Applied Behavior Analysis, MS

The Master's in Applied Behavior Analysis in the Arizona State Department of Psychology is changing the world for the people who need it most. Students will learn all the skills they need in order to help children and adults with autism spectrum disorders as well those with behavioral issues.

Program Description

Degree Awarded: Applied Behavior Analysis, MS

Offered by the Department of Psychology, this MS program in applied behavior analysis is a full-time, scientifically based, two-year program that meets the Behavior Analyst Certification Board® fifth-edition task list for coursework with 345 classroom hours and 2,000 hours of supervised practicum fieldwork.

Successful graduates are able to sit for BACB® certification and, once certified, are eligible for state-licensure. The program's learning outcomes include mastery across three major areas as identified by the certification board: basic behavior-analytic skills, client-centered responsibilities and foundational knowledge.

Applied behavior analysis training in the Department of Psychology at ASU includes supervised experience and instruction in:

behavior analytic attitudes such as determinism, empiricism and parsimony
fundamental elements of behavior change and behavior change procedures
identification, assessments and interventions for behavioral excesses, deficiencies and challenging behavior
professional ethics and conduct of applied behavior analysis
training others in the science and practice of applied behavior analysis
use of different behavioral measurement types and systems
use of experimental designs to determine relationships among and between measurement, relevant variables and behavior

Student Handbook

Concentrations

The program’s learning outcomes will include mastery across three major areas:

Basic Behavior-Analytic Skills;
Client-Centered Responsibilities; and
Foundational Knowledge.

Students will be trained to acquire and effectively practice the following sets of skills and abilities:

when and how to use different types of measures, fundamental elements of behavior change, and specific behavior change procedures and systems;
development of experimental designs;
identify, define, measure, assess and intervene with behavior problems;
provide an array of training and supervisory tasks;
distinguish between verbal operants; and
have the ability to define an array of key concepts such as stimuli, responses, punishment, reinforcement, and types of conditioning.

In addition, students will acquire the ability to explain and behave in accordance with professional ethics and attitudes of science such as determinism, pragmatism and empiricism.

Curriculum

The Behavior Analyst Certification Board, Inc.® (BACB) has approved the following course sequence as meeting the coursework requirements for eligibility to take the Board Certified Behavior Analyst Examination®. Applicants will have to meet additional requirements to qualify. Course descriptions can be found below the table. Click on the Practicum Placements tab on the left to view the practicum rotation schedule.

A minimum of 42 credit hours is required including the required applied project course (PSB 593).

Requirements and electives	Hours
Core courses	24
Electives	4
Other Requirements	9
Culminating Experience	5
Total hours required	42

Courses and electives

The coursework for each student is individualized and based upon the student's previous training, research goals, and mentor and practicum site. Students will take nine core courses covering applied behavior analysis and at least two elective courses to expand their breadth of study, with practicum and fieldwork. Students are also expected to take PSB 593, an Applied Project for 5 credit hours to complete their Culminating Experience requirement.

At a Glance: program details

Location:
Tempe campus
Second Language Requirement: No

Degree Requirements

Required Core (24 credit hours)
PSB 501 Basic Principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (3)
PSB 510 Basic Principles of Experimental Analysis of Behavior (2)
PSB 511 Advanced Research Methods (2)
PSB 520 Ethical Issues and Professional Standards in Applied Behavior Analysis (3)
PSB 530 Behavioral Observation and Functional Assessment (3)
PSB 540 Development of Applied Behavioral Intervention Programs (3)
PSB 563 Basic Principles of Organizational Behavior Management (2)
PSB 573 Advanced Principles of Learning and Analysis of Behavior (3)
PSB 578 Applied Behavior Analysis in Developmental Disorders (3)

Electives or Research (4 credit hours)
PSB 591 Seminar (2)
PSB 598 Special Topics (2)

Other Requirements (9 credit hours)
PSB 580 Practicum: Applied Behavior Analysis (5)
PSB 583 Fieldwork: Applied Behavior Analysis (4)

Culminating Experience (5 credit hours)
PSB 593 Applied Project (5)

Admission Requirements

Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's degree in psychology, human development, sociology or a closely related field from a regionally accredited institution.

Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program, or applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.

All applicants must submit:

graduate admission application and application fee
official transcripts
statement of purpose form
curriculum vitae or resume
two letters of recommendation
proof of English proficiency

Additional Application Information
An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency.

The application is completed online through ASU's Graduate Admission Services website. Applicants should upload their unofficial transcripts to the application before submitting.

It is strongly recommended that applicants download and print the Master of Science in applied behavior analysis admission checklist from the Department of Psychology website to ensure completion of the application process and inclusion of all the required supplemental forms.

The statement of purpose form should describe professional and academic aspirations.

Applicants must submit two letters of recommendation from professionals or faculty who can speak to the applicant's abilities.

Career Opportunities

Graduates are positioned to be highly sought-after in the human services sector. With an evidence-based practice orientation, Board Certified Behavior Analysts® are charged with assessment of socially significant behaviors and developing interventions to promote adaptive, flexible behavior and to provide alternative responses to challenging behavior. The domains into which graduates of the program go are vast. Below is a list of some potential careers:

assistant clinical director
behavior specialist
Board Certified Behavior Analyst®
clinical director

List of Courses and Electives

+Required Core (24 credit hours)

+ Electives or Research (4 credit hours)

Electives or Research (4 credit hours)
PSB 591 Seminar (2)
PSB 598 Special Topics (2)

+ Other Requirements (9 credit hours)

Other Requirements (9 credit hours)
PSB 580 Practicum: Applied Behavior Analysis (5)
PSB 583 Fieldwork: Applied Behavior Analysis (4)

+ Culminating Experience (5 credit hours)

Culminating Experience (5 credit hours)
PSB 593 Applied Project (5)

+ Year 1: Fall (9 credit hours)

PSB 501: An introduction to the fundamental principles of behavior including the history, theory, definitions, processes, concepts and characteristics of applied behavior analysis. (3 credit hours - 45 instructional hours)

PSB 510: This course will introduce students to the practical applications of research methodology in order to examine the effects and evaluate the efficacy of behavioral interventions. It will provide students with an empirical science approach to designing, conducting, and critically evaluating research involving applications of the experimental analysis of behavior in the use of graphic displays, single-case, ABAB, multiple baselines, changing criterion and alternating treatment designs. (2 credit hours - 20 instructional hours)

PSB 520: Ethical standards and legal responsibilities including regulatory requirements and Arizona licensing statutes for ABA professionals who provide services to individuals with special needs and their families. (3 credit hours - 45 instructional hours)

PSB 580: ABA Practicum (1 credit hour)

Practicum Hours: 350 hours

+ Year 1: Spring (9 credit hours)

PSB 511: This course builds upon PSB 501 and PSY 510 and focuses on research techniques such as time-series methods for single case assessment, behavior measurement and the effectiveness of treatment interventions on behavior. Topics include conducting component and parametric analyses and use of experimental designs such as withdrawal, reversal, criterion, and multiple baselines. (2 credit hours - 30 instructional hours)

PSB 530: Focuses on how to conduct behavioral observations and functional analyses using various methods for assessment and for data collection, organization and interpretation. (3 credit hours - 45 instructional hours)

PSB 540: Includes techniques for conducting task analyses; developing target intervention outcomes; determining alternative behaviors and environmental changes; and use of behavior change procedures such as reinforcement, extinction, punishment, shaping, modeling, training and teaching. (3 credit hours - 45 instructional hours)

PSB 580: ABA Practicum (1 credit hour)

Practicum hours: 400 hours

+ Summer A & B (3 credits each session)

PSB 593: Capstone Project (Sessions A & B) (2 credit hours)

PSB 583: ABA Practicum/Fieldwork (4 credit hours)

Practicum Hours: 400 hours

+ Year 2: Fall (9 credit hours)

PSB 573: An in-depth review of the philosophy and theory of behaviorism and its scientific application. Includes Skinner’s conceptual framework plus fundamental elements of behavior change and procedures. (3 credit hours - 45 instructional hours)

PSB 598: Special Topics; elective (2 credit hours - 15 instructional hours)

PSB 563: Basic Principles of Organizational Behavior Management (OBM) (2 credit hours - 20 instructional hours)

PSB 593: Capstone Project (1 credit hour)

PSB 580: ABA Practicum

Practicum Hours: 425 hours

+ Year 2: Spring (9 credit hours)

PSB 591:Pro-seminar (2 credit hours - 15 instructional hours)

PSB 578: An overview of the major theories and research related to the development of psychological disorders of childhood and adolescence including autism, attention deficit disorder, behavior disorders and intellectual disabilities. (3 credit hours - 20 instructional hours)

PSB 593: Capstone Project (2 credit hours)

PSB 580: ABA Practicum

Practicum hours: 425 hours

Total Practicum hours: 2000 hours

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