Western Carolina University offers undergraduate and graduate programs in special education leading to the Bachelor of Science in Education (B.S. Ed.) and the Master of Arts in Education (M.A.Ed.) Degrees.

The undergraduate program in special education involves the study of exceptional children and instructional strategies for students with mild to moderate handicaps. Students graduate with North Carolina licensure in learning disabilities and mental retardation for grades kindergarten through twelfth grade.

Jointly with programs in Child Development and Family Relations and Elementary and Middle Grades Education, the Special Education Program offers an undergraduate degree called birth through Kindergarten. Graduates are eligible for state licensure to serve children with and without disabilities from 0 to 5 years of age.

In the graduate program students concentrate in one of three areas - behavior disorders, learning disabilities, or mental retardation. The program emphasizes the development of teaching skills and applied research to improve instructional programs.