After successfully completing his/her studies the graduate is able to:

• Make use of the broad special knowledge and skills of special education
• Make use of basic communicative knowledge and skills
• Make use of the knowledge and skills from the study field, communicative and educational knowledge and skills
• Apply the approaches to education of pupils with special educational needs in teaching (individual approach as well as working with groups)
• Work with children and pupils with special educational needs on the level of a special educational needs teacher (special educational diagnostics, counselling dialogue, individual educational plan, education support plan, intervention)
• Support the work of the teacher while working with pupils with special educational needs in an inclusive class, support the parents of handicapped children
• Methodologically design and adapt research in the education of a pupil with special educational needs, use arguments in favour of the chosen procedure

Graduates gain skills for special educational work in centres which provide pedagogical and psychological counselling services for children and pupils with special educational needs in accordance with Act No.379/2015 Coll., Act No.563/2004 Coll. on Pedagogical Staff and on the Amendment to Other Acts. This particularly concerns school counselling departments (school special educational needs teachers) and school counselling services (educational and psychological counselling centres and special educational centres) and school facilities for detention, protective and preventive educational care. The professions in which the gained education can be used: Preschool teacher who performs direct pedagogical activity in a class or in a school for children with special educational needs, teacher of a preparatory class of a primary school, teacher of a preparatory stage of a special primary school, school special educational needs teacher in a school counselling department, special educational needs teacher in a school counselling service, special educational needs teacher and also specialist in behavioural disturbances in a school facility for performing detention, protective and preventive educational care. They may also work as an educator who performs direct pedagogical activity in a school educational and accommodation facility or in a department for children and pupils with special educational needs, in a school facility for detention, protective and preventive educational care or in an educational care centre (Act No. 379/2015 Coll.).

Specification of the final knowledge and skills – general, professional and special: General foundation: pedagogy, psychology, foreign language as a part of the common core subjects, methodology, statistics, internationalization of the special education study field

Special education foundation: pathopsychology 2., functional vision, ophthalmology, didactics of lower primary school subjects for pupils with special educational needs, their categories (I., II., III.), inclusive education of individuals with behavioural disturbances, prevention and intervention for addictive behaviour, speech disorders in children, intervention in children and pupils with chronic diseases, “3P” intervention of pupils with ADHD/ADD (support, reinforcement and guiding), prevention and intervention of aggressive behaviour/bullying, inclusive didactics, inclusive education, diagnostic domains in the physically handicapped, visually impaired and intellectually disabled children and pupils, those with impaired communication ability and hearing-impaired as well as children and pupils with behavioural disorders. The specializations of special education: counselling, intervention and diagnostics of children and pupils with intellectual disability, physical disability, visually and hearing impaired children and pupils, those with speech disorders, behavioural disorders and specific learning disabilities. Social scientific and university foundation: 20%. Special educational foundation: 30%. Medical propaedeutics: 5%. Specialized practical training: 30%. Practical skills depending on the study field: 15%.

The standard length of the degree programme is 2 years (4 semesters). To be admitted to the final state examinations, the students have to gain a total of 120 credits for required, selective and elective courses (see the standards of the Special Education study field). Students follow their studies in accordance with the study catalogue of their matriculation year. The study catalogues of the respective matriculation years can be found on the websites of the faculty.

Continuous practical teaching practice 1 – 2 weeks

Continuous practical teaching practice 2 – 3 weeks

Continuous practical teaching practice 3 – 4 weeks

Teaching practice – Specific learning disabilities (optional)

Special educational diagnostic practical training (20 lessons) (distant mode)

Continuous practical teaching practice (40 lessons) (distant mode)

Teaching practice – Specific learning disabilities (optional)

The teaching practice runs in accordance with the Practical Teaching Practice Manual (written by Bartoňová, M., Pipeková, J. Brno: MU, 2011). For further information see http://www.ped.muni.cz/wsedu.

The content of the final state examinations: Pedagogy and psychology (the common foundation is guaranteed by the Department of Education and the Department of Psychology).

The thesis defence (if it is assigned at the department or even if it is assigned at a different department, e.g. Psychology, the topic will always be special education). See the Special Standards of Special Education for the Final Works (http://www.ped.muni.cz/wsedu). Compulsory part: Strategies in the education of individuals with special educational needs from the counselling services point of view (written test). The student chooses two questions from one course of the selective part and from the elective part if they chose it as a final state examination course. Required part (one course) A Counselling, diagnostics and intervention of individuals with intellectual disability. B Counselling, diagnostics and intervention in individuals with a physical disability and multiple disability. C Counselling, diagnostics and intervention in individuals with speech disorders and hearing impairment. D Counselling, diagnostics and intervention in individuals with hearing impairment with the support of Czech sign language (for deaf students). E Counselling, diagnostics and intervention in visually impaired individuals. F Counselling, diagnostics and intervention in individuals with behavioural disorders. Optional part: Specific learning disabilities.

4-year Doctoral degree programme/Special Education study field.