Special Education K-12 Bachelor's (B.S.E.) Online
Prepare to support students with special needs and earn your teaching license. Develop effective specialized learning methods for a range of students at all grade levels.
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Program Overview
Nurture exceptional students with a Bachelor of Science in Education in Special Education K-12
Gain specialized pedagogical knowledge and earn your teaching license with our 100% online Bachelor of Science in Education in Special Education K-12 program. The practices you learn in this CAEP-accredited special education program will aid you in accommodating the needs of a range of students with different learning needs.
This affordable and convenient online program imparts effective strategies for supporting the families of special education students, as well as evidence-based practices for delivering culturally appropriate learning opportunities for exceptional learners. Developed for working adults, this flexible program allows you to transfer up to 90 credit hours, so you can speed up your time to completion.
In addition to providing a fuller understanding of the characteristics and needs of special learners, this program will help you develop methods for collaboration between families and schools. The B.S. in Education – Special Education K-12 at A-State is distinguished from other regional special education programs by its affordable tuition rate and the opportunity to earn your degree online.
You must be a resident of Arkansas willing to work in Arkansas to apply to this program.
This program requires Watermark – Student Learning & Licensure (SL&L).
Residency Internship
To apply for this program, you must be a resident of Arkansas and willing to work in the state. This CAEP-accredited elementary education degree program includes 100% online coursework for all four years, except for Residency 1 and 2, which are required in the senior year. The residency component takes place in an Arkansas school district, allowing you to apply what you've learned in a school classroom setting. Additionally, you can accelerate your degree by transferring up to 90 credit hours.
Please note students are advised to avoid full-time work during their residency (internship), as balancing both can be challenging. For students who are currently working, you will likely need to adjust your work schedules to accommodate the internship commitments.
The Governor’s Executive Order EO 23-08 to prioritize L.E.A.R.N.S. (Literacy, Empowerment, Accountability, Readiness, Networking, and School Safety) states, “Ensuring that all graduates receiving a degree or alternate teacher training certificate from a state-approved educator preparation program in Spring 2027 and beyond have completed a one-year supervised residency alongside an experienced mentor teacher in a school setting.” The LEARNS Executive Order stipulates that the Arkansas Department of Education must develop a plan to ensure that all teacher candidates completing an Arkansas-approved teacher preparation program must participate in a one-year residency by 2027. Currently, the A-State Educator Preparation Programs are updating their coursework and clinical experiences in order to meet this expectation.
If you currently work for an Arkansas public school, consider contacting the school district about participating in the Arkansas Registered Teacher Apprenticeship program. This program has benefits for both students pursuing their teaching degree and the school district. For more information about Apprenticeship, including the link to the Handbook, please visit the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education website. If you are a paraprofessional in a school, this may be a viable option depending on the classroom and available Experienced Mentor Teacher.
For state program approvals, please refer to our State Authorization & Licensure Disclosures page.
Prepare for a broad range of professional roles, including:
- Special Education Teacher
- Elementary Special Education Teacher
- Special Education Consultant
- Early Childhood Special Education Teacher
- Special Education Teacher
- Elementary Special Education Teacher
- Special Education Consultant
- Early Childhood Special Education Teacher
Educators completing this program gain expertise in the following areas:
- Understanding the needs and characteristics of exceptional learners
- Developing effective learning experiences for a range of exceptional learners
- Utilizing strategies for collaboration between families and schools in developing and delivering culturally appropriate learning opportunities for students with special needs
- Applying evidence-based practices in special education
- Understanding the needs and characteristics of exceptional learners
- Developing effective learning experiences for a range of exceptional learners
- Utilizing strategies for collaboration between families and schools in developing and delivering culturally appropriate learning opportunities for students with special needs
- Applying evidence-based practices in special education
Also available:
A-State offers a variety of undergraduate programs in a convenient online format. Explore our full range of online undergraduate programs.
Accreditation
Licensure programs within A-State’s College of Education & Behavioral Science are accredited by CAEP.
Tuition
A-State’s online tuition can fit your budget
A-State’s online programs are affordable and convenient. You may also qualify for financial aid. Learn more.
The Bachelor of Science in Education – Special Education K-12 online program offers the same low, pay-by-the-course tuition to all U.S. residents. All fees are included. Tuition may be subject to change on a yearly basis.
Tuition breakdown:
Transfer your credits for lower tuition
Use our Tuition Estimator to see how affordable your degree could be. Slide the notch to the number of credits you've already earned—which may qualify for transfer credit—to get an estimate of what your degree might cost.
Transcripts sent from other colleges and universities will be evaluated, and accepted credits will be added to the student's A-State record. The Tuition Estimator is not a guarantee or predictor of the number of credit hours that will be accepted.
You may be closer to Graduation than you think!
A-State-approved credit for prior learning recognizes your previous accomplishments, reducing your tuition costs and time to graduation.
Calendar
Find the start date that works for you
Our B.S. in Education – Special Education K-12 online program is flexible and convenient—featuring accelerated coursework and multiple start dates per year.
Please note Summer 1 and Summer 2 terms are 5 weeks in duration for this program.
| Term | Program Start Date | Application Deadline | Document Deadline | Registration Deadline | Payment Due | Last Class Day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer 1 | 5/26/26 | 5/12/26 | 5/12/26 | 5/21/26 | 5/22/26 | 6/26/26 |
| Summer 2 | 6/29/26 | 6/15/26 | 6/15/26 | 6/25/26 | 6/26/26 | 7/31/26 |
| Fall 1 | 8/19/26 | 8/5/26 | 8/5/26 | 8/13/26 | 8/14/26 | 10/2/26 |
| Fall 2 | 10/12/26 | 9/28/26 | 9/28/26 | 10/8/26 | 10/9/26 | 12/4/26 |
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Admissions
Check the requirements for this bachelor's degree
Review the admission requirements for the online B.S. in Education – Special Education K-12 program and take the next step toward earning your degree.
Applying to A-State Online is simple. Our streamlined process and dedicated enrollment specialists are here to help you complete your application quickly and confidently.
Admission Requirements:
- Online application
- Official transcripts
- 2.0 GPA for transferring credits
Admissions Requirements Details
Arkansas State University offers multiple admission pathways for undergraduate students, based on your academic background and prior college experience.
Transfer Students (13+ College Credits)
You may be admitted as a transfer student if you:
- Have 13 or more transferable college credit hours
- Earned a 2.0 cumulative GPA or higher on all transferable coursework
First‑Time Freshmen (0–12 College Credits)
All freshman applicants are required to submit official ACT or SAT scores.
Recent High School Graduates (within the last 5 years)
You may be automatically admitted if you meet one of the following criteria:
- 3.0 cumulative high school GPA (or equivalent GED score), or
- ACT 19+ (super score) or SAT 990+, or
- Top 20% of your high school graduating class
Applicants who do not meet automatic admission criteria may still be considered through an admissions appeal process.
Non-Traditional Students (Out of High School 5+ Years)
If you have been out of high school five years or more and have completed 12 or fewer college credit hours, you may be admitted if you:
- Hold a high school diploma or state‑approved equivalent
- Submit official Accuplacer, ACT or SAT scores
- Have not previously enrolled at Arkansas State University
High school GPA is not considered for this admission pathway. Applicants are admitted based on diploma status and test scores.
Note: Regardless of admission type, if you have 0-12 transferable college hours, test scores will still need to be submitted for reporting purposes to the Arkansas Department of Higher Education (ADHE). Although test scores are not needed for an admission decision, they are needed to register for your first course. Accuplacer test scores are an acceptable alternative to ACT/SAT scores and must be dated within the past five years.
Application Submission Requirements
Submitting your application takes three easy steps: filling out the application, submitting your documents and paying the application fee.
- When completing the online application, select 100% online student and then complete all the steps on the online application.
- Pay $30.00 non-refundable application fee.
- Submit all official college transcripts.
- Submit official high school transcripts (if applicable).
- Submit official test scores (if applicable).
Submit all documents to:
P.O. Box 2520
State University, AR 72467
Fax: 870-972-3548
Email: [email protected]
For Non-US Postal Mail Overnight Delivery Only:
A-State Onlinec/o Central Receiving
2713 Pawnee St.
Jonesboro, AR 72401
Courses
Preview the curriculum of this online special education bachelor’s
To earn your B.S. in Education – Special Education K-12, you need to complete 120 credit hours of coursework. The program includes 67 hours of professional education requirements, 38 credit hours of general education courses, 12 credit hours of additional requirements and 3 credit hours of licensure requirements. Students can finish faster by transferring previously earned credit hours. Freshmen students are required to take a 3-hour Making Connections course. Transfer credit hours will be evaluated during the admission process.
Note: General Education Requirements, License Requirement and Major Requirements Group 3 may be taken during any term of the year. Students may only start the first of their courses in Major Requirements Group 1 and Group 2 in the Spring 1 (January) or Fall 1 (August) term annually.
It is advised that students avoid full-time work during their residency (internship), as balancing it with the program's in-classroom requirements can be challenging. Residency 1 in the fall lasts the full semester (August through December), and Residents (program candidates) will be required to be in the approved classroom in a school setting for 18 hours a week. Residency 2 in the spring lasts the full semester (January through May). Residents continue in the same approved setting as Residency 1 and will follow the full-time work schedule of the mentor teacher.
You can view your courses through the Course Smartsheet:
View the AOS Course Smartsheet
How to Use the Course Smartsheet
Students must take the following:
Students must complete 38 credit hours of General Education courses from the following categories.
First-year course (3 hours)
UC 1013
Communication Requirement (6 hours)
ENG 1003
ENG 1013
Mathematics Requirement (3 hours)
Students must take MATH 1023 or MATH 1043.
Arts and Humanities Requirement (6 hours)
At least one course must be selected from MUS 2503, THEA 2503, or ART 2503, and at least one course must be selected from ENG 2003, ENG 2013, or PHIL 1103.
Social Sciences Requirement (9 hours)
Students must complete POSC 2103 and, at least one course must be selected from HIST 2763 or HIST 2773, and one course must be selected from HIST 1013 or HIST 1023.
Life Science Requirement (4 hours)
Students must take either BIO 1003 with BIO 1001 lab or BIO 2103 with BIO 2101 lab.
Physical Sciences Requirement (4 hours)
Students must complete CHEM 1043 with CHEM 1041 lab.
Departmental (3 hours)
COMS 1203
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