This track/ concentration focuses on services related to disabilities and advocacy fields for patients and their caregivers. These specific areas include but are not limited to autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), mental/ emotional disabilities, other social/ behavioral issues, as well as physical, and people in recovery from alcohol, drug, or other addictions. Advocacy includes education on rights, identification of discrimination, raising awareness, and seeking solutions in these areas. Graduates seek leadership positions in either community-based or public/ state organizations, working with people with disabilities of any kind and their caregivers. They also promote and advocate for the service, care and education of children, adolescents, and life-long learners in any field. In order to focus on specific topics of interest, students can select a number of elective courses fitting their individual career aspirations and areas of interest.
Career Opportunities
Career opportunities include but are not limited to working in private or public-school settings, non-, or for-profit organizations, or family settings as disabilities service consultants, transition specialist, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) specialists, advocates, and/ or outreach directors and coordinators. In some instances, graduates work as independent consultants, behavioral coaches, and trainers (e.g., Birth to Three), depending on the field they focus on.
Courses
The coursework includes:
- General Studies: 31 – 39 credit hours
- Common Core: 40 credit hours
- Track/Concentration: 41-49 credit hours
Click to view and download the complete Planning Checklist.
- Academic 4-Year Plan(s)
West Liberty University’s Bachelor of Arts in Community Education Program follows the 120 credit hour model for a bachelor’s degree and is designed for completion in three academic years. Despite the intention of this program to be an accelerated three-year program, students who wish to expand their studies to four years have the option to do so, by not taking summer classes but adding a fourth year of Fall IV and/or Spring IV classes.
Community Education’s Disabilities Services Partnership
Augusta Levy Learning Center, Wheeling, WV
Birth to Three, WV
Northern Panhandle Headstart Inc, Wheeling, WV
Ohio County Family Resource Network
Wheeling Country Day School – Edge/ Multisensory Learning Center
Questions
For more information, please contact:
Director of Community Education
Dr. Miriam Roth Douglas
West Liberty University
308 Main Hall
208 University Drive
Campus Union Box 162
West Liberty, WV 26074
Office: 304-336-8561
Fax: 304-336-8627
miriam.douglas@westliberty.edu