M.S. or Ed. S. in Applied Behavior Analysis: What It Is and How It Can Advance Your Career
To become a behavior analyst, you typically need a graduate degree, such as a Master of Science or an Education Specialist in Applied Behavior Analysis. This degree program teaches you how to use the principles of behaviorism to help people, especially children with autism and other developmental disabilities, learn new skills and behave better. Many universities, including National Louis University, offer this degree, which is usually the first step towards getting a Board Certified Behavior Analyst credential - a certification that's in high demand in the field of behavioral health. With this degree, you can work with people to build skills and reduce problem behaviors, making a real difference in their lives. The program is often offered through a university's college of psychology and behavioral sciences, and it's a great way to start a rewarding career in this field.
What Is an M.S. or Ed. S. in Applied Behavior Analysis?
ABA programs teach students about radical behaviorism and its use in research and practice. They learn about the basics of the field and how to design and implement behavior-analytic interventions. These programs are built around a specific set of courses reviewed and approved by the certifying body in the field. This coursework, combined with supervised fieldwork hours completed outside of class, helps students meet the requirements to become BCBAs. The goal is to give students a strong foundation in behavior analysis and prepare them for careers in research and practice. By completing these programs, students can gain the knowledge and skills they need to work with individuals and groups, and to design and implement effective behavior-analytic interventions.
National Louis University offers a master's or educational specialist degree in Applied Behavior Analysis. This program is designed to help students become behavior analysts and prepare them to take the Board Certified Behavior Analyst exam. The master's program is a standard graduate degree, while the educational specialist program is for people who already have a master's degree or higher in a related field, such as education, counseling, or psychology. The program's classes have been approved to meet the requirements for the behavior analyst certification, but students must meet additional requirements beyond just taking the classes to be eligible to take the exam. This program is only available in Illinois.
Why Pursue an M.S. or Ed. S. in Applied Behavior Analysis?
Applied Behavior Analysis, or ABA, is a field that's really taking off in the world of behavioral health. This is mainly due to the fact that more and more people are being diagnosed with autism, and insurance companies are starting to cover ABA-based therapy for autism. As a result, many people are choosing to pursue a degree in ABA because it offers a clear and direct path to becoming a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, or BCBA - a credential that's in high demand. Plus, job opportunities are plentiful, especially for those who are willing to work with kids and families affected by autism and other developmental disabilities. This field is not only rewarding, but it also provides a sense of job security and stability, which is a major draw for many people.
The Ed. S. pathway is perfect for professionals who already have a master's degree in a related field, like special education teachers, school psychologists, counselors, or social workers. They can use this pathway to add behavior-analytic expertise to what they already know, without having to start all over with a new master's degree. This way, they can build on what they already have and become even more skilled in their field.
Many students are interested in ABA because they have a personal connection to it. Maybe they have a family member with autism who has benefited from ABA services. Or they might have worked as a registered behavior technician, an entry-level job many people do before pursuing more advanced training. For these students, getting a graduate degree in ABA is a natural next step. It allows them to build on their hands-on experience and gain more independence and responsibility in their work. This can be really rewarding, as they can make a bigger difference in the lives of people with autism and their families. By pursuing advanced training, they can take on more challenging roles and make a greater impact in their field.
Key Questions About This Degree
What is a BCBA, and why does it matter?
To work on your own as a behavior analyst, you usually need to have a special credential called a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, or BCBA for short. This credential is recognized nationwide and is given out by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. Having a BCBA is often necessary for supervising therapy programs that use Applied Behavior Analysis, or ABA, to help people with autism and other conditions. Most jobs that involve ABA, and most insurance companies that pay for ABA services, require you to have a BCBA credential. This makes it a really important milestone for professionals in the field.
What does it take to become BCBA-eligible after this degree?
To become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, or BCBA, you need to do more than just finish a verified course sequence like the one offered by NLU. You also have to complete a certain number of supervised fieldwork hours, usually between 1,500 and 2,000, although the exact number varies and is set by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. And on top of that, you have to pass the BCBA exam. It's a good idea for applicants to check with the certifying board directly to get the most up-to-date and specific requirements, because just completing the coursework isn't enough to guarantee that you'll be eligible to take the exam.
What's the difference between the M.S. and Ed. S. options?
If you're looking to get into a field like Applied Behavior Analysis, or ABA, you usually start with a Master's degree, or M.S. But what if you already have a Master's in a related field, such as education, counseling, or psychology? That's where the Ed.S. comes in - it's a post-master's program that lets you build on what you already know and add specialized training in ABA. This way, you don't have to go through a whole new Master's program, which can be a big time-saver. The Ed.S. is designed to be more efficient, so you can get the training you need without repeating a lot of what you've already learned.
Do I need a background in psychology or education to apply?
Requirements vary, but many ABA master's programs accept students from a range of undergraduate backgrounds, including psychology, education, and other social or behavioral sciences, since the coursework builds foundational behavior-analytic knowledge regardless of a student's specific prior major.
Career Outcomes
The demand for behavior analysts has skyrocketed in the US over the last decade, and this trend is expected to continue well into the 2030s. As a result, graduates in this field have a wide range of job opportunities, particularly in settings that support individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities. These settings can include autism therapy clinics, schools, in-home services, and hospitals, where they work as Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) to provide assessments and interventions. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics also predicts that related job categories will experience significant growth in the coming years. For those interested in pursuing a career in this field, the BLS provides up-to-date information on projected growth and wage data, which can be a valuable resource for planning and decision-making. With the field of behavior analysis continuing to expand, it's an exciting time for those looking to make a meaningful difference in the lives of individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities.
Occupational Outlook Handbook, Psychologists and related behavioral health entries.
Behavior analysts, or BCBAs, don't just work with people who have autism. They also help students in schools who are having trouble behaving or learning. Some even work in offices, using their knowledge of behavior to help people do their jobs better. And if they want to, they can go on to earn advanced degrees and work at universities or conduct research. But that's not all - they can also work with animals, training them or helping people understand their behavior. It's all based on the same ideas about how behavior works, just applied in different ways.
Get a Master of Science or Education Specialist degree in Applied Behavior Analysis from National Louis University.
National Louis University has a program that teaches people about Applied Behavior Analysis. This program is offered through the College of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences. You can earn a Master's or Specialist degree in this field. The classes you take will help you learn about behavioral learning theory and important skills such as assessing behavior, teaching new skills, and reducing problem behavior. You'll also learn how to train staff and manage programs. The good thing about this program is that it meets the requirements to take the BCBA exam. Right now, you can only take this program in Illinois.
