About the Program

This graduate certificate program is delivered in seven courses of three credits each. Through these courses, participating educators, counselors, and consultants will gain the knowledge, concepts, and skills to plan, implement, and evaluate applied behavioral analysis programs for children and adults. Advanced ABA coursework is available as part of a master’s program for those who have completed this Behavior Analyst Certification Board-approved course sequence.

• The first course offers a comprehensive view of the philosophical and historical foundations of behavior analysis.
• The second course will teach students to identify, define, and apply the concepts and principles of behavior.
• The third course will address competencies in measurement and experimental design. 
• The fourth course leads students to critically examine the research in the field as they assess challenging behavior and prepare to select intervention models.
• The fifth course will provide students with a broad range of tools that will allow them to develop systematic and comprehensive programs that teach academic and social skills in the most natural contexts possible. 
• The sixth course focuses upon the application of ABA skills, knowledge, and concepts to the organization itself, such as supervising staff, evaluating programs and personnel, training staff and parents to implement programs, and consulting with schools, adult resident and work programs, and home-based programs. During this sixth course, participants will have the opportunity to learn the leadership, problem solving, and communication skills that are helpful when working with others, such as parents and general educators, across settings.
• The overarching seventh course investigates the ethical considerations and professional behaviors related to the other six course content areas.

Students will receive guided practice with each course’s content by developing case studies, which may be course-specific or continue across several courses. Successful completion of all courses will meet the ABA coursework requirement to sit for the national Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) examination.