Graduate Certificate in Transition from K-12 to Adulthood

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Program Link:
Program Handbook:
https://ceshs.wsu.edu/transition-from-k-12-to-adulthood/
Priority Deadlines:

Campus:

  • Global Campus (online)

International Student English Proficiency Exams

International students may need to surpass the Graduate School’s minimum English language proficiency exam scores for this program. If the graduate program has unique score requirements, they will be detailed below. Otherwise, please refer to the Graduate School’s minimum score guidelines.

Degree Description:

The Graduate Certificate in Transition from K-12 to Adulthood prepares K-12 educators and other professionals — including vocational rehabilitation personnel, postsecondary education career specialists, and adult disability service providers — to improve post-school outcomes for youth with disabilities. The program provides advanced, applied training in evidence-based transition education practices aligned with the Council for Exceptional Children’s Division on Career Development and Transition (CEC-DCDT) Advanced Transition Specialty Set of standards, and is under concurrent review for national accreditation by CEC-DCDT.

The certificate is organized as a four-course, 12-credit sequence:

  • Spec Ed 503: Secondary Education for Students with Disabilities (prerequisite; concurrent enrollment permitted)
  • Spec Ed 531: Self-Determination, Family Involvement, and Independent Living
  • Spec Ed 532: Career Development and Employment of Individuals with Disabilities
  • Spec Ed 533: College and Postsecondary Education for Students with Disabilities

Courses are delivered fully online and asynchronously through WSU Global Campus, making the program accessible to rural and working professionals across Washington state and beyond. The certificate is open to both degree-seeking and non-degree-seeking students, and coursework may be applied toward elective credit requirements for existing WSU graduate degrees and, where applicable, toward the Special Education endorsement.

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Admission Requirements:

  • Minimum GPA: 3.0
  • Requirement of prior coursework in special education or a related field and/or experience working with people with disabilities in school or community-based settings
  • Please submit a 1-2 page letter of intent (personal statement), which addresses the following items:
    • Experience working with people with disabilities in school or community-based settings
    • Professional goals related to improving post-school outcomes for people with disabilities following completion of this graduate certificate.

Student Opportunities:

Students in the Graduate Certificate in Transition from K-12 to Adulthood gain expertise in career development, postsecondary education pathways, self-determination, family involvement, independent living, and relevant policy and legislation. The program is taught by WSU’s nationally recognized special education faculty, whose collective expertise in transition has supported more than $20 million in collaborative competitive grant applications over the past five years. Coursework is designed to align with the goals of state and regional partners — including the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (WA-DVR), and the Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) — ensuring that graduates develop high-demand, practice-ready skills.

 

Career Opportunities:

Graduates of the certificate are prepared to take on leadership and specialist roles in schools, vocational rehabilitation agencies, state leadership positions, and community organizations serving individuals with disabilities. The program equips professionals to apply research-validated transition practices that address workforce participation and postsecondary education disparities for youth with disabilities across Washington state and nationally. Potential career settings include K-12 school districts, educational service districts, state adult disability service agencies, postsecondary institutions, and rehabilitation counseling and social work organizations.

Contact Information: