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University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Graduate Online and Distance Education

A UNL education wherever you are

Behavioral Disorders Teaching Endorsement and/or Master's Degree Program

  • About
  • Tuition & Fees
  • Courses
  • Tech Requirements
  • Application Process
  • Contact Us
The Program

Behavior discipline and classroom management are two of the biggest issues
facing schools. Better knowledge and skills about these topics, and specifically about students who have emotional or behavioral disorders (EBD) can assist any educator.

This program will prepare professionals for working with students with EBD in a variety of settings, including public schools, day treatment programs, residential facilities, psychiatric hospitals, and juvenile corrections.

The program also permits teachers to earn a teaching endorsement in working with students with EBD. Because of the growing number of youngsters in schools with mental illness, the program also emphasizes knowledge and skills about depression, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder, to name a few. The program provides those enrolled with a broad, multi-disciplinary perspective, as well as specific knowledge and skills, without a predominance of one philosophical approach to treatment or education of children with EBD.

Methods of Delivery:

Distance courses are delivered online through Blackboard software to any location. In Blackboard both distance and on-campus students participate in asynchronous Web-based activities. Students complete written assignments, some requiring local classroom visits or projects with children and youth.
Some distance courses will also require regular evening conference calls with the on-campus sections of the courses to participate in discussion and hear guest speakers.



For more information:
Please visit http://www.unl.edu/barkley/sped/bd/index.shtml

 Behavioral_Disorders_image

Who Should Consider This Program?

There is a shortage of trained personnel in this field, both in Nebraska and nationally. People with this expertise related to behavior are highly sought after in schools.

Consider this program if you fit one or more of these:

  • Teachers or child care workers needing continuing education credits or certificate renewal through individual
    courses
  • Child care workers, administrators, teachers and other human service providers in various schools, programs and agencies
  • Educators seeking positions as behavioral consultants or special
    education teachers in school districts
  • Other independent, self-motivated individuals with a strong commitment
    to lifelong learning and children

Resident Tuition Cost:
  Resident Distance Ed. Tuition Distance Ed. Fee Registration Fee
Per Semester		 Tech Fee Library Fee Total Cost for 3 Credit Hours
 
Graduate per credit hour

 $273.00 $25.00 $20.00 $7.35 $3.00  
Graduate 3 credit hours $819.00 $75.00 $20.00 $22.05 $9.00 $945.05



Non-Resident Tuition Cost:
  Non-Resident Distance Ed. Tuition Distance Ed. Fee Registration Fee
Per Semester		 Tech Fee Library Fee Total Cost for 3 Credit Hours
 
Graduate per credit hour $434.00 $25.00 $20.00 $7.35 $3.00  
Graduate 3 credit hours $1302.00 $75.00 $20.00 $22.05 $9.00 $1428.05

Tuition rates are effective as of 7/1/09 and are subject to change in July of each year.

UNL Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid provides information about low-interest student loans.Nebraska teachers enrolled in graduate programs may be eligible for special forgivable loans from the Nebraska Department of Education.

Program of Study

Students enrolled in the BD program may transfer credit to UNL, take courses on the other University of Nebraska campuses or come to the UNL campus in Lincoln during summer sessions to supplement their online courses during the academic year.

You and your adviser will determine the program of study option that best fits your situation. Each course is 3 credit hours unless otherwise noted.

Distance Courses (should be taken in this aproximate sequence):

SPED 800
   Characteristics of Exceptional Persons
(This course or equivalent is a prerequisite for any special education program.)
SPED 841
  Emotional and Behavioral Disorders
SPED 896B
   Directed Field Experience – Behavior Disorders
SPED 804
   Managing Challenging Behavior
SPED 803
   Effective Instruction of Learners with Special Needs
SPED 942
   Strategic Approaches for Students with EBD
SPED 907B
   Seminar in Special Education: Behavior Disorders

UNL On-Campus Courses:

SPED 802
   Advanced Assessment Techniques
SPED 908
   Resource Consultation Services
(Distance Course 960, Family Services for Handicapped Children, can be substituted.)
SPED 850
   Child Psychology
(Substitute course available via distance at UNL)
SPED 851
   Psychology of Adolescence
(Substitute course available via distance at UNL)

These four courses are not currently available via distance delivery, but may become available in the future.  Please refer to our graduate distance catalog for the latest course availability.

Students may meet these course requirements through any of the following options:

  1. Taking the courses on the UNL campus during summer, fall or spring term(s)
  2. Taking equivalent on-campus or distance courses at other NU campuses or other universities and transferring them to UNL


Practicum:

SPED 897B
  Practicum: Behavior Disorders (5 credit hours)
SPED 897Z
   Practicum: Multicultural Education (1 credit hour)


Practicum provides laboratory and teaching experience in the area of specialization and may be completed at a distance from UNL, provided a qualified cooperating teacher and a University supervisor can be arranged.  Special fees may apply.

 


To Complete a Master’s Degree:

  • Educational Research course
    (EDPS800 Foundations of Educational Research available online)
  • Comprehensive Exam

To Complete the Teaching Endorsement:

  • Elective course (3 credit hour) as approved by your advisor
    (May use the educational research course to meet the master’s degree requirements.)

Total credit hours for the teaching endorsement in BD or master’s degree = 36
Tech Requirements

High speed Internet connection is required. Check the Graduate Distance Catalog to learn the specific requirements for your program.

Some distance courses have supplemental materials on videos or CDs and others may require phone conferencing. You will interact with the professor and other students through e-mail, phone conferencing, and Blackboard.

Blackboard™ Requirements and Browser Configurations:
To effectively use Blackboard the Javascript and cookies on your computer must be enabled. Some content for features may require additional software. Pop-up blockers should be disabled for Blackboard (My.UNL). The browsers below are officially supported.

  • Internet Explorer: 7.0 or higher
  • Firefox: 2.0 or higher
  • Safari: 2.0 or higher

Older versions of the above or alternative browsers (such as Mozilla and Opera) may be compatible, but some features might not be available. To download the latest browsers, click the “help” button in Blackboard (My.UNL) and access the Downloads area.

Operating Systems:
Microsoft® Windows® 2000 and up, or Mac OS X, 10.2 and up are strongly recommended. Older operating systems (Microsoft® Windows® 98SE/ME, MacOS 8/9) or alternative platforms (Linux) are compatible, but may not have full functionality. Blackboard (My.UNL) is not currently compatible with handheld devices or Web-enabled phones.

Windows Macintosh
Minimum System Requirements Minimum System Requirements
Operating System: Windows XP SP 2
(Home or Professional)		 Operating System: OS X (10.2)
Processor: 1 GHz Processor: G3 800 MHz
RAM: 256 MB RAM: 256 MB
       
Recommended System Requirements Recommended System Requirements
Operating
System:		 Windows XP SP 2
(Home or Pro)
or Windows Vista		 Operating
System:		 OS X (10.4) or OS X (10.5)
Processor: 2 GHz or higher Processor: G4 1.25 GHz or higher
RAM: 768 MB or more RAM: 768 MB or more


Note: Using Blackboard with AOL:
While you can use AOL as your service provider, you cannot use the AOL Web browser to access Blackboard (My.UNL). If you try to use the AOL browser, you will find that it will automatically log you out every few minutes and you will experience problems with some of Blackboard’s services including assessments (tests and quizzes).

If you are an AOL user, once you’ve connected to the Internet, use a different Web browser to access the Internet.
Application Process


Required by Office of Graduate Studies



Required by Special Education and Communication Disorders


Master's Degree Requirements:
  • Entrance exam(s): GRE
  • Department application
  • Three recommendation letters using a program-specific recommendation form
  • A copy of current teaching certificate (if applicable)
  • Minimum TOEFL score (if English is not your native language): Paper - 550 Internet - 79

Endorsement Requirements:
Application Deadline
 Rolling admissions, contact the department for more information.
For information regarding courses offered and department admission contact:

Department of Special Education & Communication Disorders
Reece L. Peterson, Ph.D.
202A Barkley Center
Lincoln, NE  68583-0732
Phone:  402-472-5480
Fax:  402-472-7697
E-mail:  rpeterson1@unl.edu
Web:  www.unl.edu/barkley/sped/bd/index.shtml

Jill England
Graduate Admissions Secretary
Phone:  402-472-2141
Fax:  402-472-7697
E-mail:  jengland2@unl.edu

 

 Extended Education & Outreach
900 North 22nd Street
P.O. Box 888805
Lincoln, NE 68588-8805
Phone: (402) 472-2715
Fax: (402) 472-4345
E-mail: unlextended@unl.edu
Web: onlinegraduate.unl.edu