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Academic Program Guide


Visual Disabilities Education


ACADEMIC MAP (Effective Summer 2023 and after)

*Please Note: Face-to-face/in-person instruction of this program is available ONLY at the main campus in Tallahassee, FL. This program is NOT available via Online/Distance Learning.*

This map is a term-by-term sample course schedule. The milestones listed to the right of each term are designed to keep you on course to graduate in four years. The Sample Schedule serves as a general guideline to help you build a full schedule each term. The General Education and Elective courses must be selected to satisfy all area and diversity requirements unless your program meets these requirements with major courses. Milestones are courses and special requirements necessary for timely progress to complete a major. Missing milestones will result in one of two types of map registration stops. The first level (Degree Map Off-track) is placed following grade posting if the student has missed a milestone (course and/or GPA) for the first time in the major. If a student is in non-compliance with milestones for two (2) consecutive semesters (excluding summers), a Major Change Required stop is placed on the student's registration.

The Visual Disabilities Education program is a combined BS/MS degree pathway and is designed to prepare students to work with individuals who are blind of have low vision. The BS/MS pathway requires two years of upper-division undergraduate coursework plus one additional year of graduate coursework. All prospective students for Visual Disabilities Education must apply for formal admission to Educator Preparation through the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences by June 1. The Educator Preparation application and admission requirements are available online at https://education.fsu.edu/teacher-ed-admissions.

* Visual Disabilities Education is a limited access/enrollment program. Meeting the minimum requirements for admission does not guarantee admission to the program. *

Mapping Coordinator: Frank Amidon
Email: famidon@fsu.edu

Sample Schedule and Required Milestones by Term

Sample Schedule: Term 1 hrs
ENC 1101 Freshman Composition3
1st GE Core Mathematics 3
GE History3
GE Social Science3
GE Ethics3
Required Milestones: Term 1
Complete ENC1101 ( ≥ C minus )
Cumulative GPA ≥ 2.50
Sample Schedule: Term 2 hrs
ENC 2135 Research, Genre, and Context3
2nd GE Mathematics or Statistics3
GE Core Humanities/Cultural Practice3
1st GE Natural Science and Lab4
EDF 1005 Introduction to Education3
Required Milestones: Term 2
Complete ENC2135 ( ≥ C minus )
Complete 1st GE Mathematics ( ≥ C minus )
Cumulative GPA ≥ 2.50
Sample Schedule: Term 3 hrs
2nd GE Natural Science 3
Scholarship in Practice course3
SPC 1017 Fundamentals of Speech, SPC 2608 Public Speaking, COM 2080 Online Communication and Presence or other Oral Communication Competency Course3
GE Elective3
Elective3
Required Milestones: Term 3
Complete 2nd GE Mathematics or Statistics ( ≥ C minus )
Complete EDF 1005 ( ≥ C minus)
Cumulative GPA ≥ 2.50
Strongly Recommend: Oral Communication Competency Requirement
Sample Schedule: Term 4 hrs
EDF 2085 Introduction to Diversity for Teachers or Elective3
EME 2040 Introduction to Educational Technology or any other Digital Literacy course3
GE Elective3
Elective3
Elective3
Required Milestones: Term 4
Complete all General Education requirements (liberalstudies.fsu.edu/curriculum.html)
Complete the following University-Wide Graduation Requirements: Natural Science Lab, Digital Literacy, Diversity, Oral Communication Competency, State-Mandated Writing, and Scholarship-In-Practice
Cumulative GPA ≥ 2.50
Apply to program by June 1 (education.fsu.edu/admissions/undergraduate-admissions)
Sample Schedule: Term 5 hrs
EVI 4121 Anatomy and Diseases of the Eye for Blindness Professionals3
EVI 4011 Introduction to Visual Disabilities3
EVI 4211 Literary Braille3
EVI 4254 Teaching Independent Living Skills to Students with Visual Impairments3
EEX 4770 Study of Human Exceptionality3
Required Milestones: Term 5
Complete Term 5 courses ( ≥ C minus)
Cumulative GPA ≥ 2.50
Upper division GPA must be ≥ 3.0 in order to be admitted to Graduate School
Civic Literacy requirement
Sample Schedule: Term 6 hrs
EVI 4314 Low Vision3
RED 4310 Foundations of Reading3
EVI 4330 Methods for Learners with Visual Impairment and Additional Disabilities I3
EVI 4220 Introduction to Orientation and Mobility3
..
..
Summer .
EVI 4212 Nemeth Code and Supporting Math Instruction for Students with Visual Impairments3
EVI 4324 Assistive Technology for Students with Visual Impairments in the Schools 3
EVI 4250 Teaching Social and Career Skills to Students with Visual Impairments3
Required Milestones: Term 6
Complete Term 6 courses ( ≥ C minus)
Cumulative GPA ≥ 2.50
Upper division GPA must be ≥ 3.0 in order to be admitted to Graduate School
Visit College of Education test preparation site (education.fsu.edu/test-prep)
.
.
Summer
Complete Summer Term courses ( ≥ C minus)
Cumulative GPA ≥ 2.50
Upper division GPA must be ≥ 3.0 in order to be admitted to Graduate School
Sample Schedule: Term 7 hrs
EVI 4312 Classroom Accommodations for Students with Visual Impairments3
EVI 4311 Teaching Reading and Writing to Students with Visual Impairments3
EVI 4331 Methods for Learners with Visual Impairment and Additional Disabilities II 3
EVI 5018 PK-12 Students with Visual Impairments: Assessment Strategies3
Required Milestones: Term 7
Complete EVI4312, EVI4311 and EVI 4331 ( ≥ C minus)
Complete EVI 5018 ( ≥ B)
Cumulative GPA ≥ 2.50
Upper division GPA must be ≥ 3.0 in order to be admitted to Graduate School
Sample Schedule: Term 8 hrs
EVI 4230 Educational Management of Students with Visual Impairments3
EDG 5709 Culturally Responsive Teaching or EVI 5221 Applied Methods of Orientation and Mobility3
EVI 5355 Issues of Blindness in Society3
EVI 5374 Advanced Methods in Visual Impairment3
..
Summer .
TSL 5325 English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Instruction in the Content Areas3
EVI 5226 Developmentally Appropriate Orientation and Mobility3
EEX 8966 Masters Comprehensive Exam0
Required Milestones: Term 8
Complete EVI4230 ( ≥ C minus) and Complete Term 8 Grad courses ( ≥ B)
Cumulative GPA ≥ 2.50
Upper-division GPA must be ≥ 3.0 in order to be admitted to Graduate School
Pass FTCE Subject Area Exam and Professional Knowledge Exam
Apply to Graduate School by March 1 (admissions.fsu.edu/graduate)
.
Summer
Complete Summer term coursework ( ≥ B)
Earn satisfactory grade in Master’s Comprehensive Exam
Cumulative GPA ≥ 3.00
Sample Schedule: Term 9 hrs
EVI 5942 Student Teaching in Visual Disabilities12
Required Milestones: Term 9
Earn Satisfactory grade in student teaching internship
Cumulative GPA ≥ 3.00

Employment Information
Representative Job Titles Related to this Major: Resource Room Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments, Itinerant Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments, Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments, Transition Specialist for Students with Visual Impairments, Preschool Specialist for Young Children with Visual Impairments.

Representative Employers: School Boards, Rehabilitation Centers, Community Agencies, Governmental Agency Schools, Division of Blind Services, Private Residential Schools.

International Opportunities: International study is available for all students and may include opportunities for internships or taking course work towards various majors and minors. International study may have an impact on the MAP; therefore, it is important to consult with the academic advisor before participating. Interested students can find information about international study, research, internships, and service opportunities at: global.fsu.edu/undergraduate-students/going-abroad.

This Map is not a contract, either expressed or implied, between the University and the student, but represents a flexible program of the current curriculum which may be altered from time to time to carry out the academic objectives of the University. The University specifically reserves the right to change, delete or add to any Map at any time within the student’s period of study at the University.



View Visual Disabilities Education Program Guide