Best Online Bachelor's Degree in Special Education

If you learn best by doing, you might want to consider the University of West Alabama. The hybrid accredited online special education bachelor's degree at this Livingston-based school incorporates plenty of field experiences. You'll start with courses that touch on everything from behavior management to communication skills to assessment and diagnosis. Then, you'll have the chance to observe seasoned educators in a classroom environment and put your burgeoning skills into practice. And not only does the degree lead to licensure in Alabama, but it includes a "Career Explorations in Education" course to help you plan your professional path forward.

At Florida's Union Institute and University, you'll find an exceptional teacher education program that you can customize to meet your career goals. As you earn this cheap bachelor's in special education online, you'll use your electives to create a customized course of study. For example, you might focus on pedagogy by choosing a class like "Methods of Teaching Math" or dive into a specific content area with a course like "Children's Literature." Or if you want to pursue something wholly original, opt for independent study and design your own course. Lastly, a graduation capstone helps you bring it all together through a combination of student teaching experiences and lessons in contemporary education perspectives.

You get a lot of bang for your buck at the University of West Florida. Not only will you graduate ready to pursue licensure as an elementary educator, but you'll be eligible for a certificate in K-12 Exceptional Student Education. Plus, you'll leave with endorsements in both Reading and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). This top online special education bachelor's degree even includes a unique field experience that gives you the opportunity to work with ESOL populations. Another bonus? Stand-out students might qualify for a paid internship at a local high-need school.

If you're a special education teacher's assistant looking to earn your bachelor's degree, check out the University of Southern Mississippi. This school offers an accredited special education degree online that is specifically tailored for current teacher's assistants. The program incorporates student teaching with both lower and upper grades, while required courses in oral, interpersonal, business, and small-group communication prepare you to work with parents, students, and fellow teachers in an effective way. What's more, you can further offset the cost of this already affordable program by applying for a TEACH Grant. In exchange for the grant, you'll need to commit to four years of teaching in a high-need location.

Dakota State University's cheap online special education degree program features a distinct emphasis on technology. Degree candidates learn how to use the latest mobile classroom technologies effectively and even graduate with an endorsement in K-12 Technology. This means that in addition to special education, you'll qualify to teach computer classes at all age levels. Another benefit of attending DSU is that it allows you to choose to complete your student teaching requirement in either a K-8 or K-12 setting. On top of all that, the school offers some generous special education scholarships and grants to help reduce their already competitive tuition rate.

Current teachers looking to enhance their credentials by earning an accredited bachelor's in special education online should consider Mayville State College. Here you'll find a B.S.Ed. that's affordable, transfer-friendly, and specifically tailored to meet the needs of licensed educators. The curriculum incorporates plenty of research and theory as well as student teaching and internship courses to strengthen your practical experience. And if you don't hold a teaching license, you might want to consider Mayville's unique double-major, while allows you to earn the B.S.Ed. alongside a degree in early childhood, elementary, or secondary education.

Earning an accredited online special education bachelor's degree from St. Petersburg College not only readies you for work as an exceptional student educator (ESE), but it also qualifies you to teach in general K-6 classrooms. In fact, the program shares most of its coursework with the general elementary education curriculum. However, you'll also take five targeted ESE classes and rack up endorsements in Reading and ESOL so that you're prepared to work with myriad student populations upon graduation. And if you're local to St. Petersburg, you can opt for a blended program and spend some time on campus, getting face time with instructors and fellow students alike.

Nebraska's Chadron State College offers two versions of its B.S. in Special Education leading to either a K-12 or Birth-Grade 3 Early Childhood endorsement. The latter is a particularly rare option. In fact, CSC is the only school on this special education degree online ranking to offer it! But regardless of the pathway you choose, you'll benefit from CSC's intensive curriculum, which probes important questions like how students learn, how to plan for instruction, and how to collaborate with families and professionals. Of course, you'll also complete a student teaching experience and internship to strengthen your classroom skills, as well as a clinical experience that focuses on assessment techniques.

It's hard to beat Western Governors University in terms of flexibility. Not only does this cheap online special education degree program prepare you for licensure in all 50 states, but its unique assessment model means you can move through the program at your own speed. Each course requires an assessment — such as a paper, test, or project — through which you demonstrate competency, but you don't have to wait until the semester ends to prove your understanding. WGU also boasts highly affordable tuition, ongoing support for alumni, and the chance to pursue dual licensure in special education and K-8 elementary education in some states.

The most affordable option on this bachelor's in special education online ranking, Central Methodist University's tuition is just under $5,900 for both in-state and out-of-state students. CMU's program is also one of the most versatile. Its B.S. in Elementary Education with a concentration in Special Education will give you both the broad-based knowledge and specialized skills you need to be successful in multiple classroom environments. Plus, the unique curriculum takes a community-minded approach by training you to excel as an ethical leader, model responsible social citizenship for students, and create "learner-centered communities." And of course, ample hands-on student teaching work ensures that you'll qualify for licensure in Missouri by the time you graduate.