Masters of Arts in Education: Behavior and Autism Studies

Requirements for the Master of Arts in Education:  Behavior and Autism Studies

• 3.0 GPA from undergraduate program
• Letters of Recommendation
• Letter of Intent/Essay addressing why you would like to pursue a career in ABA
• Teaching license is not required

Master of Arts in Education:  Behavior and Autism Studies

BACB Required Content Areas of Study

All current students entering the program will participate in graduate courses that meet the BCBA Task List V Requirements.
https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/BCBA2022EligibilityRequirements_210513.pdf 

Please note that the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB ®) and/or the Applied Behavior Analysis International (ABAI®) can make changes to eligibility requirements for certification at any time. Current and future students are required to review information from the BACB and remain current with updates https://www.bacb.com/bcba/

Students must complete a core set of eight ABAI Verified Course Sequence (VCS) lecture-based courses (24 credits) and one required practicum (3 credits) as well as 15 credit hours of additional elective coursework chosen with their faculty advisor. The total program involves 42 graduate credits. The core ABA set of classes has been approved by the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) and is a registered ABAI Verified Course Sequence (VCS) meets the BACB Task List V Requirements.  Students must earn a “B-” or greater in each ABA course in order for it to count towards program completion.

Students who are enrolled in this program are subject to the policies and guidelines of the School of Education Program as stated in the current Felician University Catalog and Student Handbook.

Students are responsible for successfully completing all graduate requirements. While completing the coursework, students are also responsible for collecting the 2,000 fieldwork hours necessary to be eligible to sit for the BCBA exam. While at Felician, students may enroll in practicum courses to accrue their fieldwork hours. Students may take additional practicum courses as electives, however not all hours will be completed through the practicum courses. Students are responsible for tracking and collecting any additional hours needed. It should be noted that completion of fieldwork hours and passing of the exam are not a requirement for graduation. 
 

BEHAVIOR ANALYST CERTIFICATION BOARD

As is further described by the Board (www.bacb.com), the BACB is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation established in 1998 to meet professional credentialing needs identified by behavior analysts, governments, and consumers of behavior analysis services. On a regular basis, the BACB’s certification requirements, exam content, and procedures undergo reviews and potential changes according to international standards for organizations that grant professional credentials.

Content experts in the discipline: Content experts in the discipline establish the BACB requirements and examination content. Students are required to thoroughly review the BCBA requirements and associated documents. The VCS Program Coordinator serves as a liaison between the students and the BACB. Each student must schedule a meeting with the VCS Coordinator during the first semester in the program.

* Students will take 15 credit hours of additional elective coursework chosen with their faculty advisor in the areas of education, psychology, or business.

Course Delivery

The eight VCS approved courses are offered remotely synchronously through virtual technology offered at Felician University. This format provides the opportunity for lectures, activities, and discussions with peers and professors on a weekly basis. To remotely access the courses students must adhere to the University General Guidelines that pertain to the needed technology and protocol for participating in the courses.
The additional 15 credits of coursework to complete the master’s degree are offered through an asynchronous format.

Course Sequencing and Prerequisites

The graduate program curriculum has been designed to have a student participate in introductory courses (EDU 800, 801, & 802) prior to participating in intermediate and advanced courses (EDU 803, 804, 805, 809, 810). Students are encouraged to take at least one ABA course prior to enrolling in the practicum course. If students are interested in taking more than the recommended courses during the first year, additional electives are available in order to ensure ABA courses are taken in the appropriate order.

Additional Elective Coursework Options

To complete the graduate master’s program, each student will complete 15 additional elective credits. Fifteen credits can be chosen together with the faculty advisor. The additional courses are chosen based on the student’s background and future goals of employment. These courses are typically taken within the School of Education; however, students may take coursework in psychology or business in consultation with their advisor.

Course Transfer Policy

As per the University Policy, a student may transfer in a total of six elective graduate credits towards their Master’s degree. In relation to the core courses, the content must be consistent with the content of Felician program courses in terms of the required areas of study according to the BACB Standards. An individual interested in transferring credit hours, must submit official transcripts and course syllabi of the courses for review by the program coordinator. Approval must be obtained by the coordinator and school dean.

Required Practicum Experiences

As a major qualification to sit for the BACB Examination to become a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst, an applicant must officially participate and document Supervised Fieldwork experience. https://www.bacb.com/ wp-content/uploads/2020/11/BCaBA-2022EligibilityRequirements_210513.pdf
The applicant is responsible for acquiring and documenting the fieldwork hours in accordance with the official procedures of the BACB. Students must review the BACB Fieldwork Requirements during their first semester in the program and sign a document indicating their understanding. In addition, each student will receive a Program and Practicum Handbook that delineates the requirements. 
To assist our students in accumulating hours and advanced training, Felician requires each student to participate in one semester practicum experience. Students will participate in a practicum experience that will follow the concentrated supervised fieldwork guidelines of the BACB. During the practicum, a student will participate in a minimum of 15 hours per week of applied behavior analytic work, that involves both hands-on training as well as program planning, development, and evaluation activities. The primary focus is on acquiring the skills necessary to demonstrate competence of relevant tasks on the BCBA Task List V and the skills necessary to interact effectively with consumers, supervisors, parents, and other professionals. Securing a supervision site and Responsible BCBA or BCBA-D is required prior to course enrollment. There is assistance available  for students who need to find placements and supervisors, however, Felician University cannot guarantee practicum placement or access to a Fieldwork supervisor. 
The practicum course experience will have two primary components: A seminar component for one credit along with a field component for two credits. Students must be enrolled in both simultaneously. Students may also participate in three additional practicum experiences as electives. Each practicum will have a one-credit seminar along with a two-credit field experience component.
For a student to participate in the practicum experience, they must have an official background check as required by New Jersey. Students within the Masters program are expected to comply with the BACB Compliance Code and Disciplinary Systems for Behavior Analysts https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/uploads/ 2020/05/BACB-Compliance-Code-english_190318.pdf at all times. Students must sign and submit an Ethics Compliance Statement within their first semester of matriculation in the program. In addition, specific practicum sites may have additional requirements.

Program length:  24 months (based on full-time enrollment)