Q and A Board Certification in Applied Behavior Analysis
Q: Do I need a master's degree to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA)?
A: Yes, you will need a master's degree to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst.
Q: What type of master's degree is required to become a BCBA?
A: Individuals who wish to become a BCBA must possess, at minimum, a masters degree in a human service area.
Q: What qualifies as a human service area?
A: A master's degree in special education, education, psychology, educational psychology, counseling psychology, applied behavioral analysis are examples of human service areas.
Q: What courses do I need to complete at Ball State University to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst?
A: *Students must complete the following courses at Ball State University to become eligible to take the BCBA exam:
SPCED 609: Introduction to Applied Behavior Analysis (3)
SPCED 611: Advanced Applied Behavior Analysis (3)
SPCED 610: Behavioral Consultation (3)
**SPCED 638: Practicum in Applied Behavior Analysis (6)
SPCED 636: Research in Special Education (3)
SPCED 619: Professional Issues in Applied Behavior Analysis (3)
SPCED 660: Verbal Behavior (3)
* The program at Ball State University is designed to meet the 225 classroom hours of graduate level instruction in the following content areas and for the number of hours specified as required by the Association of Behavior Analysis International:
- Ethical considerations 15 hours
- Definition & characteristics and Principles, processes & concepts (45 hours)
- Behavioral assessment and Selecting intervention outcomes & strategies (35 hours)
- Experimental evaluation of interventions (20 hours)
- Measurement of behavior and Displaying & interpreting behavioral data - (20 hours)
- Behavioral change procedures and Systems support (45 hours0
- Discretionary (45 hours)
** Students will need to complete a BCBA supervised practicum experience. Students must accumulate 1500 hours of practicum prior to being eligible to take the BCBA exam.
Q: How many practicum hours do I need to become a BCBA?
A: Applicants must complete 1500 hours of Supervised Independent Fieldwork in behavior analysis. The distribution of Supervised Independent Fieldwork hours must be at least 10 hours per week, but not more than 30 hours per week, for a minimum of 3 weeks per month.
Q: Who needs to supervise me so I can become a BCBA?
A: During the practica experience, the supervisor must be a Board Certified Behavior Analyst in good standing or be approved by the BACB as a faculty member in a BACB approved course sequence. The supervisor may not be the applicant's relative, subordinate or employee during the experience period. The supervisor will not be considered an employee of the applicant if the only compensation received by the supervisor from the applicant consists of payment for supervision. Applicants must be supervised at least once every 2 weeks for 5% of the total hours they spend in Supervised Independent Fieldwork. Total supervision must be at least 75 hours. A supervisory period is two weeks.
|
Supervised Independent
Fieldwork |
Total hours required |
1500 |
Supervised hours:
% of total hours |
5% |
Total number of
supervised hours |
75 |
Frequency of
supervisor contacts |
1 every 2 weeks |
Q: Will the program at BSU provide a BCBA supervisor for my practicum?
A: The program does not guarantee a BCBA supervisor. However, the program will assist students in identifying someone who is a BCBA who can provide supervision during the practicum experience. It is ultimately the responsibility of the student to find a supervisor who is a BCBA. In addition, if the student decides to pay for a BCBA to provide supervision, the student is responsible for paying for the supervision.
Q: Will I need to take an exam to become a BCBA?A: Yes. The BACB examinations are only offered to individuals who are seeking BACB certification or recertification, and for no other purpose. The Board Certified Behavior Analyst® Examination is comprised of approximately 132 multiple-choice questions.
Q: Has the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) pre-approved Ball State University's coursework?
A: Yes, the coursework and practicum experiences at Ball State University have been approved by the BACB. This means that students completing the appropriate coursework at BSU will automatically be eligible to take the exam to become a BCBA.
Q: What is the difference between the BCBA and BCABA?
A: The primary difference between a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and a Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCABA) is that the BCABA needs to hold a minimum of a baccalaureate degree as opposed a mater's degree, which is required to become a BCBA. In addition, 135 hours of classroom instruction must be completed instead of the minimum of 225 classroom hours to become a BCBA.
Q: Are all the courses available online for the BCBA at BSU, including the practicum courses?
A: All course offered online, including the practicum.