Program: Applied Behavior Analysis, MS - National University

Description of Program

The Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis prepares practitioners to provide behavior management services to clients at home and at school, community settings, clinics and hospital settings. There is a significant need in a variety of environments for well-trained and properly certified practitioners to work with clients of all ages with challenging behaviors. This program focuses on the practical application of all behavior analytic concepts. Our goal is for you to not only pass the required BCBA exam, but to become a well-rounded clinician in a variety of environments with a variety of clients.

The curriculum for the Board-Certified Behavior Analyst Certificate Program (BCBA) will follow the guidelines established by the Behavior Analysts Certification Board (BACB) as outlined in the BACB’s 5th Edition Task List and Course Content Allocation documents. The NCU MS in Applied Behavior Analysis is an 10 course program that prepares you to sit for the BCBA exam once you complete the required clinical hours.

NCU’s Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis meets all of the coursework requirements to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst as identified by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) and Applied Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) and may meet some of the licensure requirements identified for each state. Student are encouraged to research their state specific licensure laws and regulations. If they have questions they can contact ABA Program Coordinator at ABA@ncu.edu.

Please note that the state of New York currently does not recognize BCBA Certification and BCBA’s may not practice ABA in New York unless they are licensed by the state of New York. New York has state specific licensure requirements, coursework, and an exam that must be completed before practicing ABA. At this time only universities physically located in the state of New York are authorized to offer these courses. Thus, NCU’s ABA program does not meet New York’s coursework or licensure requirements necessary to practice ABA in New York State.

Click here for potential career opportunities within the MSABA.

Learning Outcomes

Explore principles, and philosophical underpinnings in applied behavior analysis
Investigate research methods and data analysis in applied behavior analysis
Design behavior treatment plans based on client assessment findings
Employ ethical principles of applied behavior analysis to academic and professional matters
Examine diversity issues in professional contexts

Basis for Admissions

Admission to the Master of Science program requires a conferred bachelor’s and/or a conferred master’s or doctoral degree from a regionally or nationally accredited academic institution.

Additional State requirements may need to be met for Basis of Admissions into a program:

Basis for Admissions - Washington State - MS in Applied Behavior Analysis

Degree Requirements

The Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis degree requires a total of 30 credit hours at the graduate level.

The University may accept a maximum of 12 semester credit hours in transfer toward the Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis for graduate course work completed at an external accredited college or university with a grade of “B” or better. See the Transfer Credit Policy for additional information.

All master’s degree programs have the following graduation requirements:

A minimum of 18 credit hours of graduate instruction must be completed through NCU
Grade Point Average of 3.0 (letter grade of “B”) or higher
Official documents on file for basis of admission
Official transcripts on file for all transfer credit hours accepted by the University
All financial obligations must be met before the student will be issued their complimentary diploma and/or degree posted transcript

Time to Completion

NCU allows 5 years to complete all Master’s programs of 36 credits or less.

The median time to completion for this program is 27 months.

Time to completion varies depending upon the pace in which a student completes courses and the number of transfer credits accepted. As most NCU students are working adults, balancing educational, professional, and personal commitments, our academic and finance advisors will work with you to develop a program schedule that works best for your needs.

Students following the preferred schedule designed by the Dean for this program, and applying no transfer credits, can expect to finish in as little as 19 to 20 months.

Course Sequence

NCU allows 5 years to complete all Master’s programs of 36 credits or less

Students who complete at least 15 semester credit hours in a single area of specialization at NCU (not counting foundational courses) may elect to have the specialization recorded on their transcript and diploma.

In some cases, specialization courses listed on the initial degree plan can be changed at the student’s request. Please contact your Academic and Finance Advisor for more information.