The University of Maryland Eastern Shore in Princess Anne has announced that it will now offer two certificate programs in special education; one for upperclassman pursuing bachelor’s degrees and another for graduate-level students.
“The special education certificates are extremely important to candidates who work in schools, or facilities, or communities that do not possess the skills to work with individuals who have intellectual, physical or emotional disabilities,” said Dr. Patricia Goslee, an assistant professor and director of the special education program at the university..
The curriculums are composed of six courses covering topics such as behavioral analysis, characteristics of exceptional individuals, and honing special communication skills. The undergraduate-level program was designed to appeal to students majoring in education, health care, social work, rehabilitation, and criminal justice. The graduate-level certificate was created to appeal to working professionals such as nurses, social workers, police and school resource officers, mental health workers, and current teachers who are looking to further their professional skill sets. The graduate-level courses will be offered in the evening.
According to Dr. Goslee, “approximately 55 percent of students with disabilities are educated in general education settings where educators are not highly skilled to work with this population. We believe this [program] will address those challenges.”
Dr. Goslee is a graduate of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. She earned a master’s degree in elementary special education and an educational doctorate at Wilmington University in Delaware. She joined the faculty at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore in 2014.
