Graduate Certificate - Orientation and Mobility

An Orientation and Mobility Graduate Certification option for those who want to work in a professional setting assisting individuals who are blind/visually impaired reach their goal of becoming safe, efficient, independent travelers.

The University of Massachusetts Boston offers a Certification track for individuals who are interested in qualifying for certification as an Orientation and Mobility Specialist. For those individuals with existing qualifying academic credentials, a graduate certificate is an option offered by the UMass Boston Graduate College of Education and supported by the Northeast Regional Center for Vision Education (NERCVE) through the Institute for Community Inclusion. The program combines web-based course offerings with ""face to face"" curriculum features and locally based pre-practicum and practicum field experiences. Cooperatively established with federal, state, and private funding, the program is designed to both decrease students' on-campus commitment and increase field-based mentored activities within each of the six New England states. Based on continued funding, this program offers scholarship support for students who qualify.

Curriculum content is approved by the Association for the Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AERBVI). Students who complete the program of study qualify to sit for the international professional examination and resulting certification provided by the Academy for the Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (ACVREP). Graduates of the program can expect to find employment opportunities in various settings, including state and federal agencies, and public and private schools. Individuals who would like to pursue ""certification only"" in Orientation and Mobility must have a minimum of a bachelor degree and complete a total of 28 credits. Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments may be eligible to complete the program by taking 19 to 25 credits.