Postgraduate Certificate in Neuroscience of Learning

• Admission Requirements
• General Requirements
• Curriculum

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Program Description

This certificate program trains teachers and professors to comprehend and use principles of neuroscience and neuropsychology in their work with students and for implementing learning environments based upon these principles. This includes specific instruction to teach children with learning disabilities and neurodevelopmental disorders such as Autism, Asperger, Attention Deficit Disorder and Mental Retardation.

The program also addresses the needs of Psychologists and other school personnel interested in developing advanced and extended knowledge on the application of neuroscience of learning principles to their clinical work with children. Psychologist accepted to the program with a solid background on the biological bases of behavior may directly register in an elective NSL 0503 Pediatric Neuropsychological Assessment course providing advanced assessment competencies in school and clinical settings.

Program Goals

The main goal of this postgraduate certificate is to bridge neuroscience with education to improve both the delivery (through teachers) and reception (through students) of information in academic settings based upon these principles.

Admissions Requirements

• Official Transcript of credits with certification of completion of a Bachelor’s Degree in Education, or in one of the Behavioral Sciences (no knowledge or experience in neuroscience is required).
• Applications from candidates from other academic backgrounds that possess the Teacher Certification from the Educational Department of Puerto Rico will also be considered.
• Alternative Entry: the admission committee of the certificate, under certain circumstances and subject to specific conditions, will consider other potential candidates who can show evidence of fitness for candidature.
• Minimal GPA of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale.
• Interview with members of the Admissions Committee.
• Two letters of recommendation; at least one from former professors
• Application Fee (non-refundable)
• Negative Certificate of Penal Record/ Background check

Students admitted to the postgraduate certificate must submit the following documents:

• Admissions Acceptance Reply Form
• Technical Standards

How to Apply

Applicants must submit the following documents:

1. Official transcript from degree conferred.
2. Two letters of recommendation written by individuals familiar with the applicant’s professional work and skills, using the format accompanying the application form.
3. Certificate of No Penal Record/Background check
4. Application Processing Fee

The Application Form is available at www.psm.edu. Please mail the application form and required documents to:

Ponce Health Sciences University
Postgraduate Certificate in Neuroscience of Learning Admissions Office
PO Box 7004
Ponce PR 00732-7004

Graduation Requirements

1. Students must complete all courses within the established time frame. The Program requires a total of 18 credits including 15 laboratory hours.
2. Students should complete all requirements and pass every course.
3. The students should conduct themselves in accordance with the norms for professional conduct set forth by Ponce Health Sciences University.

Grading System

Letter	Grade
P	Pass (100% - 70%)
NP	Not Pass (Less than 70%)
E	Extended
I	Incomplete
IP	In Progress
W	Withdrawal
AW	Administrative Withdrawal
NG	No-Grade Reported (under special circumstances)

Satisfactory Academic Progress

This policy has been established to ensure an acceptable time frame for completion of the academic program and the minimally accepted quality of performance. This policy also ensures that the Student Financial Aid requirements set forth by federal regulations are met.

This policy applies to all Students enrolled in the Postgraduate Certificate in Neuroscience of Learning at Ponce Health Sciences University.

General Requirements

1. Time Frame for completion of the Academic Program

A Neuroscience of Learning Student will be allowed a maximum time frame of two years of enrollment beyond the standard required for the completion of the program (one year). Summer enrollment is considered part of the academic year for the purpose of this measure.

The total years for completion of a degree include those graduate courses accredited on admission to our program.

Program	Standard	Maximum
Neuroscience of Learning	1 years	2 years

1. Completion of Program Requirements
   1. Course Requirement
      Students must complete all courses within the established time frame. The Program requires a total of 18 credits.
   2. Performance Requirement
      A student must Pass each course, each semester. Any student failing to meet this standard of performance will be referred to the Students Promotion Committee.
   3. Professional Behavior Requirement
      The students should conduct themselves in accordance with the norms for professional conduct set forth by Ponce Health Sciences University.

Grade Requirement

To graduate, the student should complete all courses with a grade of PASS. Satisfactory Academic Progress is required for financial aid eligibility.

1. Grades of “P” (Pass) or “NP” (No Pass) are applicable to this Program. A grade of “NP” requires repetition. In case of a second “NP, the student will be referred to the Students Promotion Committee with a recommendation for dismissal.
2. An Incomplete Grade will only be allowed under very special circumstances as determined by the professor. The student must remove the “I” (Incomplete) in agreement with the professor and must be removed by the incomplete removal date of the following academic session. For detailed information about the institutional policy, refer to the institutional catalog.

Appeal Process for Academic Affairs

Students who are notified by the Program’s Academic Dean a decision of the Students Promotion Committee that he/she must repeat failed courses during the next academic year or to be dismissed from the program, have the right to appeal the decision within five working days after receiving the notification.

The appeal or due process presented below must be followed.

The student will appeal in writing to the Students Promotion Committee (SPC) and include all relevant documentation to support the request. The Committee will evaluate the reasons and evidence submitted to determine if they change their initial decision. After the meeting, the SPC has 48 hours to submit its decision to the Program’s Academic Dean, who will notify the decision to the student.

If the SPC sustains the adverse decision, the student has the right to appeal to the Dean of Behavioral and Brain Sciences (SBBS). The appeal must be submitted in writing within seven working days of receiving the notification. The SBBS’ Dean will evaluate the appeal and the student’s academic record. The SBBS’ Dean can appoint a three-member Ad-Hoc Committee to re-evaluate all evidence. Rejection of the appeal by the Dean is final.

If an Ad-Hoc Committee is appointed, they will notify the student in writing of the date and the time when the appeal will be evaluated. After the meeting, the Ad-Hoc Committee has forty-eight (48) hours to submit a recommendation to the SBBS’ Dean. The Dean will consider the Ad-Hoc Committee recommendation and make the final decision within forty-eight (48) hours.

Any decision will be reported to the student in writing. The decision made by the Dean of the SBBS is final.

The same process described above will be followed in the case that the adverse decision made by the Committee is for non-academic reasons, such as unacceptable professional behavior. The SBBS’ Academic Dean, the SBBS’ or the VP for Student Affairs will refer the case to the SPC. If the recommendation of the SPC is to dismiss the student, the appeal process described above may be activated.

In the event that an adverse decision is made due to non-academic reasons and the SBBS’s Dean sustains the decision after the appeal process, the student may appeal to the Vice-President for Academic Affair. Any additional appeal should be submitted to the PHSU President.

Financial Aid Eligibility

Financial Aid eligibility is contingent upon satisfactory academic progress. Please refer to the institutional policy on Satisfactory Academic Progress published by the Office of Financial Aid.

Enforcement

The Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs shall have primary responsibility for overseeing this policy and will provide all health sciences students a copy of this document upon admission to Ponce Health Sciences University.

The President, Vice President for Academic Affairs, and the Vice President for Student Affairs, as well as the Dean of SBBS, the Registrar and Financial Aid Director will receive all pertinent data to ensure proper enforcement of the policy here set forth.

Tuition and Fees

For more details of PHSU tuition and fees please refer to: Tuition and Fees 2024-2025.pdf

ALL TUITION AND FEES ARE PAYABLE ON OR BEFORE REGISTRATION.

*Ponce Health Sciences University reserves the right to increase the tuition or other fees as deemed necessary.