Applied Behavior Analysis
Master of Arts
Master of Arts
Course Delivery
Total Credits
Credit Hour
Minimum Duration
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®.
#7 in Special Education in U.S. News Ranking for 2024
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.
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+.
Tiffany Joy is an assistant professor of special education and Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). Her research interests include ways to support individuals with disabilities in work place settings as well as the use application of video modeling to teach complex skills to adolescents with autism. Most recently, she investigated the use of video modeling to teach vocational skills and work related social skills to adolescents with autism. She is also interested in methods to promote generalization of skills, such as matrix training, multiple exemplar training, and programming common stimuli.
CEP 845 - Autism Spectrum Disorders: Assessment and Intervention (3 Credits)
CEP 848 - Supervision in Applied Behavior Analysis (1 Credit)
CEP 851 - Concepts and Principles of Behavior Analysis (3 Credits)
CEP 852 - Experimental Analysis of Behavior (3 Credits)
CEP 853 - Functional Behavior Assessment and Behavior Change (3 Credits)
CEP 854 - Ethics in Behavior Analysis (3 Credits)
CEP 855 - Verbal Behavior in Education (3 Credits)
CEP 894F - Practicum in Applied Behavior Analysis (10 Credits)
CEP 899 - Master’s Thesis Research (6 Credits)
CEP 942 - Single-case Experimental Design for Educational Research (3 Credits)
January 15th
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®.
#7 in Special Education in U.S. News Ranking for 2024
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.
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+.
Tiffany Joy is an assistant professor of special education and Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). Her research interests include ways to support individuals with disabilities in work place settings as well as the use application of video modeling to teach complex skills to adolescents with autism. Most recently, she investigated the use of video modeling to teach vocational skills and work related social skills to adolescents with autism. She is also interested in methods to promote generalization of skills, such as matrix training, multiple exemplar training, and programming common stimuli.
CEP 845 - Autism Spectrum Disorders: Assessment and Intervention (3 Credits)
CEP 848 - Supervision in Applied Behavior Analysis (1 Credit)
CEP 851 - Concepts and Principles of Behavior Analysis (3 Credits)
CEP 852 - Experimental Analysis of Behavior (3 Credits)
CEP 853 - Functional Behavior Assessment and Behavior Change (3 Credits)
CEP 854 - Ethics in Behavior Analysis (3 Credits)
CEP 855 - Verbal Behavior in Education (3 Credits)
CEP 894F - Practicum in Applied Behavior Analysis (10 Credits)
CEP 899 - Master’s Thesis Research (6 Credits)
CEP 942 - Single-case Experimental Design for Educational Research (3 Credits)
January 15th
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