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EdS in Applied Behavior Analysis
The Education Specialist in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is a 51 credit, 6-semester program that fulfills both the coursework and supervision requirements necessary to pursue certification in ABA. This program includes a carefully crafted sequence of courses, verified by the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI), interwoven with a supervised learning experience (100 hours of supervision during 2,000 supervised independent fieldwork hours over-seeing all required supervision activities). This program includes an enhanced coursework focus on applied research, with opportunities for conducting behavioral research in applied settings.
The program is designed to prepare educators, special educators, clinicians, and practitioners to apply behavioral principles to instruction, treatment of problem behavior, and special learning and behavior challenges.
Curriculum & Schedules
Code | Course Name | Credit Hours | |
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ABA501 | The Science of ABA: Concepts and Principles | 3 | |
This course introduces the philosophical assumptions and dimensions of the science of applied behavior analysis, including determinism, empiricism, parsimony, selectionism, pragmatism, and lawfulness of behavior. Students define key terms related to applied behavior analysis, the scientific principles of behavior, and behavioral technologies. Students differentiate between environmental and mentalistic explanations of behavior, and between conceptual, experimental, and applied analyses of behavior. |
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ABA502 | Ethical Practice in Applied Behavior Analysis | 3 | |
The course provides an intensive, practical review of the ethical, legal, and professional issues in the field of applied behavior analysis. Core ethical Principles in the discipline of psychology, adopted by the Association for Behavior Analysis-International (ABAI) to guide professional practice in the specialty are introduced, with a focus on practical applications of these principles in educational settings where the discipline of applied behavior analysis is practiced. Using case studies interwoven with scientific literature from the field of applied behavior analysis, students demonstrate the ability to apply the Behavior Analyst Certification Board Professional and Ethical Compliance Code© in real-life educational contexts. |
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ABA603 | Research Methods in ABA | 3 | |
This course focuses on the measurement of behavior and the analysis of intervention effect using single-subject experimental design. Procedures for collection and display of behavioral data are demonstrated, practiced, and examined for reliability, validity, efficiency, and relevance to a variety of settings, with a focus on educational environments. Individualized measurement procedures are developed and implemented using a variety of single-subject design formats, and the contribution of single-subject research design to education, clinical practice, and scientific inquiry is examined. Ethical considerations of experimental analysis are examined. |
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ABA604 | Behavioral Assessment and On-Going Evaluation | 3 | |
The process of identifying behaviors targeted for change and the use of behavioral assessment techniques to identify and analyze behavior-environment relations, for the purpose of developing successful, functionally-based intervention strategies. Methodologies of descriptive assessment and functional analysis, applied to both challenging problem behaviors and academic learning situations. Use of many practical behaviorally-based assessment tools, including checklists and rating scales, structured observation tools, and curricular assessments. |
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ABA605 | Interventions & Behavior Change Procedures | 3 | |
This course teaches students to implement behaviorally based strategies to establish, strengthen, and weaken target behaviors. Fundamental elements of behavior change are reviewed, with a focus on selecting evidence-based tactics that utilize basic principles of behavior (reinforcement, punishment, extinction, and stimulus control) and utilizing appropriate parameters and schedules of reinforcement and punishment. Various procedures combining fundamental behavior principles and tactic are reviewed, modeled, practiced, and demonstrated to mastery and fluency. Basic behavior analytic skills of measurement and analysis are practiced in the context of utilizing behavior change procedures. |
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ABA607 | Pre-Supervision in ABA | 0 | |
Each student identifies and proposes a site (or sites) to complete the requirements for supervision in applied behavior analysis. Attendance at 2 seminars is required during the pre-practicum. The seminar is a competency-based course which is part of the Program in Applied Behavior Analysis fulfilling the requirement for BACB© Supervision. The seminar is designed to ensure the student understands the requirements of supervision and is placed in an appropriate setting. |
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ABA615 | Seminar 1: Analysis of Verbal Behavior | 2 | |
An advanced seminar on the analysis of verbal behavior of speakers and listeners, and the motivating variables that affect them, as first described by B.F. Skinner in 1957. A behavioral explanation of verbal behavior, controlled by basic behavioral processes, is introduced. Basic concepts taught include: the differentiation between verbal and non-verbal behavior, the verbal operant as a unit of analysis, the verbal community, elementary verbal operants, extensions of elementary verbal operants, common variables of which verbal operants are a function, and the multiple control of complex verbal behavior. Practical applications of verbal behavior analysis to language training and remediation, both with foreign language learners and learning with language deficits are examined, planned and developed. Advanced concepts taught include: the emergence of derived stimulus relations in discrimination and language training, equivalence relations, stimulus equivalence and generalization, and an analysis of thinking and private events. |
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ABA616 | Seminar 2: Functional Analysis: History, Methods and Applications | 2 | |
Functional analysis represents the most complete form of evidence-based assessment in ABA (Mayer et al, 2014). This course will review developments to functional analysis research, beginning with the historical underpinnings, examine and practice modifications to the standard functional analysis model to analyze variables for during the treatment of behavioral challenges, and summarize research in functional analysis. Students will conduct functional analyses in simulated and natural environments. |
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ABA617 | Seminar 3: Personnel & Management in ABA | 2 | |
An examination of evidence-based systems for providing behavior-analytic personnel management, training, and supervision. The importance and purposes for effective supervision and the implications of ineffective supervision begin this course, followed by a step-by step process for promoting and maintaining competent performance by staff and supervisees. Components include: training staff and practitioners to competently implement assessment and intervention procedures, monitoring performance and the use of function-based assessment procedures to identify variable impacting staff performance, supporting staff to assure proficient work performance, strategies to improve staff performance and resolve performance problems, and evaluating the effectiveness of supervision and training procedures. |
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ABA618 | Advanced Applied Behavior Analysis: Concepts & Principles | 3 | |
An advanced study of basic behavioral principles and concepts defining the scientific discipline and guiding the practice of applied behavior analysis. Topics include: respondent and operant conditioning and operant learning (with a focus on positive and negative reinforcement contingencies, automatic v. socially-mediated reinforcement contingencies, and operant extinction) conditioned reinforcement and punishment contingencies, schedules of reinforcement and the influence of schedule on behavior (with a focus on compound schedules of reinforcement), the concept of motivating operations, including unconditioned and conditioned establishing and abolishing operations, discriminative stimulus control, and rule-governed versus contingency-shaped behavior. |
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ABA622-626 | Supervision I in ABA | 5 | |
This is an experiential learning opportunity designed to fulfill the requirement for a supervised independent fieldwork experience as defined by the Behavior Analyst Board (BACB©). During a supervised independent fieldwork experience, students complete 2000 hours of applied work in behavior analysis. Students are supervised at least twice per month for 5% of the total hours they spend in the supervised experience. The student’s primary focus during supervision is on learning and applying behavior analytic skills related to BACB© 5th Edition Task List (Behavior Analyst Certification Board, 2019). Activities conducted during this supervised learning experience adhere to the dimensions of applied behavior analysis identified by Baer, Wolf and Risley (1968) in the article Some Current Dimensions of Applied Behavior Analysis published in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. The assigned supervisor directly observes the student’s performance and provides specific feedback related to the results of observation, work sample review, review of written work, and performance management. |
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ABA630 | Qualifying Comprehensive Examination 1 | 0 | |
ABA 630 requires the student to take and pass, according to a pre-determined criterion, a qualifying comprehensive examination. The exam content is aligned with BACB® Task List, 5th edition (www.bacb.com). |
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ABA631 | Qualifying Comprehensive Examination 2 | 0 | |
ABA 631 requires the student to take and pass, according to a pre-determined criterion, a qualifying comprehensive examination. The exam content is aligned with BACB® Task List, 5th edition (www.bacb.com). |
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ABA633-636 | Supervision II in ABA | 5 | |
This is an experiential learning opportunity designed to fulfill the requirement for a supervised independent fieldwork experience as defined by the Behavior Analyst Board (BACB©). During a supervised independent fieldwork experience, students complete 2000 hours of applied work in behavior analysis. Students are supervised at least twice per month for 5% of the total hours they spend in the supervised experience. The student’s primary focus during supervision is on learning and applying behavior analytic skills related to BACB© 5th Edition Task List (Behavior Analyst Certification Board, 2019). Activities conducted during this supervised learning experience adhere to the dimensions of applied behavior analysis identified by Baer, Wolf and Risley (1968) in the article Some Current Dimensions of Applied Behavior Analysis published in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. The assigned supervisor directly observes the student’s performance and provides specific feedback related to the results of observation, work sample review, review of written work, and performance management. |
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ABA639 | Supervision III in ABA | 3 | |
This is an experiential learning opportunity designed to fulfill the requirement for a supervised independent fieldwork experience as defined by the Behavior Analyst Board (BACB©). During a supervised independent fieldwork experience, students complete 2000 hours of applied work in behavior analysis. Students are supervised at least twice per month for 5% of the total hours they spend in the supervised experience. The student’s primary focus during supervision is on learning and applying behavior analytic skills related to BACB© 5th Edition Task List (Behavior Analyst Certification Board, 2019). Activities conducted during this supervised learning experience adhere to the dimensions of applied behavior analysis identified by Baer, Wolf and Risley (1968) in the article Some Current Dimensions of Applied Behavior Analysis published in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. The assigned supervisor directly observes the student’s performance and provides specific feedback related to the results of observation, work sample review, review of written work, and performance management. |
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ABA640 | Group Supervision I in ABA | 3 | |
This is an experiential learning opportunity designed to fulfill the requirement for a supervised independent fieldwork experience as defined by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board(BACB©), during a supervised independent fieldwork experience, students complete 2000 hours of applied work in behavior analysis. Students are supervised at least once every 2 weeks for 5% of the total hours they spend in the supervised experience. The student's primary focus during supervision is on learning and applying new behavior analytic skills related to the BACB© 4th Edition Task List (Behavior Analyst Certification Board 2010). Activities conducted during this supervised learning experience adhere to the dimensions of applied behavior analysis identified by Baer, Wold, and Risley (1968) in the article Some Current Dimensions of Applied Behavior Analysis published in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. The assigned supervisor directly observes the student's performance and provides specific feedback related to the results of observation, work sample review, review of written work, and performance measurement. |
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ABA641 | Supervision IV in ABA | 3 | |
This is an experiential learning opportunity designed to fulfill the requirement for a supervised independent fieldwork experience as defined by the Behavior Analyst Board (BACB©). During a supervised independent fieldwork experience, students complete 2000 hours of applied work in behavior analysis. Students are supervised at least twice per month for 5% of the total hours they spend in the supervised experience. The student’s primary focus during supervision is on learning and applying behavior analytic skills related to BACB© 5th Edition Task List (Behavior Analyst Certification Board, 2019). Activities conducted during this supervised learning experience adhere to the dimensions of applied behavior analysis identified by Baer, Wolf and Risley (1968) in the article Some Current Dimensions of Applied Behavior Analysis published in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. The assigned supervisor directly observes the student’s performance and provides specific feedback related to the results of observation, work sample review, review of written work, and performance management. |
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ABA642 | Supervision V in ABA | 3 | |
This is an experiential learning opportunity designed to fulfill the requirement for a supervised independent fieldwork experience as defined by the Behavior Analyst Board (BACB©). During a supervised independent fieldwork experience, students complete 2000 hours of applied work in behavior analysis. Students are supervised at least twice per month for 5% of the total hours they spend in the supervised experience. The student’s primary focus during supervision is on learning and applying behavior analytic skills related to BACB© 5th Edition Task List (Behavior Analyst Certification Board, 2019). Activities conducted during this supervised learning experience adhere to the dimensions of applied behavior analysis identified by Baer, Wolf and Risley (1968) in the article Some Current Dimensions of Applied Behavior Analysis published in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. The assigned supervisor directly observes the student’s performance and provides specific feedback related to the results of observation, work sample review, review of written work, and performance management. |
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ABA643 | Group Supervision II in ABA | 2 | |
This is a small group experiential learning opportunity designed to fulfill the requirement for a supervised independent fieldwork experience as defined by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB©). During a supervised independent fieldwork experience, students complete 2000 hours of applied work in behavior analysis. Students are supervised at least once every 2 weeks for 5% of the total hours they spend in the supervised experience. The student's primary focus during supervision is on learning and applying new behavior analytic skills related to the BACB© 4th Edition "Task List" (Behavior Analyst Certification Board, 2010). Activities conducted during this supervised learning experience adhere to the dimensions of applied behavior analysis identified by Baer, Wold, and Risley (1968) in the article Some Current Dimensions of Applied Behavior Analysis published in the journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. The assigned supervisor directly observes the student's performance and provides specific feedback related to the results of observation, work sample review, review of written work, and performance measurement. |
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SPE540 | Research in Education | 3 | |
Applied research methodologies, including case analysis, action research, and survey research will be investigated to enable educators to become consumers of available research and to conduct appropriate research projects focusing on the application of programmatic coursework to improving school/community-based curriculum and instruction. |