Additional IDD trainings
There are numerous options for students interested in pursuing further education and training in intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Undergraduate Certificate in Developmental Disabilities
Jacy Farkas, MA, ABD, is an assistant director at the Sonoran Center.
The Sonoran Center for Excellence in Disabilities offers a 12-unit certificate in developmental disabilities to undergraduate students. “This certificate is one of our flagship programs,” said Jacy Farkas, MA, ABD, assistant director at the Sonoran Center who oversees the Center’s interdisciplinary pre-service training. Courses include a required course on disability perspectives in research, policy and practice; a community portfolio workshop class; a scholarly project research experience; and a choice of two elective courses ranging from developmental cognitive neuroscience to disability perspectives and narratives focused on narratives written by people with disabilities about their experiences. Farkas is the instructor for the community portfolio and co-teaches the disability perspectives course with Sonoran Center post-doctoral scholar, Austin Duncan, PhD.
Bachelor of Science in Medicine
The foundational disability perspectives course (FCM 496D) that anchors the Sonoran Center’s undergraduate certificate program is a required course for the new Bachelor of Science in Medicine program. The course provides an introduction into how the lives of people with disabilities are framed by society through research, policy and practice.
Another Sonoran Center offering, the Disability Policy Fellowship launched in September 2020. “This fellowship brings in undergraduate and graduate students and it focuses on policy issues that affect people with developmental and other disabilities,” said Farkas. “We often get students from different disciplines, and they have the opportunity to work with folks in the community who are working on policy issues. They also meet with legislators and their staff to talk about some of the issues and research to bring awareness to those areas that are of interest to them.”
This fellowship engages historically underrepresented students in disability research, practice and policy. Through the fellowship, students engage in activities that promote diversity and inclusion, as well as engage culturally and linguistically diverse communities as part of their projects. Current tracks focus on building capacity in Native American and US-Mexico Borderland communities.
Internship and research opportunities
Students from any discipline can work with Sonoran Center faculty or staff to develop skills and expertise in the disability field through innovative projects.