Frequently Asked Questions
College of Education

How long will it take me to finish the program?

The time varies depending on how many classes you take each term, if you are willing to go to summer school, if you have general education deficiencies, and how many courses in the professional sequence were taken previously at a community college or some other university.   If you begin the program the beginning of your junior year, have most of your general education courses completed and go full time, you should be able to complete the program in two years.

Can I graduate before completing student teaching?

No, student teaching is a requirement of the program and you must complete the program before graduation.

Are classes offered at night?

The undergraduate program is primarily a daytime program.  There are some courses cross-listed with graduate sections that are offered in the evening and some on Saturday.

Does my work as an instructional aide count for my field experience?

No.  Field work is specific to certain classes and involves particular assignments and the observation of specified populations of children.  Therefore, field work should be done during the semester that the class is offered. 

Can I observe in the school where I work?

Since you are required to have a variety of experiences in terms of age level, population and students, you must vary the location of your clinical hours.  For some courses you are able to complete up to half of the hours in a school where you work as long as you observe in a classroom other than your own and on your free time. 

Can I teach children without disabilities with a Type 10 certificate?

You cannot be the teacher of record for students without disabilities.  You will be hired to work with children who have disabilities and their teachers.  Depending upon the districts policies and the schools service delivery model, you may provide assistance to children without disabilities, but you are not certified to be the teacher of record.

Will I need to travel to both campuses in order to complete the program?

No.  The program in its entirety is offered at both campuses.  With careful advisement you should be able to complete the program at one campus or the other without needing to commute.  However, we do encourage you to take a class or two at the second campus just to have the experience of a class in Chicago if you are a suburban student or one in the suburbs if you are a Chicago student.

What does LBSI stand for?

LBSI is the acronym for Learning Behavior Specialist I.  It is the State of Illinois’s general special education designation.