College of Education adds three new degree programs

The College of Education at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) is pleased to announce the addition of three new degree programs. Its Department of Kinesiology has added a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Sport and Fitness Management (SFM), while its Department of Curriculum and Instruction has added a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in Elementary Grades (K-6) and a Master of Science (MS) in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA).

"The rationale for adding each of these three programs was market demand," explains Dr. Beth Quick, dean of the College. "There was strong demand for the new BS in SFM, which complements our existing BS in Kinesiology, as sport and fitness management is a fast-growing field. The MAT offers an option for career changers and non-traditional students to complete a graduate degree and satisfy all state requirements to become licensed elementary teachers. Finally, the MS in ABA is in response to requests from local school districts to respond to an increased demand for board certified behavior analysts." The latter, she adds, is the only one of its kind in Northern Alabama, which tends to report a higher number of students with autism spectrum disorders as compared with the rest of the state.

The rationale for adding each of these three programs was market demand.

The BS in SFM integrates existing curricula in kinesiology, business, and communications, with a focus on sport and fitness management and marketing, sport and fitness leadership, facilities and equipment, and legal issues as they relate to sport, fitness, recreation, and exercise. Because the program’s outcomes align with the standards of key professional associations such as the Commission of Sport Management Accreditation, graduates will be prepared for both graduate studies and entry into management, marketing, and administrative positions of sport programs in educational and sport business settings.

The MAT focuses on educating individuals who already possess an undergraduate degree but who want to pursue a career teaching kindergarten through sixth grade in public or private school classrooms or an advanced degree in a related educational field. Graduates of the program will be required to pass all state-required assessments, including the PRAXIS CORE exams, PRAXIS II content examinations, and edTPA; create rigorous teaching units that use evidenced-based practices in elementary education; differentiate instruction based upon the learning needs of their students; and execute age-appropriate lessons focused on age- or grade-appropriate learning standards.

The MS in ABA provides an opportunity to support the education of individuals with unique behavior needs by applying rigorous, scientific methods to develop programs and services for these individuals. The program benefits from UAH’s membership in the Regional Autism Network under the leadership of assistant professor Dr. Whitney Meade and the College’s close relationship with the UAH Early Learning Center, which provides a variety of early childhood education options for children with and without disabilities and which has established strong collaborative relationships with local school districts. Graduates of the program will be prepared to successfully complete the Behavior Certified Behavior Analyst exam and to serve as a behavioral specialist or applied behavioral analysis therapist, the demand for which has grown since the Alabama Legislature approved legislation requiring health insurance coverage for the use of Applied Behavioral Analysis as an approved therapy for children with autism.

"I am very excited to launch these new undergraduate and graduate degree options as the College of Education continues to expand and respond to the expressed needs and interests of the students and communities it serves," says Dr. Quick. "The new degrees will complement and expand our offerings, and will produce caring, competent professionals equipped for success in their selected fields of study."

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