- Courses are practical and require that you be able to work with a student with autism/significant
support needs to complete your coursework.
- You will take one course each term, allowing you to focus on each topic in depth.
- Students and professors will occasionally interact online synchronously (at the same
time) via web cam in some certificate courses.
Required Courses (12 Credit Hours)
To see the upcoming courses, visit this program's Current Students page.
For full details, see the official program listing in the UNC Graduate Catalog.
Admission Requirements
Possess (or be in the process of finishing) a baccalaureate degree from a regionally
accredited college or university, or a comparable degree from a foreign institution.
Have a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or better (on a 4.00 point scale) for the most recent
degree earned or current degree in progress.
If you are still completing your bachelor's degree at the time you apply, admission
will be based on your current cumulative GPA, and you will need to re-submit your
official transcript (showing your conferred degree and final GPA) during your first
semester. If your final GPA fell below 3.00, you will be given additional requirements
as defined by the academic program that must be met within one calendar year to remain
enrolled at UNC.
If you have completed a master's degree, or at least 18 credit hours towards a master's
degree, the GPA of your master's work will be used.
-
The School of Special Education will evaluate all eligible applicants to determine
entry into the Teaching Students with Autism Graduate Certificate program. Those with
a bachelor's degree in an education, therapeutic or speech-related area—or those who
work with children with autism spectrum disorders—will receive strong consideration.
Note: the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is NOT required for this program.
Eligibility by State
At this time, UNC can serve online education to students from every state, the District
of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. However, we are not currently
accepting students to our online programs who reside in the CNMIs. Due to how fluid
these agreements can be at the state or federal level, we recommend checking our Eligibility by State page for details.
International Student Eligibility
International students residing outside of the United States are eligible to apply
to our online programs. Applicants for online programs must demonstrate English proficiency,
or enroll in the UNC Intensive English Program, in order to be considered.
Students in completely online UNC programs are not required to come to the United
States. You will not need a student visa or receive any immigration documentation,
and do not need to provide financial documentation.
Please visit the International Students Admission Requirements page for details about English proficiency requirements and applying as an international
student.
Certificate Program Transfer Credit Policy
Our graduate certificate programs feature highly specialized learning outcomes determined
by our expert faculty. Therefore, to ensure that certificate graduates attain this
specialized knowledge, students will need to complete all certificate coursework directly
from this UNC program.
Tuition
This is an Extended Campus program, which means:
- A flat per-credit tuition rate for all students (in-state or out-of-state)
- There are no student fees – they are incorporated into our flat tuition rate
- Certain courses may carry specific course fees for additional services and materials
Program tuition for the 2023-24 academic year (which runs Fall, Spring, and Summer
terms) is $612 per credit hour. Tuition for the 2024-25 academic year will be determined
mid-June 2024.
Estimates of additional costs: For the purposes of determining financial aid, UNC
follows Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE) and federal guidelines to develop
an estimated, average Cost of Attendance (budget) for different student classifications.
For your personal tuition estimates, we recommend using the program-specific tuition
information above. But UNC's official Cost of Attendance/Student Budgets page can help you identify other estimated expenses for which you may be responsible while
completing your program.
Financial Aid
Certificate program students (non-degree seeking) are not eligible for aid through
the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Your program coordinator may
be aware of your eligibility for any discipline or campus-based aid if available.
For more specific help, contact the Office of Financial Aid: ofa@unco.edu, 970-351-4862 or via the UNC Financial Aid website.
Students can also find helpful information such as the Guide to Federal Student Aid
at https://studentaid.gov/resources. Most of the resources are available in English, Spanish, and Braille.