Becker College

Becker College is also featured in our ranking Top 20 ABA Online Bachelor’s Degree Programs.

Students with an interest in applied behavior analysis can enroll in the Becker College’s Bachelor of Arts in Psychology program with a concentration in applied behavior analysis. This program trains students for working directly with clients and their families in their homes and for working for nonprofit organizations that offer assistance to those diagnosed with autism and other behavior disorders. Students must take 120 credits of classes, which most do over four years, but those courses include both psychology and ABA classes as well as general requirements. ABA and psychology courses include psychology of adjustment, developmental child psychology, social psychology, assessment and measurement in applied behavior analysis and beginning strategies for changing behavior.

The ABA program includes some practical work too like a senior seminar. Students take a course on research methods in the first semester of their senior year. They’ll then take a seminar in the second semester and do research to write their own papers. It also features a capstone on the agile mindset that looks at how changes in sociology and psychology changed the way people think and behave. Students can do an internship to gain even more experience too.

Becker also offers an ABA certificate program for those who already have a bachelor’s degree or those who transferred to the college to work on a bachelor’s degree. This Becker College program features some of the same courses as the full program and prepares students to work with patients and clients who have behavior disorders in care facilities and in other settings.

About Becker College

Becker College is a private college in Massachusetts that arose after two different schools merged. Leicester Academy opened in 1784 and taught students who came from families with less money. Becker’s Business College opened in 1887 and primarily offered courses in business subjects like management and accounting. These two campuses merged in 1974 and began sharing resources as a way to offer more opportunities for their students. This partnership was such a success that the two schools fully merged to become Becker College in 1977. Each campus now operates in its own city but under the Becker College name.

The college now offers degree programs in more than 40 subjects and has programs designed to help students complete a bachelor’s degree or an associate’s degree. It also offers some accelerated programs that allow students to finish their degrees faster. In 2011, the Massachusetts Digital Games Institutes opened on the campus to create resources for those working in the game design industry. More than 2,100 students take classes through Becker College today. Some of those students take their classes online, and a small number enroll in one of the college’s two online master’s programs, which allow them to study mental health counseling or nursing.

Becker College Accreditation Details

Becker College has both regional accreditation and the specialty accreditation that only covers degree programs in certain subjects. The most important form of accreditation that it has is its regional accreditation, which comes from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). The NEASC is a branch of the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and offers the type of accreditation needed for those who want to get financial aid from the federal government and those who may want to transfer any of their credits. Becker has specialty accreditation from different organizations that include the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) and the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA).

Becker College Application Requirements

Though Becker College is a private school, it accepts a large number of students each year, but it only accepts those who meet its application requirements. Students must follow a college prep curriculum while in high school, which prepares them for the challenges of college work. This includes taking four years of English, three years of science, social studies and math and two years of foreign language classes. Students should also take some electives like art classes while in high school. The college only accepts students who have a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 on a standard 3.0 scale, and some programs will only accept students with a GPA of 2.5 or higher.

The application that students use is available online, but students can also use the Common Application, which gives them the chance to apply to other schools at the same time. Becker asks that students send an official transcript directly to the college and that they supply a letter of recommendation. This letter must come directly from a guidance counselor or teacher. The college asks for an ACT or SAT score too. Students can attend an interview session with an admissions counselor, but this is not a requirement. Becker has different requirements for those home school students and those with a GED rather than a high school diploma.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Tuition at Becker College starts at $1,445 per credit hour. This comes out to around $17,300 a semester or $34,600 a year. Once the college factors in all fees and other miscellaneous expenses, students will pay a little over $21,000 a year to take classes. Those who want to live on the Becker campus must pay for a room and a meal plan, which adds more than $7,000 to their per semester costs. Changing meal plans or living in a room with one or more roommates vs. living in a private room will change their total costs. Though Becker does increase its tuition a little each year, students will pay the same rate as they did the previous year.

Becker gives financial aid priority to those who apply earlier in the year and those who complete and file the FAFSA at the same time. The college recommends that students apply and file for financial aid by November 1. Becker has multiple grant and scholarship programs that can significantly reduce tuition costs for qualifying students. It has a grant program for families with two or more immediate family members enrolled that discounts their tuition by 10% each year. Students may qualify for the MassGrant, which is only open to Massachusetts residents. In addition to grants and loans, Becker students can also work for the school. Its work-study program is open to those who demonstrate more financial need and pays those students a rate equal to or above minimum wage.