School of
Graduate Studies

Coursework & Program Requirements

Courses in law, policy and leadership will prepare you to become a leader that enriches the lives of people with disabilities.

The Interdisciplinary Leadership in Disability Studies (ILDS) Certificate requires 12 credit hours -- nine credit hours from three required courses and three credit hours from a selection of elective courses that is related to disability and suits your interests.

Courses are online and primarily asynchronous. Enrolled students have four years to complete the ILDS certificate, although it can be completed in as little as one year.

Required Courses

Nine credit hours will be obtained from the following three required courses.
 

LAW 8815S | Leadership In Disability Studies: A Multidisciplinary Approach

An overview of the history of disability issues, some individualized perspectives of persons with disabilities, the rationale for interdisciplinary approaches regarding disability studies, and opportunities for leadership development with regard to disability issues. The students will participate in a forum that encourages reflection, exchange of ideas, interaction with persons with disabilities and persons from various fields of study, and case analysis. After an orientation to the study of disabilities, various aspects of community membership for persons with disabilities will be addressed, particularly with regard to the workplace, the neighborhood, and the home. Emphasis with placed on vital leadership roles that facilitate community membership and contribution of persons with disabilities to society.

  • Offered in Fall semester

SOC-WK 5563 | Life Span Issues in Developmental Disabilities

The need for interdisciplinary process in the human services sector, which supports inclusiveness and quality of life of individuals, is covered. The course covers cultural competence, person-centered and community-based application of services for their implications in planning and delivery of services.

  • Offered in Spring semester

SGS 5501 | Disability and Community Support

Disability and Community Support is an academic service-learning course that integrates 15 classroom contact hours with 60 service hours within a framework of Disability Studies.

  • Offered in Fall, Spring and Summer semesters

Elective Course Options

Elective options are flexible and designed to work with the student's graduate degree program and/or career interests, as long as it is related to or can be applied to the disability field.

Three credit hours are required and must be approved by the ILDS coordinator before enrolling.

The following courses have been preapproved as, but are not limited to, ILDS Certificate electives:

CONSVTY 5537
Administration of Music Therapy
CONSVTY 5541
Theories and Practice of Music Therapy
CPCE 5534
Practicum For The Assessment Of Children And Adolescents
EDUC 5552 Advanced Diagnostic And Treatment Procedures In Reading
EDUC-C&I 5577
Early Childhood Special Education Methods
EDUC-SP 5506
Special Education Law, Individualized Education Programs (IEP's), and Transition 
EDUC-SP 5507
Introduction To Mild/Moderate Cross-Categorical Disabilities
EDUC-SP 5508
Assessment for Special Educators
EDUC-SP 5509 
Cognition & Lang Dev In Mild/Mod Cross-Categorical Disabilities 
EDUC-SP 5512 
Methods I: Introduction to Teaching Students with Mild/Moderate Cross-Categorical
EDUC-SP 5513
Methods II: Teaching Students with Mild/Moderate Cross-Categorical Disabilities 
EDUC-SP 5514  Understanding and Addressing Challenging Behavior in the Classroom
EDUC-SP 5516
Collaborating with Families and Other Professionals
EDUL 5550 Organization & Administration of Higher Education
HPRE 5557 Culturally Competent Health Professions Education
MGT-5512
Leading and Managing People, Teams and Organizations
PUB-ADM 5553 Legal Framework & Financial Management of Nonprofit Organizations
SOCIOL 5556
Aging And Developmental Disabilities
SOCIOL 5557 
Practicum In Aging And Developmental Disabilities
SOC-WK 5560 Psychopathology: A Competency Based Assessment Model in Social Work Practice

More information on the courses is listed in the course descriptions in the catalog.

Graduate students pursuing a variety of disciplines find the ILDS Certificate compliments their studies and makes them more competitive in the job market.

Students working toward a graduate degree at UMKC may take a course in their major toward the elective for the certificate.

Good Standing Requirement

While there is no GPA requirement to apply, students must maintain a B- or higher in their ILDS courses.