Bachelor's degree for students with autism

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ALBANY, N.Y., Aug. 24 (UPI) -- Two Albany, N.Y., colleges are creating a bachelor's degree program for students with autism spectrum disorder, college officials say.

Officials at Sage Colleges and Excelsior College created the Sage Achieve degree, an online program for students with autism spectrum disorder, which can be customized to meet a student's particular disabilities, but it is as rigorous as any other degree, the Albany Times Union reports.

Susan Scrimshaw, of Sage College, says the degree includes one-on-one mentoring and will lead to a bachelor's degree in liberal studies with a full 120 credits and an emphasis in computer science.

Excelsior College developed the online program and Dana Reinecke, professor at Sage College, created the curriculum, Scrimshaw says.

Reinecke says the degree emphasizes critical thinking, analysis, writing and reading. The program is expected to attract students from all over the world who may not be able to thrive in a traditional college classroom.

Coursework will be available by video, audio and text, and students will continue their courses throughout the summer months. Tuition for the first two years is about $27,000, but when the course load doubles in the third and fourth year, it is scheduled to increase to $43,000, the Times-Union says.