The 121 credit-hour minimum is achievable by using specific courses that meet both general education requirements and the Special Education major curriculum requirements. We recommend students work with their academic advisor.
Special education majors take all of the coursework needed to fulfill the requirements for the Middle Grades Literacy Endorsement. The coursework is already embedded into the program. The requirements for the Middle Grades Endorsement, set forth by the state, add value to the special education teacher candidate's preparation by providing a content area endorsement in addition to the Special Education License-LBS1.
This is a subsequent endorsement, requiring a passing score on the Content test in Middle Grades (5-8) Language Arts and an additional ISBER processing fee.
Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI) are general education courses Concordia-Chicago agrees to accept in lieu of comparable, lower-division general education requirements. For more information regarding IAI transfer credit, please see the Illinois Board of Higher Education’s iTransfer website at www.itransfer.org.
This major requires a grade of C or higher for all courses (including general education).
University Requirements
Course List
| Code |
Title |
Hours |
| COL-1995 | Vocation and College Success (Freshman only, transfer students are exempt) | 1 |
Theology – Public Teacher Education (6 Hours)
Course List
| Code |
Title |
Hours |
| 3 |
| The Bible (B) | |
| Introduction to the Old Testament (B) | |
| Introduction to the New Testament (B) | |
| 3 |
| Introduction to Christianity (S) | |
General Education Requirements
Communication (9 Hours)
Course List
| Code |
Title |
Hours |
| ENG-1100 | English Composition | 3 |
| ENG-2000 | Writing About Literature | 3 |
| |
| COM-1100 | Speech Communication | 3 |
Humanities (9 Hours)
Course List
| Code |
Title |
Hours |
| History of the American People to 1877 | |
| History of the American People since 1877 |
| Introduction to the Visual Arts | |
| Two-Dimensional Basic Studio | |
| Three-Dimensional Basic Studio | |
| Western Art: Pre-History through Renaissance | |
| Western Art: Post Renaissance through Contemporary | |
| Non-Western Art 1 | |
| Introduction to Film Studies | |
| World Perspectives Through Documentary | |
| Exploration of Music | |
| Survey of Western Music | |
| Music of World Cultures 1 | |
| History of Jazz | |
| Introduction to Theater | |
| Introduction to the Visual Arts | |
| Two-Dimensional Basic Studio | |
| Three-Dimensional Basic Studio | |
| Non-Western Art | |
| Western Art: Pre-History through Renaissance | |
| Western Art: Post Renaissance through Contemporary | |
| American Sign Language I | |
| American Sign Language II | |
| Introduction to Film Studies | |
| World Perspectives Through Documentary | |
| Literature for Children, Adolescents and Young Adults (This course is an ISBE requirement) | |
| Non-Western Literature | |
| U.S. Latina/o Literature(s) | |
| Greek & Roman Mythology | |
| African American Literature | |
| Classical World Literature | |
| Modern World Literature | |
| German for Reading I | |
| German for Reading II | |
| Greek I | |
| Greek II | |
| Hebrew I | |
| Hebrew II | |
| History of Modern Europe Since 1815 | |
| World History to 1500 | |
| World History Since 1500 | |
| U.S. Women's History | |
| African American History | |
| Hispanic and Latino American History | |
| Ancient Greek and Roman Civilizations | |
| Latin I | |
| Latin II | |
| Exploration of Music | |
| Survey of Western Music | |
| Music of World Cultures | |
| History of Jazz | |
| Primer in Philosophy | |
| Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion | |
| Introduction to Logic | |
| Elementary Spanish I | |
| Elementary Spanish II | |
| Intermediate Spanish I | |
| Intermediate Spanish II | |
| Introduction to Theater | |
Social and Behavioral Sciences (9 Hours)
Course List
| Code |
Title |
Hours |
| EDUC-2020 | Human and Cognitive Development (This is an ISBE requirement ) | 3 |
| PSY-2125 | Child and Adolescent Psychology | 3 |
| Introduction to Cultural Anthropology 1 | |
| Principles of Macroeconomics | |
| Geography of North America | |
| World Geography: Culture Patterns 1 | |
| The Developing World 1 | |
| Introduction to Global Cultural Studies | |
| Engaging Diversity: U.S. Perspectives | |
| American Government and Politics | |
| International Relations | |
| Introduction to Comparative Politics | |
| General Psychology | |
| The Mind and the Brain | |
| Developmental Psychology: Life Span | |
| Social Psychology | |
| Introduction to Sociology | |
| Race, Ethnicity, and Racism in the U.S. | |
Physical and Life Science (7- 8 Hours)
All College of Education students must complete coursework in the following areas: biology, chemistry or earth science. At least one of the transfer courses in science must include a lab.
Course List
| Code |
Title |
Hours |
| 4 |
| Consumer Chemistry (With Lab) | |
| Chemistry in the World Today | |
| Health Science Applications in Chemistry | |
| Fundamentals of Chemistry (With Lab) | |
| Elements of Earth Science (With Lab) | |
| Concepts in Life and Physical Science (With Lab) | |
| Medical Terminology | |
| Energy and Our Environment (With Lab) | |
| Introduction to Sustainability (With Lab) | |
| Physics of Things We Use (With Lab) | |
| 3-4 |
| Biology in the World Today (With Lab) | |
| Medical Terminology | |
| General Biology I (With Lab) | |
| General Biology II (With Lab) | |
| Anatomy and Physiology I (With Lab) | |
| Anatomy and Physiology II (With Lab) | |
| Fundamentals of Microbiology (With Lab) | |
Mathematics (3 Hours)
Course List
| Code |
Title |
Hours |
| MAT-1611 | Math for Teachers: Geometry, Statistics, Function | 3 |
Students must also take the Theology – Church Worker Studies Minor for (21 Hours)
Course List
| Code |
Title |
Hours |
| 3 |
| Lutheran Teacher: Vocation and Methods | |
| 12 |
| Introduction to the Old Testament (B) | |
| Martin Luther's Small and Large Catechisms (S) | |
| Introduction to the New Testament (B) | |
| Survey of Church History (H) | |
| 6 |
| The Augsburg Confession and its Apology (S) | |
| The Ancient Creeds, the Smalcald Articles, and the Treaties (S) | |
| The Formula of Concord (S) | |
