Graduate Catalog 2025-2026

Specialization in Autism Spectrum Disorder Education

The Master of Arts in Autism Spectrum Disorder Education is designed to prepare competent professionals with the skills necessary to use new knowledge and abilities in the psychoeducational diagnosis, management, and appropriate interventions for students with autism spectrum disorder. Train professionals with knowledge and sensitivity for the education of students with ASD, in addition, develop knowledge in technology and its application.

The San Germán Campus is authorized to offer this program.

Competencies for Graduate's Profile 

The Program is designed to develop the skills that allow the student to:

Knowledge

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

  1. the theoretical foundations of Autism, as well as the different explanatory theories of it.

  2. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) according to the current DSMV.

  3. the special educational needs of children with autism spectrum disorder.

  4. the needs of families of people with ASD.

  5. the areas of social, language, and cognitive development, among others, in the psychopedagogical evaluation of the student with ASD.

  6. psychoeducational intervention for students with ASD.

  7. educational intervention, as well as mastering the methods: TEACCH, ABA, MIIA, LINKS, STAR, DIR, PECS, PRT, EIBI, PBS, HANEN, SCERT, Denver, LEAP, among others.

  8. Appropriate technological assistance for the intervention and better functioning of students with ASD.

  9. adapting teaching skills for students with ASD.

  10. the evaluation and pedagogical diagnosis of students with ASD.

Abilities

  1. Psychopedagogically evaluate and diagnose students with ASD.

  2. Use the different intervention models in ASD.

  3. Design intervention plans for students with ASD.

  4. Use the competencies of psychopedagogical diagnosis, management and appropriate interventions and treatment of students with ASD.

  5. Use technological assistance.

Attitudes

  1. Value the professional role with responsibility and commitment.

  2. Recognize and value family, educational, legal and health services offered to students with autism spectrum disorder.

  3. Assess the ethical and legal principles involved in the intervention for students with autism spectrum disorder.

  4. Demonstrate responsibility and commitment to personal, professional development and teamwork. 

Admission Requirements

To be admitted, the student must:

  1. Possess a bachelor's degree from a recognized and accredited higher education institution.

  2. A statistics course

  3. Students who do not have a specialty in education must take an Introduction to Special Education course.

  4. Comply with all general admission standards established in the Graduate Catalog of the Inter-American University of Puerto Rico, electronic version.

Certification Teaching Personnel for Education Department of Puerto Rico

The student interested in obtaining the certification of teaching staff to practice in Puerto Rico must comply with the current requirements of the Department of Education of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

Academic Progress Requirements

The academic progress requirements for the proposed Master of Arts in Autism Spectrum Disorder Education are as follows:

  1. Comply with all academic progress standards established in the Graduate Catalog.

  2. Pass all courses with a minimum grade of B.

Graduation requirements

In addition to meeting all graduation requirements established in the Graduate Catalog, the applicant for the Master of Arts in Autism Spectrum Disorder Education, through the one-year program, must:

  1. Be a regular student.

  2. Obtain an academic index of 3.00 or more.

  3. Have completed all the courses required in the Study Program, as established in the Graduate Catalog of the Inter-American University of Puerto Rico.

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MASTER OF ARTS IN AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER EDUCATION

Fundamentals of Education Requirements

  9 credits

Core Requirements

21 credits

Prescribed Distributive Requirements

  6 credits

Operational Requirement

  3 credits

Total

39 credits


Fundamentals of Education Requirements - 9 credits

EDUC 5111Educational Research I

3

EDUC 6220Human Development and Diversity Processes

3

EDUC 6058Legal Foundations of Education

3

Prescribed Distributive Requirements - 6 credits

Select two (2) courses, among the following:

EDUC 6066Technological Aid in Teaching Exceptional Students

3

EDUC 6143Transition Process and Employment in Special Education and Vocational Rehabilitation

3

EDUC 6300Strategies, Methods and Techniques for Teaching Reading and Writing to the Exceptional Population

3

EDUC 6320Strategies, Methods and Techniques for Teaching Mathematics to the Exceptional Population

3

EDUC 6380Administration of Special Education Programs

3

EDUC 6910Practice Teaching**

3

**Applies only to students who do not have an approved Teaching Practice in Special Education.

Operational Requirements - 3 credits

EDUC 697_Integrative seminar in education on autistic spectrum disorder

3

Core Requirements - 21 credits

EDUC 6090Students with Autism

3

EDUC 6091Psychosocial and Neurophysiological Aspects of Students with ASD

3

EDUC 6092Methods of Multisensory and Multimodal Communication for Students with ASD

3

EDUC 6093Behavior Management and Interventions for Students with ASD

3

EDUC 6094Curriculum and Educational Methodologies for Students with ASD

3

EDUC 6095Curriculum and Educational Methodologies for Students with ASD

3

EDUC 6096Curricular Adaptation of Teaching Skills for the Student with ASD

3