the Penn State Math test, or completed the 80 of previous experience with the prescribed populations.
From the remaining students in the selection pool, the 50 students with the highest GPAs will be admitted. However, if more that 50 students have grade-point averages of 3.00 or higher, they will all be admitted. No student with a 3.0 or higher GPA will be denied admission.
See Undergraduate Admissions for general information on how to obtain a B.S. degree at Penn State.
