Please view this video to learn more about applied behavior analysis.
The Applied Behavior Analysis concentration curriculum is designed to meet the educational requirements of Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and the Licensed Behavior Specialist (LBS) in the state of Pennsylvania. Students who completed the concentration are encouraged to apply to become a BCBA and LBS once they obtain their supervised clinical hours in the field.
In 2022, the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) requires a BCBA to have educational content to meet 5th edition Task List requirements, and therefore 21 credits are needed.
To earn the concentration in Applied Behavior Analysis, all courses must be taken at Eastern. Transfer credit is not permitted for concentration courses.
You can go to the following BACB site to find out the BCBA examination pass-rate of EU's ABA program: https://www.bacb.com/university-pass-rates/. Please keep in mind that the pass-rate is only one of many indicators of the quality of a program.
Students who hold a master's degree in education, psychology, behavior analysis, or a related field may take ABA courses toward professional credentials. Those seeking less than 12 credits, see this page. Those seeking 12 credits or more, see this page.
Expertise in ABA can enhance your professional development and enable you to compete with others in the field of clinical practice. Just imagine your career opportunities when you hold the following credentials in clinical practice: M.A. in Counseling, Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Behavior Specialist, Board Certified Behavior Analyst, plus other certifications you plan to obtain.
The typical entry position you will obtain in the field of ABA is part-time or full-time behavior analyst/behavior specialist. Behavior analysts are usually employed by residential and outpatient treatment facilities, local and state governments, and sometimes hospitals. Of course you can pursue your own private practice, especially if you have the professional license. Currently many behavior analysts serve as consultants for agencies to help parents, teachers and school administrators to analyze behavior, develop behavior plans, and train parents and staff to implement the plans.
Demand for behavior analysts and assistant behavior analysts is increasing: Annual demand for individuals holding BCBA/BCBA-D certification has increased approximately 800% from 2010 to 2017, with increases seen in almost every state. The increase in demand has been similar to the increase in the total number of individuals holding BCBA/BCBA-D certification.
Annual demand for individuals holding BCaBA certification also increased in the same time period, with the largest increases occurring in the last 4 years (95 postings in 2014 to 1,040 in 2017, a 995% increase).
Demand is highest in 5 states: In the past 12 months, over 50% of the job postings for individuals holding BCBA/BCBA-D certification and over 40% of the job postings for individuals holding BCaBA certification were from California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Washington, and Illinois.
For more information, please visit the full report at the Behavior Analyst Certification Board website.
See the following websites for salary information for Behavior Analysts: