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Full Description

The Autism Spectrum Disorders minor is an interdisciplinary program, between special education and speech pathology and audiology. The minor prepares students to understand and address the needs of individuals with autism across the spectrum, across the lifespan and in varied contexts, including general and special education classrooms and community settings.

Students gain knowledge and skills related to the following:

• Diagnostic and learning style characteristics
• Causes and medical intervention
• Early signs and assessment protocols
• Social-communicative development and disorders
• Theoretical models and the implications of those models for intervention
• Family characteristics
• Evidence-based intervention practices

The minor is particularly relevant for students with a major or interest in special education, speech pathology, audiology, occupational and physical therapy, psychology and human development and family science.

Admission Requirements

Admission to a minor is open to students declared in a bachelor’s degree, the A.A.B. or A.A.S. degree or the A.T.S. degree (not Individualized Program major). Students declared only in the A.A. or A.S. degree or the A.T.S. degree in Individualized Program may not declare a minor. Students may not pursue a minor and a major in the same discipline.

To declare this minor, students must have attempted a minimum 12 credit hours at Kent State and earned a minimum 2.750 overall Kent State GPA. Students who have not attempted 12 credit hours at Kent State will be evaluated for admission based on their high school GPA for new students or transfer GPA for transfer students. Transfer students who have not attempted 12 credit hours of college-level coursework at Kent State and/or other institutions will be evaluated based on both their high school GPA and college GPA.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

1. Describe the diagnostic and learning style characteristics of individuals with autism spectrum disorder.
2. Identify early signs of autism spectrum disorder and identify and evaluate instruments used to screen for and diagnose autism spectrum disorder in children and adults.
3. Identify neurobiological and environmental factors implicated in the etiology of autism spectrum disorder.
4. Describe medical and complementary and alternative medical interventions used by individuals with autism spectrum disorder.
5. Compare the social-communicative development of individuals with autism spectrum disorder to that of neurotypically developing individuals.
6. Describe different theoretical models for understanding autism spectrum disorder.
7. Implement evidence-based interventions to address the needs of individuals with autism spectrum disorder.

Program Requirements

Graduation Requirements

• Minimum 6 credit hours in the minor must be upper-division coursework (30000 and 40000 level).
• Minimum 6 credit hours in the minor must be outside of the course requirements for any major or other minor the student is pursuing.
• Minimum 50 percent of the total credit hours for the minor must be taken at Kent State (in residence).

• Delivery:
  • Fully online
  • Mostly online
• Location:
  • Kent Campus