Announcement

The M.S. in ABA is fully online. Tuition rates are the same for in-state and out-of-state students for cohorts beginning in Fall 2022.

Program overview

The coursework in this program aligns with Task content Outline 6 as indicated by the Behavior Analytic Certification board meeting requirements for eligibility to take the Board-Certified Behavior Analyst^® examination under Pathway 2. Applicants will need to meet additional requirements before they can be deemed eligible to take the examination, including having the BCS Coordinator complete a Coursework Attestation Form. Students' quality to sit for the BCBA exam following completion of the ABA Master's degree and the field experience hours which are completed simultaneously within the program. To learn more about Applied Behavior Analysis the website for the Behavior Analyst Certification Board provides additional resources. For additional information on licensure requirements across the United States, visit U.S. Licensure of Behavior Analysts.

Prerequisites

Applicants are expected to meet a minimum undergraduate 2.75 GPA. Following a successful interview with the program coordinator, students must pass a background check prior to final admission to the program. Applicants are also encouraged to have their Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) certification. Although having a RBT certificate is not a required prerequisite to apply for the program, if applicants are accepted to the program, they will need to be RBT certified or have minimally completed the 40-hour RBT training curriculum recommended by the BACB before beginning coursework in the Fall. More information about becoming a certified RBT.

Course requirements

The Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Applied Behavior Analysis involves a total of 40 credits to be completed in a five-semester course sequence. Students are required to maintain an overall GPA of 3.0 throughout the program classes and field experience, with no more than one grade of C+ or lower.  Students who earn a second C will not be permitted to continue in the program. Grades of B- and lower, or patterns of grades only in the B range, are of concern, and intervention may be warranted. Grades reflect content mastery and affect how well students perform on the national exam. The program brochure outlines in detail the program requirements, course work and field experience requirements.

Curriculum

Program information

• Cohorts

  This training program is a cohort model which includes a combination of supported and independent learning through lecture-based and practiced-based hands-on learning. Cohort-mates work collaboratively throughout their training. The cohort training model instills a sense of professional community not only during the program, but as students move into the field as practitioners. Our program emphasizes the importance of intensive learning while in the program as well as the need for collaborative lifelong learning. Each cohort takes the five successive semesters of courses and field experience in sequence, as outlined. Cohorts begin in the fall semester (August) and will take five semesters in sequence: fall, winter, spring/summer, fall and winter. Students must be aware that they are committing to this going into the program.

• Program Mission Statement

  The mission of the MS in ABA program at Wayne State University is to prepare professionals to work in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis in a variety of clinical, educational, and research settings. Students are effectively prepared in a science practitioner model with experimental and foundational concepts and priniciples of beahvior analysis needed to equip them for real-world situations that arise when dealing with clients with complex issues and their families. Faculty are committed to preparing behavior analysts capable of facilitating the learning, growth, and adjustment of individuals experiencing various social-emotional, academic/occupational, and behavioral difficulties in a way that is founded in evidence-based pracitice that is ethical and culturally responsive.

• Program Learning Objectives
  1. Foundational Knowledge
     1. Students will identify and describe basic philosophies and theoretical foundations of behavior (Conceptual Analysis).
        1. Midterm and final (course EDP 7112)
     2. Students will identify and describe investigation methods of the fundamental principles of learning and behavior (Experimental Analysis of Behavior) by reviewing and discussing key experiments on animals and people published in behavior analytic journals
        1. Journal assignments (course EDP 7101)
        2. Discussion posts (course EDP 7104)
        3. Midterm and final (courses EDP 7101, EDP 7104)
     3. Students will identify and describe core concepts and rules of behavior derived from experimental research about how behavior is influenced by environmental factors (Basic Principles of Behavior) by reviewing and discussing key articles published in behavior analytic journals
        1. Discussion posts (course EDP 7103)
        2. Midterm and final (course EDP 7103)
     4. Students will conduct behavioral assessments, analyze data, and identify function-based interventions
        1. Midterm and final (courses EDP 7102, EDP 7111)
        2. Final project presentation (courses EDP 7102)
        3. Conceptualization assignments (course EDP 7103)
        4. Treatment Plan assignment (course EDP 7111)
  2. Ethical and Professional Behavior
     1. Students will identify and describe ethic code standards for behavior analysts and use critical thinking skills to conduct a risk benefit analysis related to ethical dilemmas
        1. Data: Final and scenario assignments (course EDP 7105)
     2. Students will use culturally responsive engagement with stakeholders in treatment, training, and supervision
        1. Culturally Responsive Supervision Self-Assessment (CRSS) assignment (course EDP 7107)
     3. Students will develop training curriculum for stakeholders and evaluate it effects
        1. Final project (course EDP 7113)
  3. Applied Research and Experimental Design
     1. Students will successfully complete their capstone project by conducting an intervention in the field, analyzing the results, preparing a professional paper, and presenting the results to a committee
        1. Data title of project and presentation or publication resulting from project (course EDP 7993)
  4. Practical Experience
     1. Student will be placed throughout the duration of the program at a field experience placement with a BCBA supervisor collecting at least an average of 20 hours per week
        1. Data: list of placements, dates, and hours accumulated
     2. Student will apply behavior analytic assessments and strategies in their field placement with documented feedback from their BCBA supervisor
        1. Data: Performance packet score, supervisor evaluation for packets 1-3 (courses EDP 7107, EDP 7108, EDP 7109)
     3. Graduates will obtain paid professional positions as a BCBA after graduation within 3 months of successfully passing their BCBA exam
        1. Data: post graduate survey data
        2. % of graduates obtaining professional positions as BCBA
        3. % of graduates opting not to go into the workforce and what and why they choose instead
        4. list of titles and employer for each graduate
• Program Handbook
  • Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis Student Handbook
• Annual Reports

  Updated annually by April ^1st.

• Student Pass Rates for the BCBA Exam

  Examination pass rates for first-time BCBA and BCaBA examination candidates in university training programs are published annually by the BACB.

  • Student Pass Rates for the BCBA exam
• Learn More About Our ABA Program

  WSU Applied Behavior Analysis - YouTube
  Instagram Takeover: Applied Behavior Analysis
  Instagram Takeover: The Life of a Applied Behavior Analysis Graduate Student
  WSU Applied Behavior Analysis Virtual Open House
  The Applied Behavior Analysis Mentoring Program in the Wayne State University College of Education
  Webinar Wednesdays with Applied Behavior Analysis

• Approved Program

  The Association for Behavior Analysis International has verified the following courses toward the coursework requirements for eligibility to take the Board-Certified Behavior Analyst® or Board-Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst® examination. Applicants will need to meet additional eligibility requirements and demonstrate they reside in an authorized country before they can be deemed eligible to take the examination.

• Professional Licensure Program Disclosure

  The University has determined that the curriculum of the Applied Behavior Analysis program leading to licensure/certification at Wayne State University in the College of Education meets the educational requirements for licensure or certification in Michigan and 37 states.