Graduate Certificate Program | College of Education

Graduate Certificate in Special Education – Adapted Curriculum and General Curriculum

The Graduate Certificate in Special Education is a 27-semester hour program designed for students who do not hold a bachelor's degree in Special Education. Upon successful completion of the Graduate Certificate, students are eligible for the North Carolina Standard Professional 1 (SP1) Professional Educator’s License in Adapted or General Curriculum.

The required courses for the Graduate Certificate are identical to Phase I of the M.A.T. Upon completion of the Graduate Certificate, qualified students have the option of continuing into Phase II to complete the M.A.T. Admission to the Graduate Certificate is separate and distinct from admission to a graduate degree program and not an indication of automatic admission to the M.A.T. degree program. For more information on this option, refer to the M.A.T. section.

All courses for the Graduate Certificate must be completed within four years.

To see program planning sheets, refer to the links on the left-hand side of this page. For more information on the Graduate Certificate Program, please visit http://www.pathwaytoteaching.com or contact Josh Avery in the Office of Teacher Education Advising, Licensure, and Recruitment (TEALR) at 704-687-8727 or jdavery@uncc.edu. You may also contact Dr. LuAnn Jordan (Graduate Certificate in Special Education Program Advisor) at 704-687-8844 or lujordan@uncc.edu.

For application materials, please visit http://graduateschool.uncc.edu/gradadmissions.html.

General Requirements for Admission to the Graduate School
Please refer to admission information in the Graduate School section of the Graduate Catalog.

Admission Requirements for Graduate Certificate in Teaching Programs

1. An undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited four-year institution
2. A cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0. (For alternative ways to demonstrate academic competence,
applicants may contact the Office of Teacher Education Advising, Licensure, and Recruitment (TEALR)
at 704-687-8725 or trecruitment@uncc.edu).
3. Three recommendations from persons knowledgeable of the applicant’s interaction with children or youth
4. A statement of purpose
5. A clear criminal background check

Apply online at http://graduateschool.uncc.edu/gradadmissions.html.

Admission to Candidacy
The Candidacy form supplied by the Graduate School must be received no later than the eighth instructional day of the semester in which completion of all degree requirements is expected.

Application for Degree
The Application for Degree/Graduation form supplied by the Graduate School must be received early in the last semester of the student’s program.

Internship
A three-hour internship is required for Graduate Certificate students. This internship can be done in a student’s place of employment or the University can find a placement for you. Lateral entry teachers and teacher assistants must contact the Office of Field Experiences to determine the appropriateness of their classroom for the internship experience and licensure requirements. This contact should take place at least one semester before the internship.

Clinical Field Experiences
Most courses require students to develop their knowledge, skills, and dispositions in public school settings. These experiences broaden their ability to help all students learn, including children with exceptionalities and students from diverse ethnic/racial, linguistic, gender, and socioeconomic groups. During clinical experiences, students apply theories and understandings gained in coursework, analyze P-12 student learning, and develop the ability to positively impact all learners. All students are expected to complete clinical experiences in at least two significantly different settings.

Candidates who are lateral entry teachers and teacher assistants must move beyond their own classrooms and schools for at least two clinical experiences. Alternative settings must be approved by the instructor and may include schools on different schedules, after-school and summer programs, Saturday programs, and private and charter schools. A limited number of clinical experiences may be approved in significantly different classrooms within their school of employment. Employed candidates are encouraged to seek assistance and support from their administrators.

Advising
All students are assigned an advisor upon formal admission to the program. Students should consult with their advisors at least once each semester.

Licensure
Upon successful completion of the Phase I/Graduate Certificate, students will be recommended for the North Carolina Standard Professional 1 (SP1) Professional Educator’s License. For this license, students are required to complete an electronic licensure portfolio that is created during coursework and the internship. Students apply for the North Carolina Standard Professional 1 (SP1) Professional Educator’s License in the TEALR Office.

Financial Aid/Financial Assistance
Information is available from the Office of Teacher Education Advising, Licensure, and Recruitment (TEALR), located in Room 119, College of Education (704-687-8725). Additional information is available from the Office of Student Financial Aid at http://finaid.uncc.edu/.

Program Accreditation/Approval
All teacher education programs at UNC Charlotte are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education. Both the Graduate Certificate in Adapted Curriculum and the Graduate Certificate in General Curriculum have been approved by North Carolina State Board of Education.

Graduate Certificate in Academically or Intellectually Gifted (AIG)

The Graduate Certificate in AIG provides a consistent, cohesive structure for teachers seeking AIG licensure that both meets the state licensure mandate and also provides maximum flexibility for later graduate study. To be considered for admission to the Graduate Certificate (AIG licensure) Program, you must hold or be eligible for a North Carolina teaching license in a content area in K-12 education or its equivalent from another state. Applicants will need to hold a teaching position before enrolling in SPED 6124 and SPED 6224 in order to meet internship requirements.

For further information, please see http://distanceed.uncc.edu/programs/education/academically-or-intellectually-gifted-graduate-certificate or contact Dr. Michael Matthews at 704-687-8623 or michael.matthews@uncc.edu.

For application materials, please visit http://graduateschool.uncc.edu/gradadmissions.html.

Admission Requirements for Graduate Certificate in AIG

1. A bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college/university
2. An Application for Admission to the Graduate School
3. Original transcripts that indicate a minimum overall GPA of at least 2.75
4. A teaching license in a content area in K-12 education from North Carolina or its equivalent from another state.

Notes: If accepted into the master's degree program, a maximum of twelve (12) Graduate Certificate hours may be applied toward the master's degree program in Special Education or to elective requirements in other UNC Charlotte M.Ed. programs, with the permission of the Graduate Program Coordinator and the student’s academic advisor. Admission to the Graduate Certificate program does not ensure admission into a master's degree program. Applicants must take the GRE or MAT before applying to the Special Education master's degree program in AIG.

Program Requirements
The Graduate Certificate Program in Academically or Intellectually Gifted requires a 12-semester hour sequence of courses.

Required Courses (12 hours)
SPED 5211 Nature and Needs of Gifted Students (3)
SPED 6124 Methods of Instructing Gifted Students (3)
SPED 6161 Social and Emotional Needs of Gifted Students (3)
SPED 6224 Adapting Curriculum Materials and Classroom Differentiation (3)

Graduate Certificate in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)

The Graduate Certificate in Autism Spectrum Disorders is a 12-hour web-based program. It serves two groups of professionals: (1) those who work in school districts and are responsible for teaching students with Autism Spectrum Disorders and for developing appropriate individualized education plans that include academic instruction, and effective intervention practices in the areas of communication, daily living, and social skills; and (2) those who work in human service agencies that also provide intervention practices in the areas of communication, daily living, and social skills as well as prepare students with Autism Spectrum Disorders prepare to live, work, and learn as adults.

For further information, please contact Dr. Lee Sherry at 704-687-8186 or lee.sherry@uncc.edu.

For application materials, please visit http://graduateschool.uncc.edu/gradadmissions.html.

Program Objectives
As specialists in public schools and human service agencies in the area of autism spectrum disorders, completers of the program are prepared to:

Work as public school teachers in a broad range of educational settings including the general education classroom and special education programs
Work as human service agency personnel implementing research-validated intervention strategies for children, youth, and adults in community agencies
Implement research-validated instruction/intervention strategies for children, youth, and young adults with autism spectrum disorders
Assess the effectiveness of individualized instruction/intervention programs for individuals with autism spectrum disorders.

Admission Requirements for Graduate Certificate in ASD

A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college/university
An Application for Admission to the Graduate School
Original transcripts that indicate a minimum overall GPA of at least 3.0

Notes: Applicants are not required to take the GRE or MAT; however, they must take the GRE or MAT before applying to the Special Education master’s degree program. If accepted into the master’s degree program, a maximum of twelve (12) Graduate Certificate hours may be applied toward the master’s degree program in Special Education with the permission of the Graduate Program Coordinator. Admission to the Graduate Certificate program does not ensure admission into a master’s degree program.

Program Requirements
The Graduate Certificate Program in Autism Spectrum Disorders requires a 12-semester hour sequence of courses. No transfer credit is accepted. Students must earn grades of “B” or above in each of the courses in the 12-hour program of study.

Required Courses (12 hours)
SPED 6115 Nature and Needs of Autism Spectrum Disorders (3)
SPED 6225 Communication, Daily Living and Social Skills for Autism Spectrum Disorders (3)
SPED 6272 Program Design and Development for Autism Spectrum Disorders (3)
SPED 6277 Program Assessment for Autism Spectrum Disorders (3)