Nov 23, 2024  
2023-2024 Graduate Catalog 
    
2023-2024 Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Applied Behavior Analysis, MS


Program Director:
Griffin Rooker, Ph.D., BCBA, LBA
222 Archbishop Borders Hall
Mount St. Mary’s University
(301) 447-5143
Email: g.w.rooker@msmary.edu

The Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis is for individuals seeking to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. The goal of the program is to provide rigorous, high-quality education and training in an environment that is welcoming and provides students with the best opportunity to meet their goals.

Candidates must complete 42 credit hours of coursework, including 9 fieldwork credits and a capstone research project. For most fieldwork credits (618 - 665) learning credit can be received for completing supervision from a community provider approved by the Director of the program. See Program Information below for fieldwork requirements.

Courses are offered in mostly eight-week subterms and two fourteen-week subterms.

Fieldwork/Independent Study (6 credits)


Take 6 credits from among the following:

Program Information


Degree Requirements

In order to earn the Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis degree, students must maintain a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA, complete at least 42 credit hours of graduate-level coursework including 9 credits of fieldwork, have successfully presented a research thesis, and have passed a mock version of the BCBA exam. For most fieldwork courses (618 - 625) learning credit can be received for completing supervision from a community provider approved by the Director of the program. However all students must provide evidence they are receiving supervision from a qualified BCBA in each semester of the program.

Program Completion Capstone

MSABA students are required to complete a graduate research capstone. MSABA 605 and 611 support capstone development and completion.

Admission Requirements

Applicants for the program will follow the university standards for admission to graduate study. Prospective students must have earned the following to be considered for admission (graduate degree GPAs will be considered along with the undergraduate GPA):

  • Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year institution.
  • Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher.
  • Additional requirements for applicable to international students are found here.

Tuition and Fees:

See - Tuition and Fees  

Transferring Credit from Other Programs

Students transferring credit from a 4th edition VCS program or who have received explicit instruction in behavior analysis in a graduate program may be eligible for course transfers. All transfer work is approved by the Program Director. Transfer evaluations must be finalized before the student begins his/her coursework.  

Academic Sessions

Sessions are offered on a year-round basis.

Fall Semester: Fall I Session and Fall II Session
Spring Semester: Spring I Session and Spring II Session
Summer Semester: Summer I Session and Summer II Session

Fall and spring sessions are primarily 8 weeks. Summer sessions are 7 weeks each.

Supervised Fieldwork

All students are required to obtain at least the minimum amount of supervision (per the BACB) while enrolled in the program. Of the 42 credit hours, each student is required to have 6 credits of supervision from either qualified Mount faculty or a qualified BCBA in the community (in addition to the require fieldwork course of 609). These 6 credits can be acquired in two ways: Mount Fieldwork (MSABA 618-665) or Community Fieldwork (MSABA 670).

For Mount Fieldwork, students receive fieldwork credit by enrolling in the fieldwork course. For Community Fieldwork, students receive fieldwork credit through community-based supervision approved by the Mount. Students who receive supervision in the community and have documented this fieldwork through BACB required and Mount required forms, will receive 1 credit for each 5-week period that can be verified by the Director of the program. All 6 of the fieldwork credits can be obtained in this manner, and each credit will be assigned as a Credit for Prior Learning at no cost to the student.