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2023-2024 Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis
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Students should consult the General Regulations section of the Graduate Catalog for additional information regarding Graduate School admission requirements, transfer credit, and other critical policies and procedures.
The Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis follows a scientist-practitioner model. The program provides students with a complete educational and clinical experience grounded in the philosophy, science, and application of behavior analysis. Our curriculum includes coursework in basic and applied research and considers learning principles that influence the behavior of organisms (humans and non-humans) in laboratory and applied settings. In addition to coursework, students complete a minimum of 1500 concentrated supervised fieldwork hours in which their research and clinical technique are regularly supervised by faculty and community Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) through one-on-one and small group supervision.
Graduates will meet all requirements to sit for the BCBA examination, and once credentialed as BCBAs, they will meet the requirements for behavior analysis licensure in Alabama and many other states. Typical graduates of the program may be employed as BCBAs at agencies, hospitals, clinics, and classrooms that serve people diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, other developmental disabilities, and problem behavior (e.g., oppositional-defiant disorder and conduct disorder). Graduates who complete the thesis track will also be well prepared to pursue doctoral education in behavior analysis and related disciplines if they choose to do so.
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Location
Montgomery Campus
Program Objectives
- Graduates will understand the concepts and principles of behavior analysis.
- Graduates will understand clinical service delivery as it applies to applied behavior analysis.
- Graduates will understand the philosophy of behaviorism.
- Graduates will understand how diversity (e.g., differences in age, gender, race, culture, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, language, or socioeconomic status) may impact behavior analysts’ work.
- Graduates will understand professionalism as it applies to applied behavior analysis.
Program Prerequisites
- Applicants must have at least 15 credits of psychology courses including courses in Research Methods (or Experimental Psychology) and Statistics or their equivalents to be considered for acceptance into the program.
- Applicants must have at least one undergraduate course broadly related to behavior analysis (e.g., Learning, Behavior Analysis, Applied Behavior Analysis, or Behavior Modification) to be considered for acceptance into the program. Professional or research experience in behavior analysis may be used as a substitute for this coursework requirement.
Admission Requirements
Application Deadline: January 15th. Students are only admitted in the fall.
Admission to the program is determined on a competitive basis by a committee comprised of program faculty and is based on the applicant’s materials. In addition to judging aptitude for graduate work, the committee is looking for coursework and experiences that suggest (a) the student will be successful in the program and (b) the program will prepare the applicant for a career in his or her area of interest. The number of students admitted in each cohort will be determined by the committee. In addition to meeting Troy University’s graduate school admissions requirements, applicants must also submit the following:
- Personal statement: In two pages (maximum), please discuss your past education and experience, academic and professional plans, and reasons for wishing to undertake graduate work in behavior analysis in Troy University’s Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis program.
- Three recommendation letters (minimum): These letters must attest to the candidate’s aptitude for graduate study. Recommendations from professors are best and preferred. One of the letters may be from an employer or other workplace supervisor (e.g., a BCBA) if the work was behavior analytic in nature. The others must be from professors.
- Diversity Statement (Optional): Troy University’s Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis program seeks a cohort of students that embodies diversity in its many forms. To this end, please consider submitting a brief statement (maximum of 250 words) describing how your personal and/or professional characteristics, experiences, and interests will advance our program’s deep commitment to diversity, social justice, and serving underserved populations. You are invited to address whichever aspect of diversity is most meaningful to you.
Interview
A select group of applicants will be invited to the annual interview day in Montgomery, AL, by March. Decisions (acceptance, waitlist, or denied) will be made by April. Participation in interview day is strongly encouraged, but not required for admittance to the program
Temporary Admission
Temporary admission may be granted to undergraduate students who are projected to graduate before the upcoming fall semester. These applicants (who have not yet earned a baccalaureate degree) must submit all other admission materials (e.g., all college transcripts, personal statement, and three recommendation letters) to be considered for Temporary Admission.
Conditional Admission
Conditional admission may be granted to applicants who do not satisfy all unconditional admission requirements. See the Graduate Program Admission Classifications subsection under the General Regulations section of the Graduate Course Catalog for more information.
Degree Requirements
Degree requirements include the successful completion of 48 semester hours with an overall grade point average of 3.0. If the student earns a “D” or “F” in a course, the course must be retaken. The one exception to this is that Non-Thesis Track courses may be taken to replace a Thesis-Track course in which an “F” was earned.
Lectures and Seminars (24 SH)
Fieldwork (18 SH)
Students take 6 Concentrated Supervised Fieldwork courses Non-Thesis Track (6 SH)
6 credits of Special Topics in Behavior Analysis |
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