Understanding Autism Course - The University of Kent
DURATION
4 Weeks
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
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EARLIEST START DATE
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STUDY FORMAT
Distance Learning
Key Summary
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Introduction
Understand more about autism, including diagnosis, the autistic spectrum, and life with autism with this CPD-certified course.
First identified over 70 years ago, autism is a lifelong developmental disability affecting how a person communicates with and relates to others, and how they make sense of the world. It is a spectrum condition; all people on the spectrum share certain difficulties, but their condition affects them in different ways.
Around 700,000 people in the UK are on the spectrum, 1 in every 100 people. There are no blood tests or brain scans that will detect autism - so what exactly are we talking about?
What topics will you cover?
- What is autism
- Social communication skills
- Sensory sensitivities and repetitive behaviours
- Co-occurring conditions
- Strengths and difficulties of people on the autism spectrum
- Lived experiences of people on the autism spectrum
When would you like to start?
Most FutureLearn courses run multiple times. Every run of a course has a set start date but you can join it and work through it after it starts.
- Date to be announced
What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, youโll be able to:
- Explain what autism is, and evaluate how we know it really exists.
- Identify social communication skills and explain what happens if they do not develop as expected.
- Summarise knowledge of sensory and repetitive behaviours, and whether such behaviours are advantages or disadvantages.
- Explain why many people on the autism spectrum have co-occurring conditions.
- Identify the origins of strengths and difficulties experienced by people on the autism spectrum.
- Explore and discuss the lived experiences of people on the autism spectrum.
Who will you learn with?
Jill Bradshaw
Dr Jill Bradshaw is a Senior Lecturer in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and a Speech/Language Therapist -Tizard Centre, University of Kent. She has been working in this field for 25 years.
Fiona Gullon-Scott
I am An Associate Lecturer with the Tizard Centre and Lecturer at Newcastle University. A Chartered Psychologist, I have specialised in autism spectrum conditions for over 22 years.
Who developed the course?
The University of Kent
The University of Kent, the UKโs European university, is one of the countryโs most dynamic universities. Established in 1965, it now has 19,850 students studying at its various campuses.
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Ideal Students
Who is the course for?
You donโt need any prior experience or qualifications to do this course but it might be of interest to practitioners in the field of autism, healthcare workers, people on the autism spectrum, and parents or carers.
It is ideal for anyone considering postgraduate study in the field, such as the PCert in Autism Studies at the University of Kent.