What Can I Expect from an Applied Behavior Analysis Certificate Program?

Behavior analysis professionals who are wondering what to expect from an applied behavior analysis certificate program have come to the right place! Using the theories of learning, ABA professionals work to modify or improve human behavior. They can be found working in many different work settings including private offices, mental health centers, hospitals, large businesses, and public and private schools. Earning an ABA certificate can help ABA professionals advance in their careers, but what is involved in an ABA certificate program? The following information can answer this question.

Program Requirements

One thing that students should expect from an applied behavior analysis certificate program is that they will need to meet various requirements to be eligible for enrollment in the program. Some schools will accept students who hold a bachelor’s degree in applied behavior analysis or a similar area, but if students wish to become board certified, they should have a master’s degree. Other requirements vary from one school to the next but often include a minimum GPA of 3.0, letters of recommendation, a resume, practical experience, college transcripts, and an application fee.

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Required Courses

Another thing that students should expect when enrolling in an applied behavior analysis certificate program is that they will need to complete a variety of courses related to their field of study. The titles of these courses may vary depending on the students’ schools of choice, but the content is typically quite similar. Most of these programs can be completed in about one year and usually consist of about 18 to 20 credit hours of coursework. Listed below are examples of the courses that may be required of an ABA certificate program, but keep in mind that the titles of these courses may be different from one university to the next.

Basic Principles of Applied Behavior Analysis
Assessment of Behavior in Contexts
Behavior Assessments and Interventions
Ethical Issues for Special Education Groups
Research in Applied Behavior Analysis
Behavior Change Procedures
Experimental Design and Measurement

Board Certification

Students who choose to complete an applied behavior analysis program can also expect to be prepared for their board certification exams after completing their programs. Fully accredited universities offer ABA certificate programs that are designed to prepare students for the certification exam offered by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. ABA professionals who are board-certified are qualified to supervise certain other ABA professionals including ABA board-certified assistants and behavior technicians.

The ABA board certification exam consists of 160 multiple-choice questions, and applicants have a total of four hours to complete their exams. Retakes of the exam are allowed within two years of initial approval for the exam. The board offers four testing windows per year, which can be found on its website. Applicants must apply for the exam at least one month prior to the testing window of their choice, and they will need to pay the current exam fees at the time that they submit their applications.

Applied behavior analysis professionals who would like to advance in their careers may want to consider completing an ABA certificate program. There are several things to expect from an applied behavior analysis program, and some of the main things are discussed briefly in the sections above.

What Can I Expect from an Applied Behavior Analysis Certificate Program?