College of Health, Education and Social Transformation
Autism and Spectrum Disorders
College of Health, Education and Social Transformation
Autism and Spectrum Disorders
Learn the Best Methods for Helping Students and Their Families
The Graduate Certificate in Autism Spectrum Disorders at NMSU prepares you to support children — and the families of children — who are on the autism spectrum. With this graduate certificate, you’ll be highly qualified as a school psychologist, social worker, special education teacher, and educational diagnostician. In just one to two years, you’ll learn patterns of development in ASD, theories of underlying deficits and strengths, general and specific strategies of intervention, and methods of evaluating effectiveness as recommended by the National Research Council. You also have the opportunity to study classroom-based approaches to communication, behavior, and social development.
Admission Deadlines
There are no fixed deadlines*
- Total credits: 12
Delivery Format
In-person or 100% online
Career Pathways
After completing the Autism Spectrum Disorders graduate certificate at NMSU, you may wish to pursue these kinds of professional roles:
- Autism education associate
- Autism spectrum disorder clinical development lead
- Autism spectrum disorder consultant
- Care coordinator
- Special education teacher
Support Children on the Spectrum
Throughout the four required courses for the Graduate Certificate in Autism Spectrum Disorders, you’ll thoroughly study the triad of impairments in ASD. You’ll begin with an overview of the triad of impairments, including historical and theoretical perspectives, assessment issues, characteristics of autism, intervention programs, and family issues. Your three subsequent courses offer thorough analysis of each element in the triad.
12 credits
With just 12 credits, you become highly qualified to support children on the autism spectrum.
In your course on the first triad, you’ll gain an understanding of how children with autism behave and examine how behavior management philosophies and research-based interventions can be applied in educational settings, particularly to play skills.
Your course on the second triad explores ASD social skill deficits and effective interventions, blending research-based models and evidenced-based practical applications.
Your course on the third triad gives you an overview of communication characteristics and difficulties associated with ASD. In this final course, you’ll review current strategies to assess speech, language, and interaction skills, and you’ll explore a variety of intervention strategies that are aimed at building receptive, expressive, and pragmatic language in children at all levels of the autism spectrum.
Take classes like:
- SPED 5310 - Introduction to Autism
- SPED 5320 - Behavior and Autism
- SPED 5330 - Social Skills and Autism
- SPED 5340 - Communication and Autism
The Graduate Certificate in Autism Spectrum Disorders consists of 12 credits, and it’s designed for students at the master’s or doctoral level. Admission requirements include:
- Three letters of recommendation
- A statement of purpose
Ready to take the next step?
Request Information
Scholarships and Financial Aid
At NMSU, we strive to offer competitively priced tuition to keep your tuition costs affordable. If you need financial aid, we’re ready to work with you to determine the best ways to finance your education.
Financial assistance includes loans, grants, and scholarship opportunities. To apply, use NMSU’s convenient Scholar Dollar$ one-stop scholarship application, which serves all students in the NMSU system.
NMSU students are also eligible for loans and grants. The first step in applying for financial aid is to complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Learn more about financial aid opportunities at NMSU.
Contact Financial Aid
Phone: 1-888-729-6678
Email: financialaid@nmsu.edu
Accreditation
New Mexico State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Specialized accreditation from other accrediting agencies is also granted for some programs. NMSU’s accreditation ensures that your education meets high-quality standards and that your credits are transferable.