B.A. in Developmental Disabilities

The developmental disabilities program is strongly tied to our college mission to prepare educational and mental health leaders who demonstrate the knowledge, skills and dispositions needed to serve others and who further the values and practices of their respective professions. This new Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree program in developmental disabilities was developed in partnership with many of our community-based agencies and created to meet the comprehensive needs of an estimated population of more than 4.7 million individuals with developmental disabilities. In accordance with the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act (DD Act, P.L. 106-402), Niagara University's program is designed to create a workforce that can promote and maximize the independence, productivity and social integration of individuals with developmental disabilities. The developmental disabilities program is comprised of 124 credit hours of coursework. Students will receive a liberal arts-based curriculum with a focus on the delivery of services to individuals with disabilities within an agency setting. The program includes a culminating practicum within a partnering agency and a related seminar where students will be provided with training that will lead to various certifications in the areas of Medicaid, Investigative Training, and Strategies for Crisis Intervention and Prevention (SCIP). Upon completion of this degree, graduates will be qualified to pursue employment in all levels of service provision from family support services, rehabilitation, group and residential homes, independent living, and Medicaid services. Program highlights General education and liberal arts concentration. Coursework in developmental disabilities, independent living and transition. Field experiences in community agencies. Transfer credit options to maximize time to degree completion. Credit for work experience in agency.