Applications for the master's program in Applied Behavior Analysis are due by February 1 to start the following fall.
Please review application requirements and the additional detailed application instructions linked near the bottom of that page before applying through the Graduate School online application system.
Practicum Training
This program requires students to complete an intensive practicum totaling 1,500 hours that offers formal training in varied service delivery settings involving individuals with developmental disabilities. The practicum component involves approximately 20 hours per week of on-site training during each semester. Practicum settings include an early intervention preschool for children with autism spectrum disorders, a campus-based treatment facility for children with autism spectrum disorders and other developmental disabilities, consultation services within the local school district, in-home and school-based consultation and intervention services with foster families across Alabama, and a juvenile correction facility. In addition, practicum training involves a weekly practicum class, small group supervisory sessions, and individual supervisory meetings. Students receive mastery-based training on a comprehensive set of practical skills and must complete an empirical capstone project.
Certification
This program is designed so that graduates meet both coursework and experience requirements specified by the Behavior Analysis Certification Board®, Inc. (BACB®) for qualifying to take the certification examination to become Board Certified Behavior Analysts. The BACB® has approved both program coursework and experience training as meeting its current requirements. More about Certification. See our BACB Pass Rates (On-campus VCS only, not affiliated distance/campus VCS).
Admission
Applicant's bachelor's degree may be in any field. Applicants with grade point averages of at least 3.0 will be given priority. In addition, applicants should be able to identify behaviorally oriented course work and practical experience with individuals with disabilities or other populations in their application materials.
The application deadline is February 1. Applications to the Graduate School and the Department of Psychological Sciences and complete application instructions are available via the link at the top of this page. Students will be admitted starting only in the fall term. Shortly after the application deadline, a select group of applicants will be invited to an on-campus interview. Click here for a list of current admitted students.
Financial Assistance
Each year there are a number of Agency Fellowships available to qualified ABA-MS students. These fellowships are sponsored by public and private human service agencies in Alabama and across the United States. The fellowships take the form of .50 FTE assistantships that pay a monthly stipend of $1600 as well as both in- and out-of-state tuition. Students accepting these fellowships agree to work for the sponsoring agency for one to two years immediately following graduation. Prospective students are notified of their funding offer terms along with their admission offer during the spring interview process. Approximately 50-75% of students are funded through this mechanism. Student assignments to specific agencies, however, are not determined until the Spring prior to graduation. The majority of fellowship placements are within Alabama and the surround South East. However, over the past years students have also been placed in other regions of the United States including Utah and Indiana. Fellowship All ABA-MS students are automatically considered for these fellowships/assistantships; there is no separate application. More about financial assistance.
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