Professional Certificates Now Offered Online
The University of South Dakota School of Health Sciences has begun offering two valuable certificate programs, the Clinical Research Coordinator Certificate program and the Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) program, online to better meet workforce demands.
Clinical Research Coordinator
The School of Health Sciences has begun offering a Clinical Research Coordinator Certificate program, a 12-credit undergraduate certificate that prepares students for careers as clinical research coordinators (CRC).
Clinical research coordinators are key members of the clinical research team, led by clinician investigators. CRCs facilitate and coordinate the daily research activities in clinical trials and research with the primary responsibility of ensuring participant safety, protocol compliance, quality data collection and entry, and overall best practices in the conduct of studies.
In response to a workforce need, the School of Health Sciences collaborated with Sanford Research in the development of the certificate. Through this joint endeavor, Sanford Research personnel will provide faculty support for advanced-level courses and hands-on learning modules required within the certificate.
“The regional workforce demand in this field and related fields is expected to grow 14.4% in the next 10 years,” said Amy Nelson, director of USD’s public Health and health sciences programs. “The work of a CRC is important because clinical trials improve thousands of lives around the world each year by finding new ways to detect and treat diseases and ensuring the safety of devices and treatments.”
The certificate encompasses the six areas of clinical research: research design, ethics and patient safety, product development and regulation, clinical trial operations, study and site management, and data management and informatics. After completing 3,000 hours of professional experience, students in the CTC program are eligible to sit for the CCRC exam through the Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP).
The first course in the online certificate, Introduction to Research, was offered online in fall 2023. Students can complete the certificate in three or four semesters and upon completion, will be qualified for entry-level clinical research positions.
Board Certified Behavior Analyst
One of the School of Health Sciences’ most in-demand certificates, the Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), is now offered online, becoming accessible to working professionals.
BCBAs® are key interdisciplinary members who work alongside educators or other related health providers. They are trained in applied behavior analysis and provide systematic, evidence-based services to promote socially significant skill acquisition and address behaviors that interfere with successful functioning.
As a two-year graduate-level program, seven BCBA certificate courses are offered sequentially, one per semester; and in response to demand, is now offered primarily online. “These courses are geared toward practicing professionals and current graduate-level students,” said Ryan Groeneweg, USD BCBA program director. “The online and hybrid delivery method makes it possible for them to stack our courses alongside their program of study.”
The USD BCBA program establishes a pathway for professionals or graduate students and prepares them for careers in educational or behavioral health settings, supporting individuals of all ages. “Students can designate areas of specialty work such as autism, developmental disabilities support, educational settings and diagnostic or treatment clinics,” explained Groeneweg. “Some other niche areas include parent and caregiver training, organizational behavior management, sports and fitness and brain injury rehabilitation.”
According to the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB), the demand for behavior analysts is increasing. Over the past 12 years, demand for those holding BCBA or BCBA-D certification has increased by 7,196%.
“This program will fill a major gap in care in our state,” said Groeneweg. “Developmental disabilities continue to rise and there are not enough professionals available to serve them. The evidence-based treatments that improve outcomes for those individuals throughout their lives is rooted in the science our BCBA certificate program supports.”