Program Overview

Autism Studies Graduate Certificate

The Autism Studies Graduate Certificate is a 100% online program that provides students with the knowledge and skills to support both children and adults on the autism spectrum. This certificate is designed to validate a student's commitment to working in the field and prepares them to broaden their role as an educator, early childhood professional, mental health professional, occupational therapist, speech-language pathologist, agency staff, disability specialist, researcher, advocate, or policymaker.

Program Overview

In this program, students will learn about typical traits, gifts, and challenges, co-occurring conditions, epidemiology, evidence-based interventions, classroom and workplace strategies, family impact, research, and key policy issues related to people on the autism spectrum. The program requires 16 credits, including five 3-credit courses and one 1-credit course, and can be completed in approximately two years.

Certificate Requirements

• The graduate certificate requires about half the coursework, time, and tuition as a master's degree.
• Courses are offered online and in the evening to accommodate working professionals.
• Students can view the certificate requirements and course descriptions in the Graduate Catalog.

Admission Requirements and Deadlines

Application Deadlines

• Spring: Priority Deadline - November 1, Final Deadline - December 15
• Summer: Final Deadline - May 1
• Fall: Priority Deadline - June 15, Final Deadline - August 7

Admission Criteria

• No GRE scores are required.
• A baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university.
• A minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.00 (on a 4-point scale) is required for full admission to the program, and 2.75 is required for conditional admission.
• GPA calculations may be based upon the cumulative units or the last 60 units of the degree.

Prerequisites

• Completion of the following courses with a grade of "C" or better:
  • Human development across the life span (1 lower division course)
  • Human biological science (1 lower division course)
  • Social or behavioral science (1 lower division course)
• Students may request a competency in lieu of coursework review by the Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Program Committee for the required courses for admission.

Application Requirements

• Submit an online application, application fee, and official transcripts, along with:
  • Resume: A resume detailing human service, volunteer, and/or career experience. A minimum of 30 hours of such experience is required.

Tuition and Fees

• The cost per credit is $739 (in-state tuition and fees).

Combining the Certificate with a Master's Degree

Graduate degree programs with up to 9 units of electives can integrate this graduate certificate program to enhance professional credentials. This option may be of particular interest to students in advanced degree programs in:

• Occupational therapy
• Child life education (including early education, elementary education, secondary education, and special education)
• Speech-language pathology
• Psychology

Scholarship Opportunities

The Bridgers-Moore Autism Studies Scholarship is available to students who have been admitted to the Autism Studies Graduate Certificate program. The strongest candidates will be pursuing, or planning to pursue, a career dedicated to supporting autistic children, teens, or adults and their families in a significant way.