Autism Endorsement Graduate Certificate
Through unique and specialized coursework, extensive practical experiences, and service delivery innovations in the field, Mercyhurst University has earned a reputation for expertise in autism. This expertise allows us to provide top-level training for both established professionals and clinicians and educators new to the field. Our program graduates have become some of the most highly regarded educators and behavior analysts in the region and beyond working with students with autism.
To solidify our reputation as experts in education for this population, the university's Education Department has become the first program in northwestern Pennsylvania approved to offer an Autism Endorsement from the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) to any teacher or other education professional who holds a current Level I or Level II certificate.
Program Overview
Options: Graduate certificate, master’s concentration
Location(s): On campus; limited online courses available
Credits: 12 (three courses, plus one lab)
Duration: Minimum nine months
Cost: $894 per credit; $12,000-19,000 total
Deadline: Rolling admissions
Start term(s): Fall (preferred) and spring semesters
Careers: Behavioral health, autism support, developmental disability services
The Special Education and Applied Disability Studies graduate program seeks to produce the most skilled special education and behavioral health professionals in the region. Small graduate classes allow students to actively engage with faculty and peers. In fact, regular lab meetings push students to share ideas, collaborate, and think critically about coursework and discussions.
Learning Outcomes
Mercyhurst graduate programs are designed to give our students a competitive edge in the marketplace. Our curriculum will prepare you as an educator who can:
- Analyze and critique educational research
- Apply dimensions of applied behavior analysis
- Utilize evidence-based practices and assessments in clinical settings
- Write measurable objectives, such as those found in an Individual Education Plan (IEP)
Course Requirements
- EDSP 540: Introduction to Autism Spectrum Disorder
- EDSP 541: Instructional Assessment and Methods: ASD
- EDSP 501: Behavior Management: Intro to ABA and Behavior Change
- EDSP 504: Behavior Management: Intro to ABA and Behavior Change Clinical
Career Paths
Depending on your background and/or choice to continue on for a master’s degree, the Autism graduate certificate program will prepare you for careers related to:
- Autism support
- Developmental disability services
- Postsecondary academic support and career services
Phillip J. Belfiore, Ph.D.
Department Chair and Professor of Education,
The School of Social and Behavioral Sciences
Office: Hirt 300B
Colleen Hordych
Assistant Director, Graduate Admissions
Meet the Faculty
Education
Maria Garase
Interim Dean, The School of Intelligence, Computing, and Global Politics; Dean, The School of Social & Behavioral Sciences; Associate Professor, Criminology & Criminal Justice
Phillip Belfiore
Department Chair, Education; Program Director; Graduate Special Education, Professor
Amy Bauschard
Instructor of Early Childhood Education, Director, Mercyhurst Early Learning Innovation Academy
