Program Overview

Applied Behavior Analysis MS

The Applied Behavior Analysis MS program is designed to provide students with a comprehensive education in the principles and practices of applied behavior analysis. The program is intended for individuals who wish to pursue a career in this field, and it is accredited by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB).

Admission Requirements

To be considered for admission to the Applied Behavior Analysis MS program, applicants must meet the following requirements:

• An undergraduate degree with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0
• Letter of Intent/Statement of Purpose (1-2 pages)
• One Letter of Reference

Degree Requirements

To earn an MS in Applied Behavior Analysis, students must complete at least 23 credit hours of graduate-level course work, 10 credit hours of practicum experience, and at least 6 credit hours of Thesis Research. The program requires students to write and defend a thesis.

Required Foundation Courses

Students are required to complete the following foundation courses within the first 15 credit hours of study:

• SPEC ED 6641: Basic Principles and Concepts of Behavior Analysis (3 credits)
• SPEC ED 6642: Behavior Assessment (3 credits)
• SPEC ED 6643: Research Methods in Applied Behavior Analysis (3 credits) Total Hours: 9

Required Courses

Students are required to complete the following courses:

• SPEC ED 6644: Behavior Interventions in Applied Behavior Analysis (3 credits)
• SPEC ED 6645: Ethics and Professionalism in Applied Behavior Analysis (3 credits)
• SPEC ED 6646: Verbal Behavior Concepts and Applications (3 credits)
• SPEC ED 6647: Advanced Concepts and Principles in Behavior Analysis (3 credits)
• SPEC ED 6648: Behavior-Based Consultation and Supervision (3 credits) Total Hours: 15

Required Practicum Courses

Through the course of five semesters, students are required to complete practicum courses to accrue the minimal hours of supervised experience required by the BACB to qualify for the BCBA exam:

• SPEC ED 6651: Practicum I in Applied Behavior Analysis (2 credits)
• SPEC ED 6652: Practicum II in Applied Behavior Analysis (2 credits)
• SPEC ED 6653: Practicum III in Applied Behavior Analysis (2 credits)
• SPEC ED 6654: Practicum IV in Applied Behavior Analysis (2 credits)
• SPEC ED 6655: Practicum V in Applied Behavior Analysis (2 credits) Total Hours: 10

Required Research Courses

Students take a minimum of 6 thesis credit hours (no more than 3 per semester) starting in year two of the program:

• SPEC ED 6661: Thesis in Applied Behavior Analysis (6 credits) Total Hours: 6

Thesis Requirement

Students are required to complete a total of 6 credit hours of thesis. The student will engage in sustained and self-motivated study through the research process, conferring with advisors, and drafting and revising a manuscript. The thesis proposal must be approved by the committee and successfully defended. A committee chair will be identified, who will consult with the student on selecting two other members for the committee.

Students will work with their committee chair to identify a thesis project, such as a literature review, a scholarly tutorial, or an empirical study. The thesis project should be a scholarly work related to behavior analysis.

Students are expected to follow all other general requirements of the Graduate School regarding master's degree and thesis requirements.