A public institution, Illinois State University's urban campus in Normal is approximately 125 miles south of Chicago and serves as home to more than 20,000 undergraduate and graduate students. The college's special education program is among its largest in terms of enrollment numbers, according to "2009 Barron's Profiles of American Colleges." Undergraduates can specialize in the education of students who are deaf and hard of hearing, have low vision and blindness, or have disabilities that affect learning and behavior. The program includes 1,000 hours of teaching experience. Also offered are a master's degree program and a doctorate degree in special education. Teachers who have bachelor's degrees in special education can also enroll in one of the university's certificate programs, which provide additional graduate-level coursework in special education administration, the learning and behavior specialty, or the deaf and hard of hearing specialty, without granting a master's degree. The university offers scholarships exclusively for special education students. Illinois residents receive discounted tuition rates.
Illinois State University
Campus Box 2200
Normal, IL 61790
309-438-2181
ilstu.edu
The United Church of Christ founded Elmhurst College in 1871 in a suburban area 15 miles west of Chicago. Since that time, enrollment at the college has grown to more than 3,300 undergraduate and graduate students. In 2010, "U.S. News and World Report" ranked the college 12th among all colleges that offer master's degrees in the Midwestern United States. Education programs are among the most popular degrees for students, including the special education program, explains "2009 Barron's Profiles of American Colleges." The undergraduate course of study allows students to specialize in general special education or early childhood and special education, which teaches students to work with both typically-developing and special needs children from birth to preschool age. Both programs culminate in a semester-long student-teaching placement. The college also offers a master's degree in early childhood special education. Scholarships are available for special education students.
Elmhurst College
190 Prospect Avenue
Elmhurst, IL 60126
630-617-3400
elmhurst.edu
Affiliated with the Free Methodist Church, Greenville College is located 50 miles east of St. Louis, Missouri, and has a combined enrollment of 1,600 undergraduate and graduate students. The school received the 41st-place ranking among all baccalaureate colleges in the Midwestern United States from "U.S. News and World Report" in 2010. The college's undergraduate special education program results in a Bachelor of Science in education. Students complete internships teaching hours at both the elementary and secondary level as a part of the program. The curriculum covers modifying mathematics, reading, social studies, language arts, music and other subjects for special needs students. At the graduate level, the college offers a Master of Arts in education with an emphasis on special education. Approximately 94 percent of all students at Greenville receive some type of financial aid, reports "2009 Barron's Profiles of American Colleges."
Greenville College
315 East College Avenue
Greenville, IL 62246
618-664-7100
greenville.edu