Special education PO

prof. PaedDr. Miroslava Bartoňová, Ph.D

doc. PhDr. Alexandra Biščo Kastelová, PhD.

PaedDr. Róberta Drugová

Mgr. Zuzana Fábry Lucká, PhD.

doc. Mgr. Štefánia Ferková, PhD.

Mgr. Mária Fuchsová, PhD.

doc. PhDr. Marián Groma, PhD.

PaedDr. Anežka Hamranová, PhD.

doc. PaedDr. Terézia Harčaríková, PhD.

Mgr. Marek Hlina

PaedDr. Zuzana Juráneková, MBA

oc. Mgr. Martin Kuruc, PhD.

doc. Mgr. Miroslava Lemešová, PhD.

doc. PaedDr. Jana Lopúchová, PhD.

Mgr. Lenka Nadányi, PhD.

Doc. Mgr. Dagmar Nemček, PhD.

Mgr. Kristína Ondrašinová, PhD.

PaedDr. Margaréta Osvaldová, PhD.

doc. PaedDr. Eva Severini, PhD.

PhDr. Mgr. Romana Schunová, PhD., MBA, LL.M

PaedDr. Valéria Stašiaková

Mgr. Nikoletta Szászová, PhD., MBA

prof. PaedDr. Darina Tarcsiová, PhD.

Mgr. Kristína Tkáčová, PhD.

Mgr. Miroslava Tomášková, PhD.

PhdDr. Eva Vancu, PhD.

PaedDr. Jana Verešová, PhD.

Doc. Mgr. Zlatica Zacharová, PhD.

Mgr. Martin Záni, PhD.

Doctoral students:

Mgr. Bianca Jasenická

Mgr. Sára Fábryová

Mgr. Nina Šuňalová

Study advisor (tutor):
doc. PaedDr. Jana Lopúchová, PhD., lopuchovafedu.uniba.sk

Special educational needs coordinators

Students with visual impairment + faculty coordinator:
doc. PaedDr. Jana Lopúchová, PhD.
02/9015 9123, e-mail: lopuchovafedu.uniba.sk

Students with hearing impairment:
prof. PaedDr. Darina Tarcsiová, CSc.
02/9015 9128, e-mail: tarcsiovafedu.uniba.sk 

Students with physical disabilities and students with learning disabilities:
doc. PaedDr. Terézia Harčaríková, PhD.
02/9015 9121, e-mail: harcarikovafedu.uniba.sk

The Departmental Coordinator of the Erasmus+ and international mobility programs:
PaedDr. Margaréta Osvaldová, PhD., osvaldovafedu.uniba.sk

The professionally oriented bachelor’s study programme Special Education is designed as a comprehensive programme preparing future graduates for work in special‑educational and inclusive practice.

Students must obtain 155 credits from compulsory courses. Within the programme, 21 compulsory‑elective courses are offered (totalling 42 credits), from which students must obtain at least 20 credits. Significant emphasis is placed on various forms of special‑educational and inclusive practice. According to the study plan, students are required to complete six compulsory practical units, each comprising 50 hours, amounting to a total of 300 hours of mandatory practice. In addition, students may, according to their interests, complete selected placements from ten available elective practice units. Each elective placement comprises a minimum of 25 hours (up to an additional 250 hours of practice that may be completed outside the official academic schedule).

For the successful defence of the bachelor’s thesis or final practicum report, students obtain 12 credits, and for the state examination in Special Education, 5 credits.

The individual courses within the study programme are mutually interconnected, interrelated, and complementary in content, ensuring that by the end of the programme the graduate possesses a comprehensive set of knowledge, skills, and competencies required of a professional in the field of special education at the bachelor’s level.

The admission requirement for applicants to the professionally oriented bachelor’s study programme in Special Education is the completion of full secondary education with a school‑leaving examination (maturita).

Applicants must submit an officially certified copy of the school‑leaving certificate as proof of completed education. Applicants to the Special Education programme are admitted on the basis of the results of an entrance interview conducted before an admissions committee, with partial consideration also given to academic performance achieved during secondary school. The weighting ratio between secondary‑school results and success in the entrance interview is determined by the Faculty’s internal regulations.

The applicant completes the entrance examination in the form of an oral interview. The interview is conducted before a committee that evaluates the applicant’s general awareness in the field of special education, as well as the seriousness and depth of their interest in studying special education. Given that communication skills are essential in the Special Education programme — as a fundamental interactive process for future special‑education professionals (educators, teaching assistants, teachers of learners with special educational needs) — the entrance interview also assesses the quality of both the content and form of the applicant’s communication, particularly spoken language.

If the number of applicants exceeds the planned number of places for the study programme, the Faculty reserves the right to select applicants based on the average grades obtained in the school‑leaving examination (maturita). Applicants are admitted only up to the predetermined number of available places.

Graduates of the professionally oriented bachelor’s study programme Special Education acquire foundational academic knowledge and professional preparation in the core areas of special and inclusive education. They develop broad, cross‑disciplinary understanding of special education as an integrated field, including its main specialisations (educating learners with intellectual disabilities, visual or hearing impairments, physical disabilities or chronic illness, multiple disabilities, learning and behavioural disorders, autism spectrum disorders, and giftedness).

The programme emphasises a strong connection between theory and practice in special and inclusive education and educational rehabilitation. Graduates are prepared for professional roles such as educator, teaching assistant, or pre‑primary teacher working with children and learners with special educational needs across diverse types of disabilities and age groups.

Graduates understand the historical and theoretical foundations of special and inclusive pedagogy, its interdisciplinary overlaps, and the characteristics of learners with disabilities, disadvantages, or exceptional abilities. They have knowledge of socialisation processes, relevant legislation, institutional frameworks, and the needs of diverse groups. They also master basic diagnostic, intervention, corrective and preventive approaches and understand developmental specifics of learners in various educational contexts. They are capable of effective cooperation with teachers, psychologists, and other professionals. Graduates are familiar with the theoretical and practical aspects of special and inclusive education in all major specialisations. They understand current educational programmes and the principles of designing, implementing, and evaluating extracurricular and pre‑primary educational activities for children with SEN. They know the Slovak educational system and the curricular frameworks relevant to the professions of educator, teaching assistant, and pre‑primary teacher for children with SEN.

Knowledge

Graduates demonstrate:

• broad and synthesised knowledge in special education and related disciplines;
• understanding of core concepts, principles, and processes in special/inclusive education;
• knowledge of the structure and functioning of special‑educational practice and its specialisations;
• theoretical foundations of special education, communication, and educator/assistant roles;
• understanding of educational and practical contexts in working with learners with SEN.

Skills

Graduates can:

• propose solutions to methodological and practical problems in the education and rehabilitation of learners with SEN;
• apply general and specialised knowledge to specific educational situations;
• interpret special‑educational phenomena and gather information for practical use;
• carry out basic diagnostic activities and support teachers in inclusive settings;
• use specialised methods, tools, and assistive technologies;
• positively influence behaviour and development of learners with SEN;
• cooperate with families and interdisciplinary teams;
• use multimedia and communication strategies effectively;
• apply preventive measures to reduce secondary impacts of disabilities;
• update and develop their professional skills.

Competencies

Graduates demonstrate:

• independence in solving specific educational and rehabilitative tasks;
• responsibility and autonomy in decision‑making;
• effective communication and professional presentation of their viewpoints;
• teamwork skills within interdisciplinary environments;
• ability to work as pedagogical assistants or in inclusive/special‑education settings;
• capacity to coordinate tasks and contribute to multidisciplinary team outcomes;
• orientation in relevant legal frameworks;
• readiness for lifelong learning and professional development.

Graduates are well‑prepared for employment in the labour market in accordance with professional standards and legal regulations. They are also fully qualified to continue in second‑cycle (master’s) studies leading to careers as special education teachers, school special educators, specialist practitioners, or field special educators.

Graduates obtain qualification for the performance of the following professional activities:

• Educator (in school clubs, after‑school centres, dormitories, or healthcare facilities) working with children and pupils with special educational needs (SEN) in special and/or inclusive school environments, as well as in specific settings such as healthcare institutions (hospitals, treatment centres, rehabilitation facilities), social‑service institutions (social‑service facilities, child protection and social guardianship services), centres for children and families, and special‑education facilities.
• Teaching Assistant (assistant to a teacher or assistant to an educator) for children/pupils with SEN in special and/or inclusive school environments and/or in specific settings, such as healthcare institutions. This includes: teaching assistant (assistant to a teacher) in special classes within mainstream schools and school facilities, teaching assistant (assistant to a teacher) in inclusive classrooms, educator’s assistant in special‑education school settings, educator’s assistant in inclusive environments.
• Teacher in special pre‑primary education / special kindergarten classes for children with special educational needs or disabilities, either within special‑education school environments or in special classes established within mainstream kindergartens — i.e., teacher in a special kindergarten for children with SEN; teacher of a special class for children with SEN within a mainstream school.
• Instructor of work/social rehabilitation for individuals with disabilities.
• Specialist or methodological worker employed in out‑of‑school environments — including non‑governmental organisations, community centres, social‑service facilities, inclusion‑related projects, activity/animation centres for children with SEN, centres focused on accessibility and barrier‑free support, and related institutions.

Graduates of the bachelor’s degree programme may also become members of an inclusive or school support team in schools (supporting teachers and specialised staff and collaborating with parents), with the possibility to apply the knowledge, skills, and competencies acquired at the bachelor’s level.

Graduates of the bachelor’s degree programme are also fully prepared to continue their studies at the second cycle (Master’s level) of higher education.

The list of partner/training schools is regularly updated. The Faculty of Education of Comenius University/Department of Special Education has a cooperation agreement with the following schools/institutions, for example, in which students of the special education study programme carry out special education practice:

• Centrum pedagogicko-psychologického poradenstva a prevencie Brnianska 47, 811 04 Bratislava
• Centrum pedagogicko-psychologického poradenstva a prevencie Fedákova 1943/3, 841 02 Bratislava
• Centrum pedagogicko-psychologického poradenstva a prevencie Švabinského 7, 851 01 Bratislava
• Centrum pedagogicko-psychologického poradenstva a prevencie Vajnorská 98/D, 831 04 Bratislava
• Centrum sociálnych služieb prof. K. Matulaya pre deti a dospelých Lipského 13, 841 01 Bratislava
• Centrum sociálnych služieb Sibírka Sibírska 69, 831 02 Bratislava
• DSS pre deti a dospelých INTEGRA Tylova 21, 831 04 Bratislava
• DSS Rozsutec Furmanská 4, 841 03 Bratislava
• Organizácia muskulárnych dystrofikov v SR Mesačná 12, 821 02 Bratislava
• PRIMA n.o. Banšelova 3988/4, 821 04 Bratislava
• RATA, o.z. Sadová 206, 900 41 Rovinka
• Spojená škola Beethovenova 27, 917 08 Trnava
• Spojená škola Opatovská cesta 101, 040 01 Košice
• Spojená škola Školská 5, 968 01 Nová Baňa
• Spojená škola Tilgnerova 14, 841 05 Bratislava
• Spojená škola internátna Československej armády 183/1, 967 01 Kremnica
• Spojená škola internátna Hrdličkova 17, 833 20 Bratislava
• Spojená škola internátna Karola Supa 48, 984 03 Lučenec
• Spojená škola internátna M.R.Štefánika 323/1, 914 01 Trenčianska Teplá
• Spojená škola internátna Nám. Štefana Kluberta 2, Levoča
• Spojená škola internátna Vlastenecké nám. 1, 851 01 Bratislava
• Spojená škola Dúbravská cesta 1, 845 25 Bratislava
• Spojená škola Mokrohájska 3, 844 13 Bratislava
• SŠ Pavla Sabadoša internátna Duklianska 2, 080 01 Prešov
• Súkromná základná škola pre žiakov s intelektovým nadaním CENADA Majerníkova 60, 841 05 Bratislava
• Špeciálna základná škola Mládežnícka 3, 977 03 Brezno
• Špeciálna základná škola Zvolenská cesta 59, 984 01 Lučenec
• Výskumný ústav detskej psychológie a patopsychológie Cyprichova 42, 831 05 Bratislava
• Základná škola Prokofievova 5, 851 01 Bratislava
• Základná škola Turnianska 10, 851 07 Bratislava
• Základná škola Dr. Ivana Dérera Jelenia 16, 811 05 Bratislava
• Základná škola Rohožník č. 399, 906 38 Rohožník
• Základná škola s materskou školou Borodáčova 2, 821 03 Bratislava
• Základná škola s materskou školou pre deti a žiakou so sluchovým postihnutím internátna Drotárska cesta 48, 811 04 Bratislava
• Základná škola s materskou školou pri Zdravotníckom zariadení Dolný Smokovec 70, 059 81 Vysoké Tatry
• Zariadenie sociálnych služieb ROSA Dúbravská cesta 1, 845 29 Bratislava
• Rozvoj dieťaťa - OZ Mokrohájska 3, 844 13 Bratislava
• Špeciálna základná škola s MŠ Karpatská 1, 811 05 Bratislava
• Súkromná materská škola Veselý úľ Stálicová 2, 821 02 Bratislava
• Špecializované CPaP pre deti a žiakov s MP Nevädzová 805/3, 821 01 Bratislava
• Špecializované CPaP pre deti a žiakov so ZP Svrčia 6, 842 11 Bratislava
• Spojená škola Dolinského 1, 841 01 Bratislava
• Materská škola pri zdravotníckom zariadení Limbová 1, 833 40 Bratislava
• Súkromná základná škola RozmanitaBeňadická 38, 851 06 Bratislava
• Špeciálna základná škola s materskou školou Nevädzová 3, 821 01 Bratislava

Students in the study programme Special Education can also take advantage of the offer to carry out special education practice within the Erasmus+ student mobility in the following countries of European Union:

• Czech Republic, Charles University, Faculty of Education, Prague

• Czech Republic, Jan Amos Comenius University Prague, Prague

• Czech Republic, Masaryk University, Faculty of Education, Brno

• Czech Republic, Palacký University in Olomouc, Faculty of Education, Olomouc

• Czech Republic, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Faculty of Education, České Budějovice

• Finland, University of Jyväskylä, Faculty of Education and Psychology, Jyväskylä

• Hungary, Loránd Eötvös University, Faculty of Therapeutic Pedagogy, Budapest

• Germany, Humboldt University of Berlin, Faculty of Culture, Social Sciences and Education, Berlin

• Germany, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Faculty of Psychology and Education, Munich

• Germany, Technical University, Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences, Dortmund

• Poland, Pedagogical University Krakow, Faculty of Education and Psychology, Krakow

• Poland, Jagiellonian University, Faculty of Philosophy, Krakow

• Lopuchova_VTC_SK.pdf
• Lopuchova_VUPCH_EN.pdf
• Bisco_Kastelova_VTC_EN.pdf
• Bisco_Kastelova_VUPCH_EN.pdf
• Harcarikova_VTC_EN.pdf
• Harcarikova_VUPCH_EN.pdf
• Nemcek_VTC_SK.pdf
• Nemcek_VUPCH_EN.pdf
• Tarcsiova_VTC_EN.pdf
• Tarcsiova_VUPCH_EN.pdf