Maybe you already have a degree (or two) but are looking for a change in your career trajectory. Perhaps you need to upskill to secure the promotion you’ve been eyeing. Whatever the scenario, there is never a bad reason to come back to school and advance your education. And even if you missed the deadline to enroll in the current semester, a new semester – with on-campus, online and hybrid course options – is always just around the corner at the University of Louisville.

So, what are the routes of study for UofL’s returning learners? Let’s explore a few.

Advanced degrees to advance your career

If you’ve looked at job postings in recent years, you aren’t imagining it – more and more companies are listing a master’s degree as a desired qualification. And according to the , this trend will only continue over the next decade. Advanced degrees are commonplace in medical, law and even academic fields. But today, marketers, business leaders, nonprofit professionals and more can all benefit from the knowledge and skills gained through pursing a master’s degree. This pursuit can be especially beneficial to mid-career employees seeking to level up from their mid-level roles.

Whatever your industry, to help you take your next step. From or to and , the university provides a diverse selection of standard-to-niche graduate studies to help you craft the future your career and academic curiosity deserves. Even better, over two-dozen programs are – a bonus for the busy professional.

Professional certificates to boost your skillset

In the world of work, things are not often static. Roles and requirements change as technology and industry culture evolve. Is artificial intelligence changing the way your professional processes work? Has your role adopted new responsibilities that would benefit from – or require – new credentials or training? If so, .

The university currently offers 32 cutting-edge certificates that cover a wide range of industries and professional goals. Most require only 12 credit hours to complete with several that can be completed in tandem with (or in preparation for) a corresponding master’s program. Additionally, all certificate courses can be taken 100% online and asynchronously to accommodate your schedule.

With certificates ranging from areas such as to , UofL has you covered when you’re ready to upskill.

Continuing studies for the lifelong learner

Sometimes, going back to school is less about professional goals and more about personal growth. Maybe you’re an art lover who’s always wanted to learn about the old masters of art history. Or you’re a Francophile who’s dreamed of speaking fluent French on your next trip abroad. If you’re interested in it, there’s a likely chance that UofL offers a class to scratch the itch for its students.

Continuing Studies is a non-degree program for learners 22-years-old and older to take up to 24 credit hours in any discipline they are interested in. For those Kentucky residents who are a little bit older than 22 – 65 to be exact – the university proudly participates in the program, which allows older adults to take a select number of courses at UofL tuition-free.

Whether you’re looking to pursue a master’s degree, obtain a professional certificate or satisfy your academic interests through casual study, UofL has a pathway to help take you there.

The program aims to bridge the divide between research and practice by covering a comprehensive list of topics, including social services, therapy, elder law, social entrepreneurship, tech startups, music therapy, interior design, health care management, government, physical therapy, nursing, psychiatry, biological sciences, sociology and geriatric medicine.

The event will also include networking and professional growth opportunities.

Keynote speakers are:

• Hon. Andrew Beshear, JD, Kentucky Attorney General
• Bob Blancato, MPA, executive director of the National Association of Nutrition and Aging Services Programs
• Sandy Markwood, CEO, National Association of Area Agencies on Aging

Irving B. Perlstein Gerontology Lectureship

Also serving as keynote speakers are Gregory Jicha, professor, UK Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, and Christopher Callahan, director, IU Center for Aging Research. They will deliver the Irving B. Perlstein Gerontology Lectureship. Their focus will be on Alzheimer’s Disease. 

Dr. Perlstein was a member of the Medical Staff at Jewish Hospital during his career. He specialized in internal medicine and was recognized for his significant research on aging and thyroid dysfunction. He died in 1995 and this lectureship was created by his family as a living memorial to him and his commitment to his patients and healthcare. 

Additionally, former UofL and NBA basketball player Darrell Griffith, “Dr. Dunkenstein,” will serve as the event’s honorary chair and Optimal Aging catalyst during the event. Griffith will be introduced in the beginning of the conference.

Continuing education credit is available for a variety of professionals, including MDs, social workers, nurses and long-term care administrators.

The conference is June 11-13 at the Galt House Hotel on the Louisville waterfront. This conference is jointly hosted by the  and the .

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To improve access to quality health care for adults with IDD, thn Nov. 12 at UofL. The conference will inform physical, occupational and speech therapists, physicians, dentists, social workers, patients and their caregivers about best current practices and future treatment directions for adults with IDD and address the multidisciplinary approach needed for their care.

“These are individuals with neurologically-based conditions who require interdisciplinary care from a variety of health care providers, including primary care, dentistry, cardiology, pulmonary, neurology, psychiatry and psychology, as well as physical therapy, speech therapy and occupational therapy,” said Michael Sowell, MD, professor in the Department of Neurology at UofL and co-director of the conference.

One such individual is Steven Haburne, described by his mother as, “a 41-year-old man with a pleasant personality who was born with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy and developmental disability.” He moves in a wheelchair, is non-verbal and has a seizure disorder. Haburne’s mother, Shirley Haburne, said they have met with physicians over the years who did not speak to Steven directly or who made assumptions about his condition without listening to Shirley’s description of his individual needs. When Haburne was very young, his family’s dentist told Shirley he was not comfortable treating Steven.

“It did hurt my feelings, but I understand. He is not the same as other patients,” Shirley said. “It has taken a lifetime of finding doctors. It takes time to find a doctor who will listen to you and trust what you say.”

Steven now receives dental care at in Louisville, which offers medical, dental, psychiatric and general health care services for patients with IDD, and he receives medical care from several specialists at . Shirley hopes the conference will help make optimal health care available for her son and others with IDD.

The conference will cover autism outreach, mobility and assistive technology, cognitive decline, advocacy for adults with IDD, and understanding the barriers in transitioning a child with neurodevelopmental disabilities into the adult provider network. Afternoon breakout sessions include topics in medicine, dentistry, developmental psychiatry and psychology, therapeutics and social work and are designed to stimulate discussions among health care providers, patients and their families that will lead to an improved standard of care in the region.

The event also is designed to support the physician specialty of adult developmental medicine.

“Developmental medicine as an emerging specialty pulls together a formal curriculum and training pathway to prepare physicians to provide the comprehensive care that these individuals need,” Sowell said.

Learn more about this specialty at the .

Conference details

The Second Annual Caring for Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Conference is scheduled for Nov. 12, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the UofL School of Medicine, Instructional Building B – Room 115, 500 S. Preston St., Louisville, Ky. Continuing education credit is available. or by calling 502-852-5329.

Remote attendance

This conference also is available via a live interactive video conference for all persons interested in caring for adult individuals with a diagnosis of an intellectual or a developmental disability. to reserve your spot for the meeting.