San Diego State University undergraduate students can now qualify to provide services to young children with disabilities and their families in just four years, thanks to a new Integrated Teacher Education Program (ITEP) in Early Childhood Special Education.
The pathway, recently approved by the California State University Office of the Chancellor, will allow students to earn both a B.S. in child development and an early childhood specialization credential concurrently — bypassing the need for a fifth-year credential program.
“There is such a need for early childhood special ed teachers in the field that the CSU said, ‘We need to find a way to get students through faster,’” said Dr. Sarah Garrity, associate professor and chair in the Department of Child and Family Development.
“It’s just a great opportunity for our students to get out and work with students and families quicker — without compromising the quality of the program.”
Garrity teamed with Dr. Yasemin Turan-Qian, associate professor in the Department of Special Education, to develop the comprehensive 135-unit program — 15 more units than the traditional child development major.
The first two years of the program follow the traditional path, with students gaining a strong foundation in child development. Junior year is when things start to branch out — ITEP students will take additional courses through the departments of Special Education and Dual Language and English Learner Education during the semester, and also complete field placement experiences during the summer.
"I'm really excited about working together with special ed,” Garrity said. “Sometimes it’s so siloed, where you have the general education classroom and the special education classroom — but we really just look at children as children. Bringing these two disciplines together is something I've always wanted to do throughout my career."
The ITEP pathway will be available to all incoming first-year students and transfer students starting this fall. Current CFD undergraduates interested in ITEP eligibility are encouraged to consult their advisor. The traditional five-year option will still be available.
Learn more about SDSU’s other available ITEP pathways by visiting teach.sdsu.edu.