Individuals who graduate from the Applied Behavior Analysis program will be skilled and experienced as a behavior analyst in a variety of settings. In the masters program, students will learn how to put data into practice through establishing strategies and activities for children with autism, intellectual, and neurodevelopmental disabilities. At the completion of MSU's Master of Arts in Applied Behavior Analysis (MA-ABA), students will be eligible to take the examination to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst®.   

Program Highlights 

#13 in Special Education in U.S. News Ranking for 2020

Program Outcomes

In the M.A. in Applied Behavior Analysis program, students can expect small class sizes and hands-on training from faculty members who are leaders in their field. This will lead students to be well-prepared for the national Board Certified Behavior Analyst exam, in fact, Spartans typically surpass the national first-time pass rate (65%) with an MSU average first-time pass rate of 85%. Based on the most recent data available, all students were able to begin a doctoral program or start a job immediately following graduation.

Career Outlook

Due to nationwide standards requiring insurance companies to provide ABA therapy to those in need, there is a high need for individuals with skills such as those gained from the Master of Arts in Applied Behavior Analysis. Career opportunities vary across many fields, supervising ABA therapy for individuals with ASD, counseling, social work, special education and more. These opportunities can be found in clinics, homes, schools or residential treatment facilities with an average starting salary of $60,000+.