Outstanding Faculty / Real World Curriculum

At Saint Mary’s, you will learn from faculty members who offer a wealth of interdisciplinary expertise and practical experience with autism. You will see a direct benefit from their focus on building your critical-thinking abilities, and an emphasis on developing your ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing. The tools they give you will help you reach the apex of your abilities and challenge you to discover new and innovative ways to improve the human condition. You will learn side by side with a team of educators who are all as passionate about helping you become a leader in the field of autism as they are about making a positive difference in the lives of people on the spectrum.

An Interdisciplinary Approach

Because autism is a multidimensional entity, best practices in autism services employ an interdisciplinary approach. Autism professionals are routinely called upon to collaborate in interprofessional teams, therefore, as a student in the MAS program at Saint Mary’s, you will complete coursework in psychology, statistics, research methods, approaches to autism intervention, speech language pathology, occupational therapy, education, social work, ethics and the humanities (philosophy, theology, history and literature).

You will also be introduced to a broader range of autism interventions than other programs in the field. You’ll explore historical and modern approaches to ASD intervention, including: behavioralist and developmental models; focused and comprehensive interventions; school-based models, communication-based models, social skills and group therapy models; pharmacological therapies; and complementary and alternative approaches. You’ll examine the theoretical underpinnings of these approaches, as well as participating in practical workshops devoted to common intervention techniques. In some cases, the workshops may provide opportunities for certification in a particular approach or treatment model.

When you complete this program, you will be ready to lead the way in developing interdisciplinary and interprofessional responses to autism.

Outstanding Faculty / Real World Curriculum

The Master of Autism Studies degree is versatile and can lead you down various career paths depending on your interests and work background. Some examples of where graduates of our MAS have taken their careers since graduating include:

• Ph.D. is Psychology
• Case manager, St. Joseph County (Ind.) Mobile Crisis Unit
• Interim Director, El Campito Child Development Center, South Bend, Ind.
• Autism Support in Classroom, Grand Rapids Public Schools, Mich.
• ABA therapist
• Speech Language Pathologist (MAS+MSSLP Dual Degree)

If you are interested in learning more about where the Master of Autism Studies can take you, contact the Office of Graduate Studies to schedule a meeting with the program director.

Workshops and Colloquia

Our Master of Autism Studies program offers exciting opportunities to enhance your education through interactive workshops and colloquia. Expert scholars and clinicians are brought to the Saint Mary’s campus to delve more deeply into the most promising autism interventions. Our popular workshops—which are open to regional ASD practitioners—provide opportunities to deepen your understanding of today’s approaches to autism intervention, while working with leading experts in the field. In some cases, workshops may also provide participants with opportunities to practice these techniques and/or to become certified in a particular approach or model of treatment.

The Master of Autism Studies program offers additional opportunities for MAS graduate students to enhance classroom learning. Colloquia are informal discussions about important autism-related topics that serve as a chance for students and community members to interact and understand how scholarly autism research can be applied to aspects of everyday life.

Accelerated Master's Pathway

College juniors may apply to the Master of Autism Studies program. If admitted to the graduate program, you will complete two graduate courses the summer before your senior year and one to two graduate courses during your senior year prior to baccalaureate graduation. You will continue Autism Studies courses in the fall term following your baccalaureate graduation and continue for the next spring and summer terms to complete the bachelors and graduate degree in five years. This is an extraordinary opportunity to maximize your college experience and get you into the workforce more quickly—at a more advanced level.