As one of the fastest-growing disability categories, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has received more and more attention in recent years, and the need for professionals trained to work with individuals with ASD has also increased. Florida State’s online Autism Spectrum Disorder graduate certificate program offers you a unique opportunity to become better prepared to work with individuals on the autism spectrum. As a participant in the program, you will gain invaluable skills and learn best practices for working with learners with ASD.
Teachers enrolled in the program who are already licensed in the state of Florida in Exceptional Student Education (grades K-12) will be eligible for the Autism Endorsement from the Florida Department of Education upon completion of this program. This endorsement can help increase marketability and open up new job opportunities, particularly in regards to serving students with ASD. The online graduate certificate in Autism Spectrum Disorder at Florida State is particularly suited for practicing professionals serving individuals with ASD in schools, communities, and agencies (e.g., teachers, behavior therapists, speech-language pathologists, vocational rehabilitation specialists, childcare providers, administrators, family members), or individuals pursuing a graduate degree with an interest in providing direct service to individuals with ASD.
Looking for our master's program in ASD? Click here!
The following are required for admission to the program:
- An undergraduate degree from an accredited U.S. institution or a comparable degree from an international institution with a minimum of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) grade point average (GPA) in all coursework attempted while registered as an upper-division undergraduate student.
- Students currently enrolled in a graduate degree program must have a 3.0 GPA in their graduate coursework.
- Admission to College of Education (COE) graduate certificate programs requires submission of the Certificate Admissions Form to the appropriate department Certificate Program Coordinator (Dr. Kelly Whalon) and to the COE Office of Academic Services and Intern Support prior to the completion of two courses in the certificate program.
Non-Degree Seeking Students: To apply for the graduate certificate in ASD, applicants not currently enrolled in a graduate program at FSU must submit: (1) a personal statement explaining their interest in attaining the certificate, (2) official transcripts, and (3) a resume to the School of Teacher Education Graduate Academic Program Specialist (ste-gradcoord@fsu.edu). Applicants must meet deadlines for submitting a non-degree seeking application (available here), and pay the non-refundable application fee before formal admittance to the program.
Current FSU Students: To apply for the graduate certificate in ASD, students currently enrolled in a graduate program at FSU will submit (1) a personal statement explaining their interest in attaining the certificate, and (2) an official transcript to the School of Teacher Education Graduate Academic Program Specialist (ste-gradcoord@fsu.edu).
To earn the graduate certificate, you must complete the required courses within 7 years of enrolling in the program and earn a minimum of a 3.0 in all required courses. After all certificate coursework is completed, but no later than 2 weeks after grades post, a Certificate Completion Form must be filled out and submitted to the department Certificate Program Coordinator (Dr. Kelly Whalon). Approved completion forms will be forwarded for processing and be posting to your official transcript.
Required Courses (15 hours):
Fall
- EEX 5210: Assessment and Diagnosis of ASD and ID (3 credits)
- EEX 5298: Teaching Students with ASD (3 credits)
Spring
- EEX 5248: Positive Behavior Support (3 credits)
Summer
- EEX 5286: Preparing Individuals for Transition (3 credits)
- EEX 5767: Augmentative and Alternative Communication for Learners with ASD (3 credits)
Total Credits: 15 Credits
Information about tuition and fees can be found here. Please note that you may incur costs associated with the purchase of books/materials for courses.
Contact the School of Teacher Education's academic staff at ste-gradcoord@fsu.edu.
