Following approval by the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education, a Pee Dee County university is set to offer the state’s first-of-its-kind degree program.
During the organization’s March 7 meeting, Francis Marion University was approved to start the special education/autism studies bachelor’s degree program this fall.
“The addition of this new degree in Autism Studies further solidifies the university’s reputation for providing programs that are critically needed in our region and state,” said FMU President Fred Carter. “With special legislative funding, we are starting the first multi-disciplinary, collaborative program in South Carolina. Our graduates will be fully prepared to meet the needs of autistic and neurodevelopmentally divergent students in K-12, collegiate, and workplace settings.”
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about 1 in 36 children has been identified with autism spectrum disorder and about 1 in 6 (17%) children aged 3–17 years were diagnosed with a developmental disability, as reported by parents, during a study period of 2009-2017.
Francis Marion University officials stated the School of Health Sciences, School of Education, and Department of Psychology will collaborate to create the curriculum.
"This degree will prepare students to get their Bachelor of Science in an undergraduate degree ... in special education. And they can work in the public schools, working with children who have autism. And they could offer services that include behavioral therapy,” said Dr. Callum Johnston, Dean of the School of Education of the university.
The curriculum includes 14 courses for students majoring in autism studies. The degree is designed to provide multiple ways to educate, help, and treat autistic children and adults, according to Francis Marion University President Fred Carter.
"This should be a prototype for autism programs for the next decade," Carter said in an interview with the Post and Courier.
