Developmental Disabilities (DDD)
Type: Career, Degree (AS)
Open Admissions
Division: Health and Human Services
Graduates from this career program are prepared for a variety of employment opportunities working with adults or children with developmental disabilities in residential, vocational, educational, family support and recreational programs.
Students interested in participating in an academic program that involves working with children, the disabled, or the elderly, or which includes a clinical affiliation, internship, or field placement with a private or public healthcare provider, may be required to undergo criminal background checks, including a national as well as local check (i.e. Massachusetts Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) and Sex Offender Record Information (SORI)). Depending on the contents of these criminal background check(s), a student's participation in an academic program that involves working with children, the disabled, or the elderly or which includes a clinical affiliation, internship or field placement with a private or public healthcare provider may not be allowed, and therefore may impact a student's ability to complete program requirements. Furthermore, please note that eligibility to participate in the program and/or clinical affiliation, internship or field placement as a result of screening requirements, such as criminal background checks, is not a guarantee of eligibility to sit for professional credentialing examination(s) or employment upon graduation.
If you have questions related to program admissions or applications, please contact info@northshore.edu or call 978-762-4188.
If you have program advising related questions, please contact developmentaldisabilities@northshore.edu or call 781-477-2150.
First Year
Fall
| CMP101 | Composition 1 | 3 |
| DVD101 | Introduction to Developmental Disabilities | 3 |
| HUS101 | The Human Services Worker | 3 |
LA-ELECTIVE
| Liberal Arts Elective | 3 |
| DVD121 | Field Placement and Seminar 1 in Developmental Disabilities | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 15 |
Spring
| DVD122 | Field Placement and Seminar 2 in Developmental Disabilities | 3 |
| DVD103 | Developmental Disabilities: Special Topics | 3 |
| HUS102 | Helping Skills in Human Services | 3 |
| HUS124 | Supervision and Leadership in Human Services | 3 |
| PSY102 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 15 |
Second Year
Fall
CMP102-150
| Composition 2 Elective | 3 |
| | |
| SOC106 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| OR | |
| SOC114 | Community Issues and Civic Engagment | 3 |
| | |
LA-ELECTIVE
| Liberal Arts Elective | 3 |
| SPE102 | Speech | 3 |
| | |
| BIO108 | The Body in Health and Disease | 3 |
| OR | |
| BIO211 | Anatomy and Physiology 1 | 4 |
| | |
| Total Credit Hours: | 15 |
Spring
| HUS104 | The Field of Human Services: An Overview | 3 |
| HUS130 | Life Changes and Crisis: Adaptation and Intervention | 3 |
OPN-ELECTIVE
| Open Elective | 3 |
OPN-ELECTIVE
| Open Elective | 3 |
| PSY210 | Abnormal Psychology | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 15 |
Program Note
Communication and Mathematics proficiency required to graduate.
See guided pathway sheets for advising information specific to your area of focus.
Total Credit Hours: 60
Program Student Learner Outcomes
- Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of developmental and intellectual disabilities, including diagnosis and lifelong impact.
- Recognize and use research based methodology and effective treatments/therapies when working with individuals with developmental disabilities, their families and other caregivers.
- Utilize a strength based, resilience and humanistic perspective to empower individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities.
- Assess, critique, and improve work and application of Individual Support and Behavioral Support Plans necessary to be effective in disabilities services.
- Develop professional ethical standards.
- Identify, evaluate and utilize effective verbal, nonverbal and written communication skills.
- Demonstrate an understanding of diversity; how to provide ethical and culturally sensitive care.
Occupational Skills required
- Active listening
- Actively seeking to help people
- Social perceptiveness
- Oral communication
- Documentation
- Critical thinking
- Complex problem solving
- Ethical judgement and decision making
- Monitoring
- Coordination skills
- Time management
Experiential Learning Required in Program
- DVD121 - Field Placement and Seminar 1 in Developmental Disabilities
- DVD122 - Field Placement and Seminar 2 in Developmental Disabilities
Experiential Learning Optional in Program
- HUS130 - Life Changes and Crisis: Adaptation and Intervention
MOST COMMON LINKED OCCUPATION TITLE - ALL EDUCATION LEVELS
- Counselor and Case Manger
MOST COMMON LINKED OCCUPATION TITLE - ASSOCIATE'S OR LESS
- Social and Human Services Assistant
Average Annual Growth (10-Year Projection)
- US - 1.8%
- Boston MSA - 2.1%
- Essex County - 2.1%
- Boston MSA Avg. Entry-Level Wages (2016) - $24,600
- Boston MSA Median Wages (2016) - $32,200
Top Transfer Institutions
- Salem State University
- University of Massachusetts Lowell
- Cambridge College
- Assumption College
- Endicott College
- St. Joseph's College of Maine