Master of Education (MEd) in Autism Curriculum & Instruction | Carlow University

Improve outcomes for students on the autism spectrum with MEd in Curriculum & Instruction

The MEd in Curriculum and Instruction: Autism Teaching will prepare you to help children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders. Emphasizing curriculum design, the program focuses on advanced teaching or instructional support positions with public, private or nonprofit organizations.

The four autism courses are offered as a special graduate certificate program. They can also be taken as a MEd in Curriculum and Instruction track. The program offers advanced study of pedagogy for working educators or other interested individuals. Teaching certification is not required for enrollment and completion of the program. It does not lead to initial teaching certification, nor does it lead to an autism endorsement unless you are a licensed teacher.

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Credits required:

30 credits

Cost per credit:

$600/credit

Time to degree:

As few as 12 months

Delivery:

On campus or online

MEd in Curriculum and Instruction: Autism Teaching curriculum

View Plan of Study

Carlow’s four-course graduate certificate program in autism spectrum teaching provides the competencies set forth by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE). Courses are offered in a hybrid or online format with January, March, August or October start dates. Upon completion, Level I or II certificate holders are eligible for the PDE autism endorsement.

Community partnerships in the Pittsburgh area offer workshops and activities with guest speakers.

Quick facts

Take advantage of flexibility with night and online classes in an 8-week format
Complete your degree in 1 year or 2 years
Take a course highlighting technology fluency and emerging technologies through Carlow University’s satellite partnership with Carnegie Mellon University’s CREATE Lab
Apply without your GRE

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Certificate options

Graduate Certificate in Autism Teaching

This program is available as a graduate certificate which leads to an endorsement from PDE for already licensed teachers.

Career opportunities for MEd in Curriculum and Instruction: Autism Teaching

It’s estimated that more than 1% of U.S. children are diagnosed with autism, which has contributed to a high demand for qualified professionals to work with individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Carlow’s graduate certificate program will prepare you to be a special education teacher, behavior analyst, autism spectrum disorder specialist, behavioral interventionist or child advocate.

If you work with children or young adults with an autism spectrum disorder, the autism teaching track will prepare you to design effective programs for your students.

Admission requirements and application process

You can apply for free online, and must submit the following materials:

Official transcripts from all degree-granting institutions you have attended
Personal essay that describes your academic objectives
Current resume or curriculum vitae
Two letters of recommendation that address your leadership potential and ability to succeed in graduate-level work

Apply

anytime

Start terms:

Fall, Spring & Summer

An undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher is preferred; however, provisional admission is also possible if you do not meet all of the admission criteria but exhibit a strong possibility of academic success.

Certification information: Any teacher or other education professional who holds a current Level I or Level II certification and who successfully completes the four-course certificate sequence, is eligible for the Autism Endorsement from the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE). Students who successfully complete the four-course sequence, but do not hold a current Level I or Level II certification are eligible for the Carlow issued certificate of completion but not the PDE Endorsement.

Autism Teaching faculty & staff

Keely Baronak, EdD Chair, Professor, Education
Ann Bisignani Student Teacher/Field Experience Director
Rae Ann Hirsh, DEd Executive Director, Center for 21st Century Innovation and Workforce Development (C21) & Program Director, Early Childhood Education, Professor
Marilyn Llewellyn, PhD Professor, Education
Patricia McMahon, PhD Professor, Education
Susan O’Rourke, EdD Professor, Special Education
Valerie Piccini, MEd Instructor, Reading Specialist, Education
Pamela Zimmerman Coordinator of Undergraduate Programs, Education

Contact Admissions

If you are interested in this graduate program, our Admissions team is available to help you with the next steps, including scheduling an on-campus visit or attending an upcoming event.

admissions@carlow.edu

+1 (412) 578-6059