One in 59 children born in the United States will have some form of autism, which
is the fastest growing developmental disability in this country, according to the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Autism Studies Post-Baccalaureate Certificate provides you with the knowledge
and skill set required to work with both children and adults across the autism spectrum.
Learn about the typical traits of individuals on the spectrum, their gifts and challenges,
co-occurring conditions, epidemiology, evidence-based interventions, classroom and
workplace strategies, family impact, and research and key policy issues. This certificate
validates your commitment to working in the field and prepares you to broaden your
role as an educator, early childhood professional, mental health professional, occupational
therapist, speech-language pathologist, agency staff and disability specialist, researcher,
advocate or policymaker.
This graduate degree requires about half the coursework, time, and tuition as a master's
degree. The 16-credit program — including five 3-credit courses and one 1-credit course — generally takes up two years to complete. Many courses are offered online and in
the evening to accommodate working professionals. View the certificate requirements and course descriptions in the Graduate Catalog.
Combine Your Certificate with a Master’s Degree
Graduate degree programs with up to 9 units of electives can integrate this certificate
program and give you the opportunity to enhance your 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
Bridgers-Moore Autism Studies Scholarship
Students may be eligible for this generous scholarship if they have been admitted
to the Autism Studies PBC program and already possess or are working towards a Towson
University master’s or doctoral degree in a related field. Download the application (DOCX) for more information and/or to apply.
Why Towson
Off-Campus Locations
This program is also offered through the Towson Learning Network to employees of local
school systems at various off-campus locations. Learn if your school system participates.
Ready to get started? Here's how to apply.
Apply Now
News Features
Adjunct Faculty member, Dena L. Gassner, was recently featured in an L.A. Times article.
Follow this link to read "Voices from the spectrum: Autistic people deal with the coronavirus".
