Graduate Certificates
A Kent State University certificate provides students with content specialization or an additional credential to complement their degree program. The SPED Program offers graduate certificates in five areas. Completion of the specified coursework will lead to a Kent State University certificate. Some certificates include coursework that will lead to eligibility for state or national credentials.
Autism Spectrum Disorder CERTIFICATE (ASD)
The ASD Certificate Program is an interdisciplinary program between Special Education and Speech Pathology & Audiology. This certificate program prepares students for understanding and addressing the needs of individuals with ASD across the spectrum and across the lifespan, in varied contexts including general and special education classrooms and community settings. Participants in the ASD Certificate program will gain knowledge and skills related to: identifying diagnostic and learning style characteristics; causes and medical intervention; early signs and assessment protocols; social-communicative development and disorders; theoretical models for understand ASD and implications of those models for intervention; family characteristics; and evidence based intervention practices. This certificate is most useful for students who want to specialize in ASD in their field of study, and/or professionals assuming leadership roles in supporting individuals with ASD and their families in the programs and organizations in which they work.
Behavioral Intervention Specialist CERTIFICATE (BISC)
The BISC program concentrates on the theoretical orientation and practical applications of applied behavior analysis. In addition, the Behavior Certification Board, Inc. (BACB) has approved our course sequence as meeting the coursework requirements for eligibility to take the Board Certified Behavior Analyst Examination (BCBA).
Deaf Education Multiple Disabilities Certificate (DEMD)
The DEMD Certificate program combines coursework from several special education programs to prepare students to work with deaf or hard of hearing students with additional learning and behavioral needs. To be eligible for this certificate program, students must have completed, or be in the process of concurrently completing teaching licensure in Deaf Education. Certificate graduates are eligible to earn certification from the Council for Education of the Deaf.
Early Childhood Deaf Education Certificate (ECDE)
The ECDE certificate combines deaf education and early childhood special education coursework. It is designed for individuals already holding deaf education teaching licensure, students with bachelor's degrees in speech pathology or audiology, or students in a graduate deaf education degree program. Students with deaf education licensure will be eligible for certification from the Council for Education of the Deaf.
Early Intervention CERTIFICATE (EINT)
The EINT Certificate Program provides students with the skills and knowledge to work with young children with disabilities (birth to age three) and their families. The EINT Program utilizes the Division for Early Childhood’s Recommended Practices for early intervention personnel development that are family-centered, evidence-based and provided in the family’s natural environment. Completion of the graduate level coursework (21 credit hours) will lead into a university certificate in early intervention and students are eligible to apply for the Early Intervention Developmental Specialist Certificate governed by the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities. Early Intervention (Part C) is a Federally mandated service for families with infants and toddlers with disabilities or who are at risk for disabilities. The County Boards of Developmental Disabilities employ the largest number of early intervention providers - including developmental specialists and service coordinators - in Ohio. The EINT Certificate is not a teaching licensure or a teaching credential.
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Professional Licensure Disclosure
This program is designed to prepare students to sit for applicable licensure or certification in Ohio. If you plan to pursue licensure or certification in a state other than Ohio, please review state educational requirements for licensure or certification and contact information for state licensing boards at Kent State's website for professional licensure disclosure.