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Studies & Degrees in Special Education

Special education is the branch of teaching that supports pupils whose disabilities or learning difficulties mean they need more than the standard classroom offers. Special education teachers work with students who have learning, mental, emotional or physical disabilities. They adapt general lessons, teach basic and life skills to students with severe disabilities, assess each pupil's abilities and plan individual support together with families, class teachers and other specialists.

The field is moving towards inclusion: teaching pupils with additional needs in ordinary schools wherever possible, with specialist help. UNESCO estimates that nearly 240 million children in the world have some form of disability, and reports that around 40% of countries do not provide teacher training on inclusion.

What students learn

Programmes teach the different types of disability and how to present information so that every student can understand it. Typical content includes child development, assessment, learning difficulties, behaviour support and the law that protects pupils' rights. School placements are central: degree programmes typically include a period of supervised student teaching with a mentor.

Many programmes ask students to choose a specialism. At Vanderbilt University, for example, undergraduates take an interdisciplinary major in exceptional learning with an emphasis on high-incidence disabilities (for school years K-8 or 6-12) or on multiple and severe disabilities, and they observe and work in schools and community settings from the first semester.

Qualifications and levels

How special education teachers are trained depends on the country, because teaching is a licensed profession almost everywhere.

  • United States: special education teachers in public schools need at least a bachelor's degree and a state-issued certification or licence. Some states require a degree specifically in special education; others accept a degree in education or a school subject with a minor in special education. Some states require a master's degree for full certification. Universities also offer graduate routes: the University of Florida, for instance, has a campus-based PhD and online M.Ed., Ed.S. and Ed.D. programmes in special education.
  • Spain: there is no separate bachelor's degree. Special education corresponds to two specialisms of the primary teaching corps, Pedagogía Terapéutica (therapeutic pedagogy) and Audición y Lenguaje (hearing and language). The route is the four-year, 240 ECTS bachelor's degree in primary education (Grado en Educación Primaria) with a mention in one of these areas. Teachers with these specialisms can also work in support roles in secondary education.
  • United Kingdom: schools and nurseries have a special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO), the first contact for families of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Before enrolling abroad, ask the education authority of the country where you plan to teach whether it will recognise the qualification. A licence from one country or state is not automatically valid in another.

Where to study it

The directory lists 83 active schools for special education. Most are in the United States (62), followed by Spain (4) and Canada (2); there is also one each in countries including the United Kingdom, Germany, Brazil, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Lithuania, Lebanon and Nigeria.

Examples in the United States include Vanderbilt University in Nashville, the University of Florida in Gainesville, The Ohio State University in Columbus, Purdue University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In Spain, the Universidad de Murcia teaches the Grado en Educación Primaria in Spanish and offers mentions in Pedagogía Terapéutica and in Audición y Lenguaje. The Centro Universitario Cardenal Cisneros in Alcalá de Henares, affiliated with the Universidad de Alcalá, offers a mention in special educational needs (Necesidades Educativas Especiales) in its teaching degrees for 2026-27, and an official master's degree in attention to diversity and educational support (60 ECTS, one year, blended learning).

Careers

Most graduates teach: in mainstream schools as support or resource teachers, in special schools, in early intervention services or in hospital and home tuition. With experience or further study, some move into coordination, advisory or research roles.

In the United States, special education teachers held about 584,100 jobs in 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The bureau projects little or no change in overall employment from 2025 to 2035, but about 37,100 openings each year, mostly to replace teachers who change occupation or retire. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 7.5 million students aged 3 to 21 received services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in the 2022-23 school year, 15 per cent of public school enrolment. The act, passed in 1975, guarantees eligible students a free and appropriate public education.

Frequently asked questions

Which degree do I need to become a special education teacher?

It depends on the country. In the United States public schools require at least a bachelor's degree and a state licence; in Spain the route is the bachelor's degree in primary education with a mention in Pedagogía Terapéutica or Audición y Lenguaje.

Can I study special education in Spain?

Yes, as a mention within the four-year Grado en Educación Primaria, or afterwards in a master's degree on attention to diversity. The degree is normally taught in Spanish.

Will a special education degree from another country let me teach at home?

Not automatically. Teaching licences are issued by each country or state, so check with the education authority where you want to work before you enrol.

Is there demand for special education teachers?

In the United States the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects about 37,100 openings a year between 2025 and 2035, although total employment is expected to stay level.