ABA Programs at University of Houston – Clear Lake
University of Houston – Clear Lake appears in our ranking of the Top 25 Best Applied Behavior Analysis Programs.
The University of Houston – Clear Lake offers two applied behavior analysis programs designed for those who want to work in ABA fields. One is a full degree program that awards students a Master of Arts in Behavior Analysis. This program has approval from the Behavior Analysis Certification Board and can help students get their certification from that board. Students must take two electives from a series of courses that include Human Growth and Development, Advanced Cognitive and Affective Psychology, Advanced Social Psychology and Research Topics in Psychology.
Behavior analysis students will also take 11 required courses that are worth a total of 33 credits. Those courses include Experimental Analysis of Behavior, Applied Behavior Analysis, Research Methods in Behavior Analysis and Ethics and Professional Issues in Behavior Analysis. Students can also do practicum work through the university for credit.
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Those who already have a graduate degree or some ABA experience may want to enroll in the university’s behavior analysis certificate program rather than the full degree program. They will only take 27 credits of courses, which also includes two practicums. Called Behavioral Interventions I and II, these courses ask students to work at the university’s center or to find placements in other centers. They must spend a few hours working in the field each week and also attend classroom sessions. These sessions allow them to talk with their peers about their experiences. Though students only need to do 10 hours of work each week, they will do 20 hours of work each week to complete a course called Research and Practicum in Applied Behavior Analysis.
The University of Houston – Clear Lake is home to the Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities. Not only does the center help students complete their practicum requirements, but it also serves an important need in the community because it allows those on the autism spectrum to seek professional help. This center has a Speaker Series that brings in professionals and a Verbal Behavior Clinic. Its vocational program allows students to help clients develop the skills they need on the job and in their vocational pursuits too.
About University of Houston – Clear Lake
Established in 1971, the University of Houston – Clear Lake grew out of the local demand for qualified students who could work for NASA and the similar industries growing around the city. The Manned Spacecraft Center opened in the Clear Lake area in the early 1960s and created a need for a new type of worker. Prior to the university opening, the University of Houston established a training program at the center that offered classes in math and related subjects for NASA employees. Humble Oil then gave the university 50 acres that it could use for a new school. The campus built on this spot would later open as the Clear Lake Graduate Center. It would later become the University of Houston – Clear Lake or UHCL and function as part of the University of Houston school system.
Located close to Clear Lake City, the university still offers a number of math and science programs today. It shifted its focus in later years to provide students with training in other subject areas. This allows students to study anything they want and to gain the skills they need to work in other industries. A second campus operates in Pearland and goes by the name of the Branch Campus. UHCL is one of the smaller campuses in the UH system with an enrollment of around 8,600 students.
University of Houston – Clear Lake Accreditation Details
Though the behavior analysis program offered by UHCL does not have accreditation, the university itself has full accreditation. This regional accreditation comes from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and allows students to both apply for the aid they might need and to use the aid that they get. It also gives UHCL the right to grant degrees and accept transfer credits from any incoming student.
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University of Houston – Clear Lake Application Requirements
UHCL only allows students to start its graduate behavior analysis program in the fall. Students should meet the requirements of the university’s graduate school and the program itself and submit all paperwork by January 5. UHCL uses the ApplyTexas system, which allows students to apply to almost any college or university in Texas. They will complete the application on this system and then submit other information to the university itself.
Prospective students must create an extended resume that lists any professional ABA experience they have and any jobs they had in the recent past. It should also include a list of any awards or accolades that the individual received. A statement of purpose of up to 1,000 words is another requirement. This statement should list the student’s career goals and how this program will help them work towards their degrees. UHCL asks for two letters of recommendation also. It has the same requirements for students applying to its certificate program as it does for those applying to the full degree program.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Students will either pay the UHCL resident or nonresident tuition rate. The resident rate is $4,686 per term, which allows those students to take up to nine credit hours every term. Nonresidents pay $9,321 per term. The university requires that students have health insurance and offers insurance for those who do not have coverage. Students will also pay around $500 each semester for their books and personal supplies/expenses. Graduate students who take fewer courses will pay around $550 per credit hour in each of those classes.
When a student receives an acceptance letter, he or she can then log into the university’s e-services account to look at their financial aid options. The university offers a few scholarships for undergrads and some designed for continuing students. Those enrolled in a graduate program can look for any scholarships that they can apply for too. The most common type of aid that these students use though is from the federal government. They can borrow $20,500 as a full-time student. Students can borrow government loans as long as they enroll as at least half-time students. The University of Houston – Clear Lake will also accept alternative student loans among those enrolling in its behavior analysis program.
