This is a programme designed for professionals working with children and young people on the autism spectrum, including Asperger syndrome. It is appropriate for those working in early years provision, schools, residential care, advisory, support or therapeutic services. The programme draws on the student’s own experience as part of the content and assessment.

The programme is offered as a taught course on the University of Birmingham campus on a full or part-time basis.

Distance Learning programmes

Students can study these programmes on a part-time basis from anywhere in the UK or internationally (if they have access to the Internet). Each distance learning student has a personal tutor in a regional or online tutor group and learning is supported through paper-based study packs, tutorial groups, telephone, email and online WebCT contact, which encourages students to share experience. There are two University-based study weekends in September and April at the University of Birmingham in the first year and for those students going on to a second year of study.

Three compulsory modules are studied in the first year and they lead to the award of AdCert (Undergraduate level)or PGCert (Masters Level). For students wishing to gain a PGDip, three more modules from autism or from another field of study are studied in the second year. For students wishing to gain a BPhil or MEd, further modules in autism and/or other fields are studied and a dissertation submitted. The dissertation must be in the area of autism.

You may be interested now or in the future in our other autism courses. These are both distance learning courses.

• Autism (Adults)
• Autism Spectrum (Web autism)

There are also other programmes which incorporate modules on autism such as: 

• Severe, Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties
• Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties

Campus based Programme

This is part-time programme. By studying part-time, you remain in your work setting and can therefore tailor the programme to meet your professional needs. All activities and assignments in the programme have a practical as well as a theoretical perspective.

Learning and teaching take place through:

• Teaching sessions: There are weekly teaching sessions every Tuesday evening at the University 
• Tutorials: with the programme of study tutors, either as a group or individually. 
• Reading books, journals and using electronic resources. 
• Reflecting on and critically evaluating your everyday practice within your schools and services

Distance Learning Programme

By studying at a distance, you remain in your work setting and can therefore tailor the programme to meet your professional needs or your particular interests and experiences. All activities and assignments in the programme have a practical as well as a theoretical perspective. We hope you will find that your own experiences with children and young people on the autism spectrum will link with the ideas and activities in the programme. However, as well as being a practitioner, you are also very much a student and will have the resources of a large university to help you on and off campus. Learning and teaching take place through: 

Self-study materials

Self-study materials are in the form of booklets, and resources on a memory stick and on-line on WebCT. The programme materials are written as Units which make up a Module. Each Module has overall aims and outcomes and there are activities (which are not assessed) which you can do to relate the text to your own situation. In addition to the Units, students are expected to read a range of other books and journal articles.

Regional Tutorials

The tutorials with a tutor and other students are to support students in their learning. At the tutorials students discuss course materials, plan assignments and share their experiences of practice in the field. Attendance at tutorials is essential so that you learn from each other by listening and contributing. For international students, and in some exceptional cases in the UK, it may not be possible to find a local tutor group, and students will then be supported by a tutor using email.

Residential Study Weekends

These weekends, in September and April at the University of Birmingham, are essential in the first year of study. The first residential weekend acts as an introduction to the course in a series of lectures. It introduces many of the ideas in the course and prepares students for the particular approaches to study. The second weekend is a mixture of lectures and workshops. In both weekends, it is a chance to visit the University, buy relevant books, mix with students and tutors and meet people on the autism spectrum who are able to articulate what autism means to them. Study weekends operate from Friday lunchtime to Sunday lunchtime.

The date of the first residential weekend will be 14 - 16 September 2012.

Learning Assessment

Learning is assessed through a written assignment at the end of each module. The assignments for the first two modules on the programme are essays, addressing an issue that is of practical and intellectual significance to the student. Students are expected to draw on the literature and their own experience to support their arguments. The third assignment in the first year is a project module where the student undertakes and writes up a piece of reflective practice. These first three modules form the ‘core’ and are compulsory for an award to be made in Autism (Children). The three modules are sequential; information in Modules 2 and 3 building on the earlier units and the modules must be taken in sequence.

In the second year, students may stay within the autism field by taking a double project (which is all that is needed at Level H for a BPhil, followed by the dissertation of 10,000 words). Masters students may also do a double project module, but in addition they need to do one or two other subject modules, which may be the second module from the Autism (Adults) programme, or a module on Challenging Behaviour and Autism, or a module on Inclusive practice. Masters students then take the research module (PIE) and write a 15,000 word dissertation.

Students who successfully complete three modules at Level H are awarded the Advanced Certificate in Autism (children) at the end of the first year or they can proceed into a second year to complete the BPhil degree. Students who successfully complete three modules at Level M are awarded the Postgraduate Certificate in Autism (children) at the end of the first year or can continue to study for the Postgraduate Diploma (one more year) or a Masters degree (two more years minimum).

The aims of the Autism (Children) programme are to give students knowledge of the autism spectrum, based on theory, research and practice. It aims to develop skills in identifying and meeting the needs of children and young people and to improve the student’s awareness of different approaches and models of service delivery (particularly in the area of education). Taking the perspective of the individual child or young person on the autism spectrum is paramount, and listening to parents, carers and families on what they need and value is also stressed.

There is the opportunity to work towards a further professional qualification in the field of Education both within schools and in other settings, including progression to a PhD or EdD. The excellent careers advice provided by personal tutors has encouraged many of our graduates to successfully apply for leadership roles working with children with autism. These include: specialist teachers, education advisors, special educational needs coordinators, teaching assistants and youth workers,