Applied Behavior Analysis
Program Highlights
Degree
MA in ABA
Certificate in ABA
2 years
Average time to complete
Delivery
Hybrid
Cost
$985/credit
Total credits
39
Time of entry
Fall, Spring, or Summer
Master’s Degree in Applied Behavior Analysis
Our course sequence has been verified by the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI). This means that when you graduate, you’ll meet the coursework requirement to be eligible to take the BCBA® examination and become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. Our faculty include nationally recognized experts in applied behavior analysis who are also dedicated and accessible teachers, here to answer your questions and help you succeed. We will also help connect you with field experiences at regional mental and behavioral health care facilities to satisfy the experience requirement to be eligible to take the BCBA® examination and become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst.
Applied behavior analysis (ABA) is used to help individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (such as autism spectrum disorder) to increase language and communication skills and decrease challenging behaviors. Grounded in the science of learning and behavior, ABA therapy has been proven to help children improve academic performance, form important social relationships, and generally support long-term healthy development through a variety of effective behavioral interventions. ABA can also be applied to assist athletes and employees in optimizing performance.
Yes. The Georgian Court University graduate assistantship program gives graduate students the financial resources necessary to pursue their degrees. This financial support—stipend, tuition remission, and benefits—is part of GCU’s commitment to the success of our graduate students.
Yes! Our Master’s in Applied Behavior Analysis is a 39-credit degree, but GCU undergraduate students can take 12 of those 39 credits and begin accruing supervised fieldwork hours.
Anytime! We accept students in the Fall, Spring, and Summer.
Program Information
Curriculum
The Master of Arts in Applied Behavior Analysis is a 39-credit program that provides training in the philosophy of behaviorism, basic and applied principles, assessment, and intervention strategies, as well as ethical practice in the field of applied behavior analysis.
*ABA505 is required for all students entering the MA in ABA program in Fall 2023.
MA in ABA Tracks: Generalist, Autism Specialist, or School Specialist
Students select one of the following three tracks: Generalist, Autism Specialist, or School Specialist. Each track requires 39 credits, composed of 30 credits (10 courses) in required courses and 9 credits (three courses) in elective courses. Students who earn a grade below a B- in any ABA course will be required to repeat that course. Students who earn two or more grades below a B- will be formally reviewed by program faculty and may be subject to academic dismissal.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Credits | |
| ABA501 | Ethical & Professional Conduct | 3.0 |
| ABA503 | Experimental Analysis of Behavior | 3.0 |
| Elective (chosen in consultation with program director; see list below) | 3.0 | |
| Credits | 9.0 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| ABA504 | Philosophy of Behaviorism | 3.0 |
| ABA505 | Generalization & Training | 3.0 |
| ABA510 or SPS5910 |
Behavior Assessment or Beh Assessment in Edu & Comm Settings |
3.0 |
| Credits | 9.0 | |
| Summer Semester | ||
| ABA502 | Measurement & Experimental Design | 3.0 |
| Credits | 3.0 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| ABA511 or SPS6911 |
Behavior Change Procedures I or Beh Interventions in Edu & Comm Settings |
3.0 |
| ABA550 | Practicum in Applied Behav. Analysis | 3.0 |
| Elective (chosen in consultation with program director; see list below) | 3.0 | |
| Credits | 9.0 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| ABA512 or SPS6912 |
Behavior Change Procedures II or Adv Beh Chng Procdr in Edu&Comm Settings |
3.0 |
| ABA551 | ABA Practicum Continuation | 3.0 |
| Elective (chosen in consultation with program director; see list below) | 3.0 | |
| Credits | 9.0 | |
| Total Credits | 39.0 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Autism Specialist Track Electives (select three) | ||
| EDC5301 | Nature & Needs Indivs w/Aut&PervasDevDis | 3.0 |
| EDC5302 | Strategies Teach Students w/Aut & DevDis | 3.0 |
| EDC5303 | Soc Communic Intervent Students w/ASD | 3.0 |
| EDC5304 | Assess & Curr Inter for Autism Spec Dis 1 | 3.0 |
| EDC5305 | Intervent & Supports Level 1 Char ASD 1 | 3.0 |
| Any ABA elective | 3.0 | |
| School Specialist Track Electives (select three) | ||
| EDC5001 | Philo & Psych Found of Incl Ed | 3.0 |
| EDC5032 | Comm Serv for Stdts at-Risk & w/ Except | 3.0 |
| EDC5038 | Psychology of the Exceptional Child | 3.0 |
| Any of the electives for the Autism Specialist Track 1 | 3.0 | |
| Generalist Track Electives (select three) | ||
| Any of the Autism Specialist Track or School Specialist Track Courses 1 | 9.0 | |
- 1
Must take both EDC5304 Assess & Curr Inter for Autism Spec Dis and EDC5305 Intervent & Supports Level 1 Char ASD to earn postgraduate Certificate in Autism Studies from the GCU Department of Education
View the full curriculum and admission requirements.
Faculty
Full-Time Faculty
Theresa J. Brown, Ph.D., BCBA-D
Professor
School of Arts, Sciences, and Education
Farley Center (108)
tbrown@georgian.edu
732-987-2642
Chad Kinney, Ph.D., BCBA-D
Assistant Professor of Psychology and Counseling
School of Arts, Sciences, and Education
Farley Center
ckinney@georgian.edu
Part-Time Faculty
Dr. Samantha DeFilippo, NCSP, BCBA-D
Adjunct Instructor
School of Arts & Sciences
Farley Center
sdefilippo@georgian.edu
732-987-2200
Related Programs
If you’re interested in our Master’s in Applied Behavior Analysis, here are other programs at GCU you might want to explore:
- Psychology, B.A./Applied Behavior Analysis, M.A.
- Clinical Mental Health Counseling, M.A.
- School Psychology, M.A./Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study
- NEW – Post-Master’s Certificate in ABA
- The certificate is for those with a master’s degree who wish to become Board Certified Behavior Analysts®. It prepare you to become a practitioner or researcher who is interested in working with individuals across a variety of settings including clinics, hospitals, schools, residential treatment facilities and business organizations.The Post-Master’s Graduate Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis is a 21-credit program that has been approved as a Verified Course Sequence (VCS) by the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI).Successful completion of the 21-credit program satisfies the education requirement to sit for the Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA®) examination. Students can work toward satisfying the experience requirement to sit for the BCBA® examination upon entry into the program. For more information about becoming a BCBA®, see the BACB® website.
Start dates are flexible (fall, spring, summer). All courses are offered in a hybrid format.
- The certificate is for those with a master’s degree who wish to become Board Certified Behavior Analysts®. It prepare you to become a practitioner or researcher who is interested in working with individuals across a variety of settings including clinics, hospitals, schools, residential treatment facilities and business organizations.The Post-Master’s Graduate Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis is a 21-credit program that has been approved as a Verified Course Sequence (VCS) by the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI).Successful completion of the 21-credit program satisfies the education requirement to sit for the Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA®) examination. Students can work toward satisfying the experience requirement to sit for the BCBA® examination upon entry into the program. For more information about becoming a BCBA®, see the BACB® website.
Why Earn Your Master in Applied Behavior Analysis at GCU?
At GCU our Mercy Core Values permeate everything that we do. They provide a bedrock of integrity and social justice upon which our programs are built. We prepare you to do good work, so that you can go out into the world and serve others with excellence and compassion. Our Mercy Core Values inspire you to become an ethical supervisor and leader.
Our MA in ABA Program features:
Three tracks of study that are tailored to your career goals
- Generalist
- School Specialist
- Autism Specialist
Partnerships with agencies and schools to help you identify opportunities to earn supervised fieldwork experience hours
BCBA® exam preparation built into required coursework
Flexible start dates (fall, spring, summer)
Here are more reasons to earn your Master’s in Applied Behavior Analysis at GCU.
Focus Your Degree in ABA Therapy for Autism Spectrum Disorders or Working in School Settings
In 2020, the CDC reported that approximately 1 in 54 children in the United States is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Time at school can be especially challenging for children with autism and ABA therapy has proven to be among the few approaches that are consistently effective at dealing with behavioral disorders in classroom environments.
Work Closely With Caring, Experienced Faculty
Our ABA master’s program faculty include Ph.D.-level Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA-D) with extensive experience in the areas of clinical services, education, and research across a variety of client populations including autism and intellectual/developmental disabilities. Because our class sizes are small, you’ll also benefit from individualized attention and mentorship to support your academic and career goals.
Take Courses Needed to Sit for the BCBA® Exam
Study with confidence in a rigorous, comprehensive degree program that meets the educational requirements to take the Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA®) examination. The Association for Behavior Analysis International has verified GCU’s Master of Arts in Applied Behavior Analysis core courses as meeting the coursework requirement for eligibility to take the BCBA® exam.
What Can You Do With a Master’s in Applied Behavior Analysis?
Our ABA degree is focused on positioning students to succeed in their work and their professions. Whether you’re a registered behavior technician ready to take the next step in your career, a special education teacher, or a recent undergraduate, our program is a great opportunity to take the next step to ABA therapist and open new opportunities for high-demand careers.
Applied Behavior Analysis Jobs
Although ABA therapists are generally known for their work with children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, ABA therapists also work with a wide range of populations and behavioral disorders. Opportunities for master’s level ABA therapists who become Board Certified Behavior Analysts include:
- ABA therapist for school districts,
- ABA therapist for home programs,
- clinical director of programs that support people with autism,
- parent or staff trainer, and
- group home supervisor.
Applied Behavior Analysis Salary
According to PayScale, the nationwide average salary for BCBA® was $73,000 as of July 2023. Indeed states that the average salary for BCBA® in NJ was $115,000.
Keep in mind that an applied behavior analyst salary will vary depending on experience and education, and BCBA®s will typically earn in the higher salary ranges for the field.
Robbinsville, NJ
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