Master’s in Behavior Analysis

Program Overview

Simmons University's ABA-accredited Master of Science in Behavior Analysis prepares students for the BCBA® exam with a 72% first-attempt pass rate. The program emphasizes practice-based learning, contemporary research, and applications across various domains, equipping graduates for leadership roles in the field. Graduates pursue careers working with individuals with autism, neurodivergence, acquired brain injury, and mental health conditions, or specialize in areas like behavioral medicine or organizational behavior management.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

Simmons University's Master of Science in Behavior Analysis campus-based program is designed for students seeking to enter the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), become Board Certified Behavior Analysts® (BCBAs®), and make a difference in the lives of others. The curriculum prepares students for the BCBA® exam, with on-campus students achieving a first-attempt pass rate of 72% in 2022.

Objectives:

The program aims to prepare students for leadership roles in the implementation, evaluation, and administration of applied behavioral analytic principles and methods. It focuses on contemporary research and the full range of applications of behavior analytic principles across various domains, populations, and clinical practice.

Program Description:

The program provides students with an in-depth understanding of the basic principles of behavior, behavior change methodologies, and the application of the science across a wide range of clinical practice and research domains. Students will examine the concepts and methods of applied behavior analysis within areas such as functional assessment and analysis, ethics, evidence-based instructional methods, verbal behavior, experimental analysis of behavior, experimental design and research, and supervision.

Teaching:

Students learn from faculty with expertise ranging from experimental behavior analysis and verbal behavior to behavioral medicine and organizational behavior management. The program emphasizes a practice-based curriculum, incorporating contemporary research and real-world applications.

Careers:

Graduates of the Master’s in Behavior Analysis program work with individuals within the autism community, neurodivergent and neurotypical individuals, people with acquired brain injury, and individuals with mental health conditions. They may pursue supervisory, consultative, and leadership roles in the field, open a clinical practice, or focus their career on a specialized area of practice, such as behavioral medicine, organizational behavior management, animal training, instructional design, or a related field. Graduates may also choose to continue their studies at the doctoral level to contribute to behavior analytic research or pursue opportunities to teach in higher education.

Other:

The program is offered part-time, with classes available in the evenings to allow flexibility for students working in the field. Students must begin working by the end of the first semester, and the program provides support to help students find an appropriate worksite. The Department of Behavior Analysis at Simmons University has a mission to make the philosophy, theory, and science of behavior analysis explicable and accessible to individuals in an optimal position to affect meaningful educational, social, and behavioral changes. The department also aims to generate and publish innovative research, include students as authors on presentations and publications, demonstrate how behavior analysis can influence issues centered on the human condition, and prepare students to pass the Behavior Analysis Certification Board’s examination to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst.