Information About the Master’s Degree

There are two Master’s Degrees in General Psychology: this program is for those who seek the educational requirements to pursue ABA Certification, and there is another one in Experimental Psychology which requires a thesis (more information on that program here).

Information About the ABA Concentration (Within the General Psychology M.S. Degree)

To obtain a BCBA Certification students must:

1. hold a Master’s or Doctoral degree;
2. have completed Board approved ABA coursework;
3. have completed the required and documented supervised practical experience; and
4. pass an examination administered by the Behavioral Analyst Certification Board.

The M.S. General Psychology Degree with ABA Concentration is designed for students interested in earning a Master’s degree that will provide expertise in applied behavior analysis, and allow them to work toward eligibility to sit for the BCBA Certification Exam.

The M.S. General Psychology Degree with ABA Concentration provides:

1. the required Master’s degree and
2. the required Board approved ABA coursework.

Students are responsible for finding their own practical experiences in order to accumulate the required hours of supervised experience, and for scheduling and paying for the BCBA Certification Exam. Information can be found at www.bacb.com.

Admission Requirements

M.S. General Psychology: ABA Concentration

• Minimum overall undergraduate grade point average of 2.5, or 2.75 in the last 60 hours
• Minimum of one research course and one statistics course
• Minimum of three additional courses in psychology or a related discipline
• GRE: If undergraduate GPA is below 3.0, then satisfactory performance on the general sections of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required.
• Personal statement must address the following areas:
  1. What personal characteristics do you possess that you believe are important to the practice of applied behavior analysis? Do you possess any particular strengths that you feel will be an asset to you in graduate school? What about any personal challenges that you think might hinder your progress?
  2. What are your professional goals?
  3. Describe any experiences that have particularly prepared you for graduate study in applied behavior analysis (e.g., co-op/internships, work experiences, life experiences).
  4. If you feel that any portion of your application does not accurately reflect your academic skills or preparation for graduate school in psychology (e.g., GRE, GPA, etc.), please explain.

Program Requirements

CIP Code: 42.0101

A total of 33 credit hours is required for candidates for the Master of Science in General Psychology. In order to complete the degree program, ABA concentration students must earn a grade of B or better in the following core courses: PSY 817, PSY 813, PSY 816, PSY 833, PSY 895, PSY 855, PSY 866. 

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Core Courses in Psychological Foundations
PSY 833	Beh Research and Measurement	3
PSY 837	Social Psy &Cultural Diversity	3
PSY 849	Advanced Developmental PSY	3
PSY 853	Biological Bases of Behavior	3
PSY 859	Cog/Affect Bases of Behavior	3
Concentrations
Students must select one of the following Concentrations:
Experimental Concentration
Applied Behavior Analysis Concentration (Online Only)		18
Exit Requirements
GRD 857J	MS Psy Written Comp Exam	0
GRD 858J	MS Psychology Oral Comp Exam	0
Total Hours		33

Concentration (Online Only)

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Concentration Courses
PSY 817	Intro Foundations in Beh Analy	3
PSY 813	Ethics and Prof Conduct Appl B	3
PSY 816	Philosophical Underpinning ABA	3
PSY 855	Addressing Problem Behaviors	3
PSY 895	Building New Behaviors	3
Capstone Requirement
PSY 866	Adv Topics Applied Beha Analys	3
Total Hours		18

Exit Requirements

Students in the Applied Behavior Analysis Concentration must register for a written comprehensive examination in their area of study (GRD 857J MS Psy Written Comp Exam) (0 credit hours), and pass this examination.