BCaBA Certification Preparation Programs
Becoming a Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst

BCaBA stands for Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst. This level of certification requires an undergraduate degree, several courses related to Behavior Analysis, less than a year of supervised practice, and passing an International Exam in behavior analysis. (more...)

The Behavior Analysis Certification Board (BACB) awards the BCaBA credential to individuals who have met coursework, degree, fieldwork and examination requirements.

Psychology /
Applied Behavioral Analysis
Bachelor of Science

BACB Approved Coursework
Fulfill BCaBA Certification Course Requirement*
Ideal For Autism & Behavior Professionals

The BACB approved Applied Behavioral Analysis specialization will explore behavioral development from birth to adolescence. Students will extensively examine design, analysis, and application of learning theories and behavioral principles to understand what motivates human behavior. They will learn the skills required for a myriad of jobs, including working with autistic children and adults with special needs and assisting certified behavioral analysts who conduct research or create behavior modification programs.

*This program fulfills BACB's degree and coursework requirements for BCBA candidates. Graduates of this program do not have to complete additional graduate level coursework to be eligible for BCBA certification.

The BS in Psychology program offers an Advanced Start option. If you earned an associate's or bachelor's degree from a regionally or nationally accredited college, and you are interested in a career that focuses on human behavior and development, the Advanced Start Bachelor of Science in Psychology is for you. The degree is also designed to prepare you to pursue graduate studies in psychology. Full-time students can complete this program in as little as 2 years.

• Applied Behavioral Analysis - MS
• Psychology / Child Development - BS
• Early Childhood Development - BS

The "America's Best Colleges" 2012 edition of U.S. News & World Report has ranked Saint Joseph's University among the top 15 master's universities in the north and #8 in top regional universities in the north.

Criminal Justice / Behavior Analysis
Master of Science

BCBA Approved
Behavior Analysis Graduate Coursework
Qualify for BCBA Certification

Designed for Behavior Professionals
In Justice System and Community Services

Special Education / Autism
Master of Science

Designed for Professionals Working with Autism

SJU’s online Autism Spectrum Disorder Specialization — available as part of our online Master’s in Special Education degree— gives students the advanced education to provide early intervention, special education, and habilitation services to children and adults with  ASD.

• Business Intelligence / Behavior Analysis - MS

The nation's oldest and largest graduate school focused exclusively on psychology and related behavioral sciences.

Named to the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll in 2009 (for the third consecutive year) and the only school of professional psychology to receive this award with distinction.

Applied Behavior Analysis
Graduate Certificate Plus Field Experience

BACB Approved
Behavior Analysis Graduate Coursework
Includes Supervised Field Experience Option
Complete in Under a Year*

Meet Graduate Coursework and Practicum
Requirement Toward BCBA Certification
Ideal For Autism & Behavior Professionals

• BACB approved sequence of coursework for BCBA certification eligibility
• Includes optional supervised practicum
• For behavior analysis and related professionals who want to update their licensure and/or develop mastery of behavior analytic theories and procedures
• Can be completed in under one year*
• Applicants must have a master's degree in a related field and five years' experience

* Dependent on availability of field supervision. Field experience is a requirement toward BCBA certification eligibility. Completing supervised practicum while enrolled in an approved program, such as this one, can lead to a significant reduction of required field experience hours (1,000 versus 1,500).

• Child & Adolescent Psychology - Graduate Certificate
• School Psychology - EdS

Autism Spectrum Disorders
Added Authorization

CTC Approved for California Educators
Pursuing ASD Added Authorization

Ideal for Educators, Professionals and Parents

Take Full Program or Individual Classes

The 4 course, 12 unit ASD program is designed for special educators, general education teachers, paraprofessionals, and school administrators. The courses may also be valuable for teachers without the credentials required for the authorization and others who work with children on the autism spectrum. It is also designed for social workers, psychologists, parents, and others working with or interested in children and young adults with autism spectrum disorders. This group is welcome to take these courses individually or to successfully complete the entire program and receive a certificate of completion representing professional development.

Brandman's ASD Added Authorization program is approved by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. Candidates who successfully complete the requirements will have earned the authorization to serve students with ASD.

• Characteristics and causes of autism
• Cognitive and neurobiological challenges for the autistic individual and how to assess and plan for service delivery
• Behavioral, developmental, and blended approaches in understanding and modifying the behaviors of autistic students
• Evaluation of learning needs for the student with autism spectrum disorder, with an emphasis on resources and best practices for addressing academic issues at all functional levels

Drexel’s School of Education was ranked as one of "America's Best Graduate Schools 2010" by U.S. News & World Report.

Special Education / Autism
Master of Science

The Master of Science in Special Education program at Drexel University seeks to produce professionals who are equipped with the fundamental skills, knowledge, and competencies they will need to meet the needs of students at risk for and with disabilities in multiple settings. The Autism concentration is designed for those who seek additional expertise in this critical need area. It will provide knowledge and skills for working with both students with Autism and Asperger's Syndrome as well as effective teaching methods, interventions, and supports. Courses in the Autism concentration include: Characteristics & Methods: Autism, Char & Meth High Functioning Autism, Comm & Language Interventions: AS, Behavior & Sensory Support: ASD.

Ideal candidates for this program are not limited to teachers. Drexel welcomes all applicants interested in obtaining a Master of Science in Special Education, whether you are a teacher in pursuit of special education certification, a special education practitioner interested in enhancing your expertise in a specific area of practice, a special education advocate looking to advance your knowledge and understanding of the field or parent of a child with a disability looking to gain more knowledge to support your child.

Play Therapy
Graduate Certificate

Complete in Just 5 Courses
Qualify for Registered Play Therapists (RPT) and Registered Play Therapists-Supervisors (RPT-S) Credentials

Help your youngest, most vulnerable clients improve their mental well being with a therapeutic approach that's entirely natural to them - play. Capella's five-course graduate Play Therapy certificate, one of few available online, addresses the core academic content areas required by the Association for Play Therapy to earn its Registered Play Therapist (RPT) and Supervisor (RPT-S) credentials. You will learn play therapy theory, methodology, and applications with expert faculty who live (and love) what they teach. The faculty leaders who created the courses - and all instructors in the program — are registered play therapists or registered play therapist supervisors. Whether you're in psychology, counseling, social work, speech therapy, or a related discipline, this Play Therapy certificate can help you deepen your therapeutic connection with the kids you serve.

• Addiction Counseling - MS
• Clinical Psychology - MS
• Counseling Psychology - MS
• School Psychology - MS
• Studies in Human Behavior - MS

Chosen as an NEA Academy Partner for it's quality and value. Walden University offers the No. 1 Largest Online Graduate Program in Education By Enrollment (U.S. News & World Report). WU's School of Education is currently a candidate for accreditation by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).

Special Education (Grades K-12)
Master of Science in Education

Nation's Largest Graduate Program in Education
Benefit from NEA Academy Partnership

If you are an experienced special educator with the desire to enhance your skills by incorporating the latest developments in the field into your program, this specialization offers a path to continuing professional achievement. Walden's M.S. in Education with a Special Education specialization synthesizes the most current research in the arenas of neuroscience, assessment, and scientifically based interventions so that you can determine best practices for student learning. (This program does not lead to teacher licensure.)

• Design and implement curricula to facilitate standards-based learning of individuals with disabilities.
• Assemble and evaluate data about individuals with disabilities in order to make effective decisions related to special education programs.
• Employ assistive technology to promote higher levels of student engagement and learning.
• Establish and foster a culturally responsive classroom that supports learning at all levels.

• Special Education Endorsement Program - Emotional/Behavioral Disorders (K-12)
• Special Education Endorsement Program - Learning Disabilities (K-12)
• Special Education Endorsement Program with M.S. in Special Education - Emotional/Behavioral Disorders (K-12)
• Special Education Endorsement Program with M.S. in Special Education - Learning Disabilities (K-12)
• Teacher Preparation Program with M.A. in Teaching - Special Education, Emotional/Behavioral Disorders
• Teacher Preparation Program with M.A. in Teaching - Special Education, Learning Disabilities

BCaBA Career and Certification Overview
Becoming a Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst

BCaBA Overview

The Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA) Certification is the national certification for Applied Behavior Analysis professionals. The BCaBA conducts descriptive behavioral assessments and is able to interpret the results and design ethical and effective behavior analytic interventions for clients. The BCaBA designs and oversees interventions in familiar cases (e.g., similar to those encountered during their training) that are consistent with the dimensions of applied behavior analysis. The BCaBA obtains technical direction from a BCBA for unfamiliar situations. The BCaBA is able to teach others to carry out interventions once the BCaBA has demonstrated competency with the procedures involved under the direct supervision of a BCBA. The BCaBA may assist a BCBA with the design and delivery of introductory level instruction in behavior analysis. It is mandatory that each BCaBA practice under the supervision of a BCBA. Governmental entities, third-party insurance plans and others utilizing BCaBAs must require this supervision. The Behavior Analysis Certification Board (BACB) awards this credential to individuals who have met coursework, degree, fieldwork and examination requirements.

BCaBA's work in the same settings as BCBAs (homes, schools, hospitals, residential facilities, rehabilitation centers, and more). They can work with both children and adults.

The Behavior Analysis Certification Board (BACB) awards the BCaBA credential to individuals who have met coursework, degree, fieldwork and examination requirements.

BCaBA Certification

• A Bachelor's degree in ABA or related field.
• 135 classroom hours (online or campus) of graduate level instruction.
• 1000 hours of supervised independent fieldwork in behavior analysis. Some BCaBA preparation programs include both the approved coursework and supervised practicum.
• Passing score on the BCaBA exam.

BCaBA Career Outlook

As with BC BAs', jobs for BCaBAs are abundant at this time and demand far outstrips the supply of trained and certified practitioners due to the broad range of applications. The demand for BCaBAs specializing in Autism is particularly high and continues to grow, as diagnoses of ASD have increased significantly in recent years, there is still a lack of trained ASD-specific professionals, and ABA has proven to be the most effective treatment for ASD.

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