The Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities offers a Certificate in Developmental Disabilities supported by the North Carolina University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities(UCEDD). This certificate program is tailored to graduate students interested pursuing a career dedicated to improving the lives of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. It is intended to provide graduate students with opportunities to demonstrate specialization in the area of intellectual and developmental disabilities. Core topic areas covered through participation in the certificate program include:
(a) mechanisms and etiology
(b) clinical presentation
(c) family and systems issues
(d) cultural diversity
(e) neuropsychological assessment
(f) evidence-based intervention
(g) ethics
Program Requirements: This certificate program is only open to degree-seeking graduate students enrolled at UNC Chapel Hill. It is anticipated that students will complete certificate requirements in approximately 2 years, and all requirements must be fulfilled prior to the completion of the student’s degree program. This certificate program is comprised of interdisciplinary coursework (9 credits), attend relevant approved seminars, and conduct research activities related to intellectual and developmental disabilities, as described below:
Formal Coursework: To complete this certificate program, trainees must enroll and complete nine credit hours from the below courses. Since the courses for this certificate may not be required for your degree program, it is possible that you would incur additional tuition costs to complete the coursework required for this certificate program.
1) EDUC 763, Biological Basis of Brain Development and Behavior.
2) AHSC 862 (Fall; 2 credits) and AHSC 864 (Spring; 2 credits): Developmental Disabilities across the Lifespan.
3) NBIO 800 (Fall) : (1-3 credits) Gene-Brain-Behavior Interactions in Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Towards an Integration of Perspectives on Disease Mechanisms.
4) NBIO 801 (Spring): (1-3 credits) Gene-Brain-Behavior Interactions in Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Towards an Integration of Perspectives on Disease Mechanisms.
5) RPSY 816: Advanced Rehabilitation Counseling Practice with People with Developmental Disabilities (3 credits).
6) HSCI 915 (Fall-1 credit) and HSCI 916 (Spring-1 credit): Development Disabilities: Current Research and Practice I & II.
7) SPHS 888 (Fall-1 credit) and 889 (Spring-1 credit): Autism and other Developmental Disabilities in Children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing I and II.
8) Approved LEND or CIDD faculty-sponsored independent study (must be approved by certificate director).
Note that all coursework listed above (including independent study) may not count towards your degree program.
For more information, contact Dr. Gabriel Dichter at
dichter@med.unc.edu