Drexel University

Applied Behavior Analysis Programs Offered at Drexel University

Drexel University appears in our ranking of the Best Online Master’s in Applied Behavior Analysis.

Drexel University offers full-time and part-time programs for students with an interest in applied behavior analysis (ABA). One is a Master of Science (MS) in ABA, which is available on the campuses in Washington DC and Philadelphia as well as online. Those who study in Washington DC enroll in a hybrid program that includes online and offline work. The program follows the course sequence established by the board responsible for licensing those who work in the ABA field. It features 27 credits of required classes, 12 credits from within the autism spectrum disorders track and six credits of research. Teaching Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders, Behavior and Sensory Support and Consultation, Systems Change and Supervision are some of the required classes. The university offers this program with a concentration in fieldwork or autism spectrum disorders. Those in the fieldwork track will do practicums in schools near the campus.

A post-master’s certificate program in ABA is also available full-time or part-time. Students can enroll in the online program or take classes on the Philadelphia campus. Most students graduate in two years and take 27 credits, which will transfer into the MA program. The certificate program includes seven classes such as Fundamental Elements of Behavior Change, Measurement and Experimental Design and Applications of Fundamental Elements of Behavior Analysis.

Also available is a dual degree program for graduate students in ABA and special education. It includes 10-week classes that students take over four quarters each year. Twelve of the courses they take are required courses, including Applications of Fundamental Elements of Behavior Analysis, Integrating Technology for Learning and Achievement, Teaching Individuals with Low Incident Disabilities and Emotional and Behavioral Support of Individuals with Disabilities.

They will then pick a concentration in elementary special education to work with kids up through eighth grade or secondary special education to work with students through 12th grade. Each concentration includes three courses. The university offers three tracks to help students complete their degrees. One track lets them create and test a lesson plan, while another includes some fieldwork. Drexel also offers a thesis track for dual degree students. Students will also do a practicum in either a secondary or elementary school for three or more credits.

About Drexel University

Drexel University is a private university based out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was established in 1891 as the Drexel Institute and named for Anthony J. Drexel, who was a philanthropist from Philadelphia. The institute became the Drexel Institute of Technology in 1936 and kept that name until becoming Drexel University in 1970. Drexel offers a unique cooperative education program for both undergraduate and graduate students. They can work full-time in the field for up to 18 months before finishing their degrees to earn a regular paycheck and gain more experience.

The university launched Drexel e-Learning for online students and later renamed this division as Drexel University Online. Both certificate and degree programs in ABA and other subjects are available from this division. Forbes ranks Drexel as one of the best research, private and liberal arts colleges in the nation. Drexel also ranked at number 405 on the U.S. News and World Report list of the best American schools and number 172 on its list of the best education departments for grad students.

Drexel University Accreditation Details

As Drexel University has accreditation from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), it can give financial aid packages to students who qualify once they submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This is one of the forms of regional accreditation recognized by the United States Department of Education. Drexel also has accreditation for its nursing programs and its graduate program in business from professional organizations.

Drexel University Application Requirements

Drexel has different application requirements for students applying to a certificate program than it does those applying to a degree program. The post-master’s program in ABA only accepts students who have both a bachelor’s degree and a graduate degree in psychology. They must provide official transcripts from any school they attended and two letters of recommendation from professional and academic references. Drexel asks for a resume and an essay too. The essay must explain why they want to enter the ABA program and what they hope to get out of the university.

The full ABA program has similar application requirements. Students must write a personal essay that explains why they want to attend Drexel and enroll in that specific program as well as what their career goals are and how their past experiences will help them at the university. Those applying to the special education and ABA program need an undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 or higher and a bachelor’s degree. They need to submit two letters of recommendation, their official transcripts, a completed application and a personal essay that addresses the same subjects as the ABA essay does.

Tuition and Financial Aid

In the university’s ABA certificate program, students pay $978 per credit hour because they qualify for a 25 percent tuition discount. Students who take hybrid classes and on-campus classes pay the full tuition rate of $1,303 per credit hour. That is the same rate that students in the full ABA program and the joint special education program pay. Tuition discounts are also available for military students and those who work for partner organizations. Military students pay $913 per credit hour after the university applies their discounts. Drexel recommends that students contact the financial aid office and speak with a counselor to get those discounts. Alumni can log into their existing accounts to apply and register for classes, which will help them get discounts too.

Drexel University offers payment plans that divide the student’s total cost into several payments that he or she makes at the beginning of the semester and on different dates. PLUS loans go to both graduate students and their parents and can help them bridge the gap between what they owe and what they get in financial aid. Through the FAFSA, students can get unsubsidized loans, which includes options to pay down their loans before they graduate. The university offers a mobile app that lets students search for scholarships too. Students in the ABA and special education programs can use those scholarships with their federal aid when attending Drexel University.