Special and Early Education (SEEC, SESE, SEVI)

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The Department of Special and Early Education offers the B.S. degree with a major in early childhood education, the B.S.Ed. degree with a major in special education, and optional undergraduate course work in early education and special education. State of Illinois approved and CAEP accredited programs leading to professional educator licensure (PEL) with endorsement in early childhood education and special education (Learning Behavior Specialist I and Visual Impairments) are offered. In addition, SEED offers emphases that do not lead to PELs.

Advisement services are available to students from freshman year through graduation. Students are responsible for utilizing these services by responding to the periodic posted notices of deadlines for professional semester applications and schedules for advance registration advisement.

Teacher candidates must complete a Criminal Background Check for some early clinical placements and for student teaching. See “Educator Licensure Requirements.”

S/U Grading

In those courses in which the S/U grading basis is applicable, the use of S and U will apply to all students registered in any class section in which the S/U grading basis is employed. Individual students may not elect S and U grading. Educator licensure requirements are deemed to be met only by obtaining a grade of C or better in courses using traditional letter grading or an S in those professional or clinical courses in which S/U grading is used. An S is the equivalent to a C or better and a U is equivalent to a D or lower in educator licensure courses using S/U grading.

Special and Early Education Faculty

Laura Hedin, Ph.D., University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, professor, Chair
Natalie Andzik, Ph.D., Ohio State University, associate professor
Julia Auch, Ph.D., Capella University, clinical assistant professor
Stephanie Baker, Ed.D., Illinois State University, associate professor
Jeffrey Chan, Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin, associate professor
Rachel Donegan, Ph.D., Vanderbilt University, assistant professor
Lydia Gerzel-Short, Ed.D., Northern Illinois University, assistant professor
Jesse W. Johnson, Ed.D., Northern Illinois University, professor
Myoungwhon Jung, Ph.D., Indiana University, associate professor
Gaylan G. Kapperman, Ed.D., University of Northern Colorado, professor emeritus
Stacy Kelly, Ed.D., Northern Illinois University, professor
Lisa Liberty, Ph.D., University of Washington, associate professor
Molly Pasley, Ed.D., Illinois State University, assistant professor
William Penrod, Ed.D., University of Louisville, associate professor
Natalie Young, Ed.D., Northern Illinois University, assistant professor

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