Special Education

The current concept of the education of pupils with special educational needs is aimed at an inclusive approach, concerning a complex interdisciplinary approach. The diagnosis, intervention, education, and counselling are provided by special needs teachers not only in the field of education, but also within the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.

“Special education provides approach to education to people with disability/ social disadvantage.”

The extension of the professional activities covers the widest range of age categories - early and preschool age, school age, adulthood and also seniors. The study is focused on creating professional, pedagogical, psychological, communication and other personality cultivating competences as a precursor to the follow-up master study of special education.

The aim of the Special Education Program is to prepare special needs teachers for special educational activities in classes set up for pupils with special educational needs (SEN) in elementary schools, schools for pupils with SEN, in special primary schools in the position of a teacher assistant, in school facilities, kindergartens educating children with SEN, children's homes, youth homes and for activities in social services facilities.

The program is implemented in the forms of full time attendance and combined studies. It is internally divided into different compulsory subjects divided into two main specializations: Specialization 1 (Speech Therapy, Hearing Impairment) and Specialization 2 (Intellectual Disability, Physical Disability, Visual Impairment, Problem Behaviour). These create the base for the following master studies.

The structure and content of the lectures, seminars and diagnostic and intervention practice within the study program reflects the current requirements of the Act No. 563/2004 Coll., On Teaching Staff and its Amendment No. 379/2015 Coll.

The Special Education Study Program is one of the study programs enabling to become a pedagogical staff, which is included in the fields of education as non-teaching pedagogy, teaching and psychology in the Government Order no. 275/2016 Coll., On the Fields of Study in Higher Education.

Practical training

The obligatory part of the bachelor's study program Special Education is a teaching practice, which is realized as a special educational practice (continuous, for 10 weeks of observation of subjects such as arts, PE etc.) in the 3rd semester and coherent special educational practice 1 (4 weeks) with the reflective seminar in the 4th semester plus coherent special educational practice 2 (4 weeks with the reflective seminar in the 5th semester).

The practice is spread over three semesters. The department provides students with the workplaces it has been cooperating with for a long time. The students can obtain the practice there.

The aim of the continuous practice is to show students basic diagnostic procedures used in special schools and facilities within the chosen specialization (speech therapy and hearing impairment, intellectual disability and speech therapy, intellectual disability and visual impairment, intellectual disability and physical disability, intellectual disability and problem behaviour). The student writes a diary (portfolio).

The aim of the coherent practice 1 and 2 is to show students the workplace, staff, the composition of the given group of pupils. The student should help in the position of an assistant at the assigned workplace under the supervision of a designated worker with regard to the chosen profile.

The employment of the graduates from the bachelor's study program Special Education is assumed in the positions of the assistants in education, health care, and social affairs. They are here in a personal contact with children, pupils or adults with disabilities. The graduate is also ready for the communication and cooperation with parents of children and pupils, and teachers from special and regular schools.

Readiness for the Profession and the Professional Adaptability to the Conditions and Requirements of the Practice

The students should gaining the competences for the education of children/pupils with special educational needs in accordance with the Act No. 563/2004 Coll., On Teaching Staff and its Amendment No. 379/2015 Coll.

Possible Professions and Institutions after Studies

The employment of the graduates from this study program is assumed in the positions of the teacher assistants in schools for pupils with special educational needs, as teachers in kindergartens, speech therapist's assistants in kindergartens or social services facilities (if they have the specialization speech therapy and hearing impairment), tutors in special schools and school facilities for pupils wit SEN and in state administration, corporate management etc.

No information available

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Minimum score and numbers of accepted applicants in past years

The graduate of the bachelor's study program Special Education may (after fulfilling the entrance conditions) continue his/her studies in the master's study program Special Education in the specialization he/she chose within the bachelor's studies: Speech Therapy and Hearing Impairment, Visual Impairment, Problem Behaviour, Education of Pupils with Moderate and Severe Intellectual Disabilities and Autism Spectrum Disorders, Education of Pupils with Multiple Disabilities or Special Andragogy at the Faculty of Education of MU.