Cutting Edge® Program

This four-course series is designed to teach skills in time management and study skills, financial literacy, language and communication, and self-determination. The goal is to apply these skills in all areas of life: college, independent living, and employment.

Learn about personal safety, navigation in the community, self-advocacy, and emergency response.

Learn about support systems, social boundaries, navigation of social situations, relationship building, sexual education, and exploration of your role in our diverse world.

This course is designed to teach employability skills and promote growth in vocational independence while you participate in on- or off-campus internships. Through discussions, reflection, and hands-on learning, you’ll develop skills in communication and professionalism for the workplace.

This course is designed to prepare you for future employment. You’ll practice using vocational skills in your internship and request supervisor feedback. By the end of the course, you’ll create a resume and cover letter, participate in a mock interview, and complete a supervisor evaluation.

As a Cutting Edge student, you’ll have the same course options as all undergraduates. Courses are chosen based on your individual goals and input from family and Cutting Edge staff. You and your support team develops an Individualized College Plan, which outlines the right courses for your chosen pathway.

These courses could include Art, Communications, Music, English, Math, Science, History, Philosophy, Social Sciences, Theatre, and more.

Certificate of Completion

This non-degree certificate is customizable for each student. With this certificate, you have the freedom and flexibility to choose the classes you take according to your career goals and interest areas. Courses may be taken for credit or for audit. Past graduates who have earned this certificate have created their own businesses and/or worked in the community in a variety of settings.

Para-Professional Educator Certificate

This certificate is designed for students who want to work with children and combines hands-on practicum experiences in the schools while also completing coursework covering theories of child development, diversity in the classroom, and teaching strategies. You’ll need to complete a minimum of 48 credits toward the certificate, which fulfills the requirement for the state of Wisconsin to work in schools as a para-professional. By completing this certificate, you may be employed in positions such as teacher’s assistant, after-school group leader, and childcare center assistant.

21st-Century Skills for Employment Certificate

This certificate prepares you to work in entry-level positions in a variety of work settings. Coursework includes a focus on crucial employability skills, such as written communication, oral communication, technology literacy, and career exploration. All required courses must be taken for credit. This certificate offers flexibility for you to explore your own interest areas while also developing critical skills for employment.

If you are seeking a bachelor’s degree, you must be admitted through the general admissions process at Edgewood University and the Cutting Edge Program to receive services from Cutting Edge. You’re required to meet all aspects of the undergraduate degree, which is typically 120 credits. All courses must be 100-level or above and taken for credit.

View All Undergraduate Majors

This support is designed to provide you with academic mentoring while in college. This role also works with you outside of class to monitor assignment completion, assist with the breakdown of tasks, and help with exam preparation. Support inside of class could be provided to students in a certificate-seeking pathway if needed.

In this mentoring role, peers guide you in your internship experiences on campus. This may include modeling job tasks, professionalism, and workplace communication.

This support promotes your inclusion and involvement in the program both on campus and in the community. Mentors in this role will encourage you to participate in a variety of activities while also advising you on making safe weekend plans. Mentors might also host on- or off-campus social events for students.

These mentors support you in the program in the areas of health and well-being. They hold weekly sessions on the topics of wellness, mindfulness, and/or fitness. Mentors may also work one-on-one with you on specific goals in the fitness center if desired.

Mentors in this role promote independence in your living space through weekly skill development sessions. Sessions may focus on topics such as time management, interpersonal relationships, and activities of daily living (laundry, hygiene, cleaning, cooking, budgeting, grocery shopping, etc.).

At times, individuals may choose to volunteer with the program. This looks different for each student, but it could include having a meal together, checking in about social relationships, practicing in an activity, or exploring the community.