Applied Behavior Analysis
Coordinators
Arcadia University Graduate Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis
About Arcadia’s Graduate Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)
What is Behavior Analysis?
Behavior analysis is a specific approach to the understanding of human behavior. An applied behavior analyst is someone who has in-depth knowledge of the field and methods of the study of the science of behavior and technology of behavior derived from this science.
Behavior analysis services help people to learn new behaviors and to increase or reduce existing behaviors. The scope of these services ranges from addressing challenging behaviors of an individual person to changing the behavior of an entire organization or community. Behavior analysis has many applications, such as developing training procedures that build verbal skills in children with autism, helping teachers to work with students in inclusive settings, and preventing delinquency.
Behavior analysts use environmental change procedures to improve the lives of people. Behavior analysis has been applied to a great variety of problems such as couples therapy, individual behavior therapy, behavioral consultation, and addictions treatment.
What Core Skills Will I Acquire in Behavior Analysis and Therapy?
In this program, students develop solid skills in the basic principles of behavior analysis and the skills to transfer basic principles into comprehensive functional behavioral assessments, behavioral interventions, and program evaluation. This program offers training in a breath of assessment and intervention techniques with a positive behavioral support and behavioral treatment focus. Additionally, Arcadia’s program stresses the consultative skills that graduates will need to work effectively with educators and parents. Each of the faculty members in the program is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA).
Why Study at Arcadia?
All of Arcadia’s instructors have extensive experience working as certified behavior analysts in the field as well as teaching at the university level. Arcadia’s program is designed to develop professional expertise in behavior analysis and the consultative skills necessary to affect real change in schools, homes, and community settings. All instructors are board certified.
Are Courses Taught Online?
The Graduate Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis is a fully online program. Five courses prepare students for the role of behavior specialist or to take the national ABA Board exam (http://www.bacb.com/).
The initial course is ED 661 Applied Behavior Analysis I: Principles and Teaching Strategies.
An additional three internship courses help applicants to meet the requirements for the 750 intensive supervision hours needed for board certification. The purpose of these courses is to help the student to move information learned in coursework from theory to practice.
Credit toward a graduate degree in Education: The 15 credits earned in this certificate program may be applied to a Master of Education degree program with departmental approval and advising.
Academic Policies: Students in Arcadia University Graduate Certificate programs are subject to the academic policies of the College of Graduate Studies.
Transfer Credit: Transfer credit is not permitted in this program.
Why Study Behavior Analysis?
In Pennsylvania, behavior analyst qualifies for behavior specialist licensure. Indeed, the behavior specialist license is predicated on the ability to develop and use behavior analytic assessment and intervention procedures such as functional behavioral assessment and behavior chain analysis. Behavior analytic procedures have been coded into educational law. For example, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) calls for a functional behavioral assessment (FBA) to be conducted prior to suspension of students with disabilities.
Applied behavior analysis provides the most evidenced-based intervention within all of psychology and education. ABA has helped to support youth and adults with autism, conduct disorders, oppositional defiant disorders, and depression, as well as couples needing therapy. It has served as the basis for educational procedures such as direct instruction and assessment procedures such as curriculum-based measurement. It is essential for professionals functioning within a Response to Intervention Model.
