Applied Behavior Analysis Programs at George Mason University
George Mason University is also featured in our ranking of the Top 20 ABA Online Bachelor’s Degree Programs.
Through Mason Online and the main campus, students can study applied behavior analysis (ABA) at George Mason University. One of the university’s top programs is a graduate certificate in ABA. This program uses the sequence established by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) to help students pass the exam offered by that organization for national licensure. Students take just six classes online and do not need to do any fieldwork. Their courses include Applied Behavior Analysis: Principles, Procedures and Philosophy, Applied Behavior Analysis: Assessments and Interventions and Ethical and Professional Conduct for Behavior Analysis.
Through the School of Education at George Mason University, students can earn a Master’s in Special Education with an ABA certificate. This requires that they take the six classes in the certificate program and all required courses in the master’s program. Introduction to Special Education, Computer Applications for Special Populations and Special Education Research are three classes that they must take. The university offers an optional practicum with three tracks too. Students can do a standard practicum or an intensive practicum. The third track includes fieldwork with direct supervision such as working in a special needs classroom under a licensed teacher.
Featured Programs
The Master’s in Special Education (MEd) program includes 15 required credits such as Consultation and Collaboration, Language Development and Reading and Autism Across the Lifespan: Collaboration with Critical Partners. Students can replace the Language Development and Reading class with Foundations of Literacy and Language for Diverse Learners, Applied Behavior Analysis: Verbal Behavior or Supporting Communication and Literacy for Individuals with Autism. Though the MEd is a traditional program, it includes options for students to take online or hybrid classes. George Mason University also offers an accelerated version of this program to help students earn a bachelor’s and a master’s in special education in five years.
A special education graduate certificate is available too. It features concentrations in adapted curriculum, early childhood special education, general special education, visual impairments and reading instruction. All programs help students meet the requirements for licensed teachers in Virginia. There is also a school concentration program available, which is a concentration in the MEd program. Though some classes are available online, most require attendance on the George Mason University campus. Counseling Children and Adolescents, Introduction to Ethical and Legal Issues in School Counseling, Introduction to School Counseling and Principles and Practices of School Counseling are required classes in this program.
About George Mason University
George Mason University is a public university in Virginia that uses several nicknames and abbreviations, including GMU, George Mason and Mason. Founded in 1949 with one campus in Arlington, it was originally the Northern Virginia University Center of the University of Virginia. It became the University College of the University of Virginia and the George Mason College of Virginia in the 1950s. The transition between its years as a college and a university helped it establish a separate identity from UVA. GMU still has a campus in Arlington but also offers classes on campuses in Prince William, Songdo, Front Royal and Fairfax. The more than 30,000 students enrolled in George Mason can also enroll in online programs available from Mason Online.
George Mason University Accreditation Details
George Mason students who need financial aid to pay for college can use the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and get a package that covers their estimated cost of attendance. They can use this form, which is available on the first of October because of the regional accreditation that Mason has from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). They can use that accreditation to transfer credits to Mason too. George Mason also has accreditation from the American Psychological Association (APA) and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).
George Mason University Application Requirements
Before applying to the accelerated program, GMU encourages students to look at the degree requirements and what it expects of them. They need to fill out an online form to show that they have an interest in the program and then talk with a representative over the phone. The university only lets students apply to the accelerated program once they complete a minimum of 75 credits. Undergrads also need to meet general application requirements too, including the submission of an ACT/SAT score, a high school transcript and a letter of recommendation from a guidance counselor or teacher. Mason will accept a personal statement of up to 250 words also.
Featured Programs
GMU accepts and enrolls more than 11,000 students into its graduate degree programs each year. Students applying to the special education programs need to include a short statement that outlines their goals while attending GMU and what they want to accomplish when they graduate. They also need to provide their college transcripts, a professional resume and two letters of recommendation. The autism spectrum disorders program has the same requirements. All future Mason students need to apply online and use a card to pay their application fees.
Tuition and Financial Aid
The cost of attendance at George Mason starts at $4,530 per semester for Virginia undergrads and climbs to $16,260 for non-residents. All undergrads pay $1,752 in fees each semester too. GMU offers housing for undergrads that let them pick between single, double and triple rooms, with prices starting at $3,150 per semester. This does not include the cost that students pay for a meal plan. Undergrads can use the FAFSA to qualify for financial aid at George Mason, including institutional scholarships, grants from the state government and federal loans and work-study.
Graduate students in the special education degree programs and autism certificate program pay $506 per credit hour as a resident and $1,394 as a nonresident along with fees of $146. The university reduces the rate for non-residents to $706 per credit hour in the special education programs. This comes to a total of $652 per credit hour for residents and $852 for non-residents. Full-time students with a GPA of 3.0 or higher can get an assistantship, including professional, research and graduate assistantships. They can qualify for one of the university’s fellowships and get government aid when they submit the FAFSA. In the ABA programs at George Mason University, students can get hundreds of dollars or more in financial aid every year.
