Disability Policy and Services Certificate
Overview
The certificate in disability policy and services is designed to allow graduate and undergraduate students, as well as community professionals, to study policies and services that affect the lives of children, youth, and adults with disabilities.
The 12-credit program surveys the spectrum of education, health, and social services available to individuals with disabilities and their families, and examines the public and private networks of disability services from an interdisciplinary perspective. While the program addresses the needs of people with all types of disabilities, it emphasizes developmental disabilities across the lifespan.
The program's individualized learning experience (ILE) requires students to integrate theory with practice by completing a disability-related research project or working directly with people with disabilities in settings such as schools, recreation centers, or human-service agencies.
Completion of certificate requirements will be noted on the student's transcript. The certificate has been approved as training for designated coordinators by the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS). Candidates for state certification must complete additional requirements.
The certificate program is a collaborative effort of the Department of Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development and Institute on Community Integration (ICI) in the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD). ICI is a federally-designated University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, committed to improving community services and social supports for persons with disabilities and their families.
Admission
Admission is open to degree-seeking or non-degree seeking students who meet the following criteria:
- Be a graduate-level student or undergraduate-level student who has completed at least 60 undergraduate semester credits of coursework or equivalent. Students must have completed a two- or four-year college degree or equivalent coursework.
- Have a minimum 2.50 grade point average (GPA)
Students must complete all program requirements within five years after program admission, and must maintain a minimum 3.00 GPA. To stay in good program standing, students must carry no more than three credits of incomplete coursework and must respond to an annual survey updating their current status in the program.
How to Apply
Applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis and may be submitted at any time.
Application Materials
All applicants must submit the following items:
- Unofficial transcripts from all post-secondary institutions you have attended or are currently
attending, including the University of Minnesota. Transcripts can be uploaded directly into the ApplyYourself online
application system. For instructions on how to upload your transcripts into the application system,
click here.
If you completed coursework at a university outside of the United States, your transcripts must be evaluated by a professional credential evaluation center. Request a “course-by-course” evaluation. This process can take 4-6 weeks, so please plan in advance. You can use any provider that is an accredited member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). A suggested provider of this service is Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE), P.O. Box 514070, Milwaukee, WI 53203-3470 (414-289-3400, fax: 414-289-3411). - Program specific questions: Please address the following five questions on a separate sheet of paper. Please answer each question listed and limit your response to 2 typed or word-processed pages, size-12 font. Upload your responses to the ApplyYourself online application in the "Program Specific Questions" upload area.
- What are you major areas of interest in the field of disability services or related to individuals with disabilities?
- What have been your past experiences in the area of disability services or related to individuals with disabilities?
- What is your current involvement in the field of disability services or related to individuals with disabilities?
- What is your anticipated or desired career interest?
- Why are you interested in the Disability Policy and Services Certificate Program?
Application Instructions
- Log in to the online application system to apply to the certificate program. Be sure to save your PIN and password so you can access the application system to view your admission stats.
- When completing “Application Information” you will be asked what type of program you are applying to—choose “Certificate” from the pull down menu. Next you will be asked for your primary program objective—choose “Disability and Policy Services” from the pull down menu. You do not need to select a second or third emphasis. You can skip those boxes and continue to complete the rest of the page.
- Continue through the application pages. Upload your resume and answers to program specific questions (see questions above) on the "Supplemental Material" page.
- Be sure to hit "submit" after you have completed the application. You will receive a decision notification by email within three weeks of submission of your application.
- Click here to begin the online application process.
Nonnative English Speakers and/or International Students
All nonnative English speakers must submit an official score report from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
Minimum TOEFL score requirements are:
Internet-based test: 79-80
Computer-based test: 213
Paper-based test: 550
Curriculum
The certificate program has three required components: a three-credit interdisciplinary core course; six credits of specialized course work; and an individualized learning experience (ILE) accompanied by six interdisciplinary reflection groups. Students are encouraged to work with their advisers and the ICI certificate coordinator to plan their programs. Coursework applied to the certificate must be taken A-F.
Required course (3 cr)
- OLPD 5356 [Formerly EDPA 5356]—Disability Policy and Services (3 cr)
This course provides a broad overview of disability policy and services, and introduces students to philosophical approaches to service provision, the evolution of policies and services affecting people with disabilities, and contemporary approaches to providing services to people with disabilities throughout the life cycle.
Specialized coursework (6 cr)
This component broadens the student's level of knowledge in disability policies and services. Students must choose from courses offered across the University focusing on disability policy, disability services, and/or interdisciplinary teaming, such as communication disorders, family social science, kinesiology, nursing, public affairs, or social work.
A list of more than 50 approved courses is available from the ICI certificate coordinator.
Individualized learning experience (ILE) and interdisciplinary reflection groups (3 cr/200 hours)
This component allows students to integrate and apply the information they have learned in coursework. Students work with the ICI certificate coordinator to design an individualized learning experience (ILE) in which they work with persons who have disabilities in settings like schools, recreation centers, health clinics, or human-service agencies. Students with considerable direct experience may alternatively design a project focusing on disability-related research, policy advocacy, governmental services, or other agency activities. The ILE can be completed in one or two semesters, but must total at least three credits and at least 200 hours.
Students also participate in at least six, one-hour interdisciplinary reflection groups to discuss relevant topics and ways to integrate field experiences with coursework. Reflection groups are offered throughout the year, including the summer session.
Program Completion
Final certificate clearance depends on completion of all course requirements, including the posting of final grades to the student’s transcript, and approval by program faculty.
In addition to completing all program requirements, students must complete the following form:
Student Services clears certificates on a monthly basis. This form must be submitted to Student Services on or before the first day of the month that the student intends to graduate. Students who submit forms to Student Services after the first day of the month will be cleared to graduate at the end of the following month.
Successful completion of the certificate will be noted on the student's official University of Minnesota transcript and an official certificate will be issued.
Contact
For more information about this program, contact:
Beth Fondell, certificate coordinator
Institute on Community Integration
University of Minnesota
103 Pattee Hall
150 Pillsbury Drive S.E.
Minneapolis MN 55455
Phone: 612-624-6830
Email: fond0030@umn.edu
Revised April 2012