1
2016-2017
Applied Behavior Analysis for
Special Populations
Graduate Certificate Program approved by the Behavior
Analyst Certification Board, Inc
TM
A graduate certificate program presented
in collaboration with Melmark New England
addressing the concepts, skills and information for using
behavioral technologies to improve learning and social behaviors
Mary E. Brady
Jill Tilton
Program Coordinator
Program Administrator
[email protected]
[email protected]
2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
2016-2017
Applied Behavior Analysis for Special Populations
Graduate Certificate Program approved by the Behavior Analyst
Certification Board, Inc™
I. Welcome, Applicants!
page 3
II. Program & Course Descriptions
page 4
III. Application Process
page 8
IV. Course Sequence Information and Relationship to
the Behavior Analyst Certification Board page 11
IVa. State Licensure for Behavior Analysts page 12
V. Course Registration Costs & Schedule page 13
VI. UMass Boston Master’s Degrees page 14
VII. Financial Aid Opportunities
page 15
VIII. Applicant Checklist
page 17
APPENDIX: Applicant Information Sheet (AIS)
3
WELCOME, APPLICANTS!
The University of Massachusetts Boston and Melmark New England are pleased to offer the Applied Behavior Analysis for Special Populations graduate certificate program for the sixteenth consecutive year beginning in Fall 2016. During the first fifteen years, the program has had more than 650 students enrolled in the course sequence. This sequence meets the coursework requirement to sit for the national certification exam at both the Bachelor’s and Master’s levels. The BCaBA (Board Certified assistant Behavior Analyst) is the certification level for those with a Bachelor’s degree; the BCBA (Board Certified Behavior Analyst) is for those with a Master’s degree in a related field.
We are now offering 6 courses instead of 5 courses to meet the Behavior Analyst Certification Board’s increase in training requirements that was implemented in 2015. The additional course will focus upon Ethics and will be offered approximately once per month, on Mondays. The ethics and professionalism covered in the new Ethics course will parallel the principles, research, assessment and intervention course content that will continue to be offered on Wednesdays.
We will be requiring that each participant have in place a BCBA supervisor during their time in the program. We will communicate with this supervisor throughout the year about the specific Task List 4 competencies we will be addressing in each of our 6 courses. We will also be offering a practicum course for those of you who are unable to arrange for a BCBA supervisor as part of your work experience. In addition, we have added a 10-hour Test Preparation session to review for the Behavior Analyst Certification Board’s exam.
Please be aware that we are an accelerated program, offering 6 courses within 11 months. Here’s a comparison of how each course has been condensed into only 9 weeks instead of the typical 15 week semester. In addition, a typical semester course is only 36 hours of instruction, and our courses are 45 hours of instruction, as required by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. This intense schedule is not for everyone. Each class session is 5 hours long (with a short dinner break). However, beginning this year, the face to face portion of each class meeting will begin at 5pm, and not 4pm as in previous years. Instead, one hour of independent online learning will be scheduled to complete at your own convenience within each week, in addition to homework. That is, each face to face class session will meet from 5-9pm, with an hour of independent learning to comprise the fifth hour of each class session.
Please make sure that you can make the time commitment to maintain this rigorous pace. Other fine programs are available within New England that operate on the traditional semester course schedule.
ONE Typical Semester course, 15 sessions and total of 36 hours of instruction
2.5 hrs 2.5 hrs 2.5 hrs 2.5 hrs 2.5 hrs 2.5 hrs 2.5 hrs 2.5 hrs 2.5 hrs 2.5 hrs 2.5 hrs 2.5 hrs 2.5 hrs 2.5 hrs 2.5 hrs
ONE of our accelerated courses, 9 sessions and total of 45 hours of instruction
5 hrs Wed 5 hrs Wed 5 hrs Wed 5 hrs Wed 5 hrs Wed 5 hrs Wed 5 hrs Wed 5 hrs Wed 5 hrs Wed
Two additional sessions for each of the Fall & Spring courses on Monday nights
5 hrs Ethics Mon 5 hrs Ethics Mon
4
When applying for the ABA graduate certificate program, please understand that you must meet the following prerequisites:
o completion of a Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Education, Psychology, or a related field approved by the Program Director, Dr. Mary Brady ([email protected]). If you have completed a bachelor’s degree in an area that is not listed above, you might still be accepted into the UMass Boston ABA Graduate Certificate Program IF you have extensive experience in the field.
o Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or approval of Program Director
o Employed or volunteering currently at a site that enables you to dedicate at least 20 hours per week in applying behavior analytic skills. Note: let us know if you have not located an appropriate site and would like suggestions. Contact the program director, [email protected].
To apply, complete the application to the program through the university’s Graduate Admissions Office. You may obtain the application through the Web site and apply either online, or print the application and submit it along with other required documents (see page 8 for details about the application process). Deadline: June 1, 2016
All application materials and application fees must be submitted to Graduate Admissions by this date to become a matriculated student for the fall.
Note: If you learn about our program after the June 1st deadline and are interested in applying, please
contact Mary Brady at [email protected] or Jill Tilton at [email protected] immediately.
Specific steps for applying to the program are provided in the section, Application Process, beginning on page 8.
You are also responsible for checking the BACB website www.bacb.com frequently for the most current information about additional requirements that are not included within this graduate certificate program, such as experience and supervision required to sit for the national exam.
II. Program and Course Descriptions
Cohort 16: September 2016 - July 2017
Applied Behavior Analysis is both an applied science that develops methods of changing behavior and a profession that provides services to meet diverse behavioral needs. Briefly, professionals in applied behavior analysis engage in the specific and comprehensive use of principles of learning, including operant and respondent learning, in order to address behavioral needs of widely varying individuals in diverse settings. Examples of these applications include: building the skills and achievements of children in school settings; enhancing the development, abilities, and choices of children and adults with different kinds of disabilities; and augmenting the performance and satisfaction of employees in organizations and businesses. - From www.bacb.com, Feb. 2015.
ABA Program Learning Outcomes:
The Applied Behavior Analysis Graduate Program prepares graduates to be effective practitioners who can assess, design, implement, and evaluate applied behavior analysis (ABA) programs using ethical and professional practices and interactions. Our graduates will provide these services in a range of settings, such as neighborhood and specialized schools, residential programs, and work programs serving children and adults with disabilities.
5
The ABA Program’s Learning Outcomes are aligned with the Behavior Analysis Certification Board accreditation agency’s Task List, Professional Disciplinary and Ethical Standards, and Guidelines for Responsible Conduct for Behavior Analysts.
Upon completion of the ABA Graduate Certificate Program, graduates will be able to:
Demonstrate knowledge of foundational concepts delineated in the BACB Task List 4.
Apply the concepts and principles of ABA to real-life situations.
Critique the design of behavior analytic research, including design and data analysis.
Identify and assess a client-centered problem.
Design an intervention to reduce client problem behavior.
Design an intervention to increase client skills.
Design an organizational behavior management plan to supervise, evaluate and train staff and parents.
Demonstrate a culturally responsive approach to client-centered and staff-centered plans.
Utilize high and low technologies when designing, implementing, evaluating and communicating about behavioral interventions.
Apply guidelines for ethical and professional behavior in all client-centered and staff-centered plans, and as a member of the program’s learning community.
Course sequence offered at the Master’s level (BCBA) and Bachelor’s level
(BCaBA) and approved by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board, Inc™ (BACB)
This six-course graduate sequence (18 graduate credits and 270 hours) is designed to enable students to serve as effective practitioners who can assess, design, implement, and evaluate applied behavior analysis (ABA) programs by providing them with the knowledge, concepts, and skills of basic ABA principles, ethical considerations, generalization strategies, and application to special populations and settings.Students will receive guided practice with each course’s content by developing a Case Study that may be course-specific or continue across several courses. Successful completion of all six courses will meet the coursework requirement to sit (at either the Bachelor’s or the Master’s level) for the national Behavior Analyst Certification Board licensing examination.
The course sequence is Web-enhanced and will require students to readily have access to a computer and the Internet. It is not an online program, but students will need to access a designated Web site to complete quizzes and tests and to download course material.
The course will also be offered via interactive video (ITV). The course will originate from the UMass Boston site and will be broadcast simultaneously to up to three or four other sites. This course format requires students to be respectful of the technology and to adhere to special guidelines when interacting with the professor and classmates.
Dates of online class meetings may be changed or added at the discretion of the course instructor; please be available to attend class every Wednesday except for the few dates given below as online under The Individual Courses descriptions. We make every effort not to change the dates of the Monday class sessions, but please be aware that the dates given below are tentative.
The Individual Courses
ABA 651 Concepts and Principles of Behavior Analysis
Wednesdays, 5pm-9pm, and one additional online learning experience each week; nine sessions, September 7 through November 2, 2016; one session, Oct. 12, is completely online.
6
This 3-credit introductory course offers a comprehensive study of the philosophical assumptions and basic principles of behavior analysis. This course will provide students with an overview of the history and theoretical foundations of the field of behaviorism including experimental and applied behavior analysis. It will teach students to identify, define, and apply the characteristics and principles of behavior. Topics covered during this course include a historical perspective of behaviorism, description and environmental explanation of behavior, respondent and operant conditioning, contingencies of behavior, and verbal behavior. In addition, students will learn to identify the key components of empirical journal articles in the field of behavior analysis. Upon completion of this course students will be able to define, provide examples of, and apply the basic principles of behavior analysis within the context of clinical and educational programming, as well as contact relevant literature, share findings with colleagues, and incorporate best practices into applied programming.
ABA 651 meets Behavior Analyst Certification Board, Inc.TM Task List 4 requirements for the following: Concepts and Principles of Behavior Analysis (45 of 45 hours).
ABA 656 Ethical and Professional Conduct
Approximately once per month on Mondays, 5pm-9pm, with an additional associated online learning experience for each face-to-face session, (2 times during each of the 4 fall and spring courses). There is also a totally online session on supervision from the BACB in September. Tentative dates for this cohort are: Sept. 1 (online), Sept. 19, Oct. 17 (online), Nov. 21, Jan. 9, Feb. 13, Mar. 6, Apr. 10 (online), and May 8 (online).
The content of this 3-credit course will be the ethical challenges and professionalism associated with the content of the 2 fall and 2 spring courses, and will include ethical and professional considerations related to the basic ABA principles, to research, to assessment and to intervention. This course has been approved by the national Behavior Analyst Certification Board as addressing competencies in Ethical and Professional Conduct. This course will provide students with an opportunity to learn the Disciplinary and Ethical Standards, and the Disciplinary Procedures required in the practice of applied behavior analysis. Through case studies and scenarios, students will have the opportunity to apply guidelines for responsible conduct for behavior analysts. In particular, the students will apply the guideline expectations for ways in which to conduct research, assessments, and make ethical decisions before taking actions. Students will design ways in which they apply the guidelines to training, supervision and consultation, interactions with colleagues, and their responsibility to society.
ABA 656 meets Behavior Analyst Certification Board, Inc.TM Task List 4 requirements for the following: Ethical and Professional Conduct (45 of 45 hrs)
ABA 654 Research Methods
Wednesdays, 5pm-9pm, and one additional online learning experience each week; nine sessions, November 9, 2016 through January 18, 2017; one session, November 23, is online; there is NO class on December 21 or 28.
This 3-credit advanced graduate course has been approved by the national Behavior Analyst Certification Board as addressing competencies in measurement and experimental design. With regard to measurement, students will learn how to define behavior in observable and measurable terms, select an appropriate measurement system based upon the dimension of behavior they are studying, consider the strengths and limitations of each measurement system, and calculate inter-observer reliability using a variety of methods. Students will also learn different ways to display data, interpret data, and arrange various experimental designs using single-subject methodology.
ABA 654 meets Behavior Analyst Certification Board, Inc.TM Task List 4 requirements for the following: a. Experimental Design (20 of 20 hrs.)
7
ABA 652 Assessment and Treatment of Problem Behavior
Wednesdays, 5pm-9pm, and one additional online learning experience each week; nine sessions, January 25 through March 22, 2017; one session, February 22, is online.
This is a 3-credit graduate level course designed to review the literature relevant to the assessment and treatment of challenging behavior. The course content is based on relevant literature in the field of behavior analysis and includes an overview of and the logic behind procedures required to complete a functional behavioral assessment of challenging behavior and implementation of function-based treatments to decrease challenging behaviors and increase adaptive behaviors. Functional behavior assessment procedures that will be covered include indirect assessments, descriptive assessments, and functional analysis. Students will practice conducting an indirect and descriptive assessment, and have the opportunity to design a functional analysis. Treatments that will be covered include antecedent interventions, differential reinforcement procedures, extinction, and punishment, among others. Students will design a comprehensive function-based intervention plan. Conceptual and practical issues related to the assessment and treatment of challenging behavior will be addressed.
ABA 652 meets Behavior Analyst Certification Board, Inc.TM Task List 4 requirements for the following: a. Identification of the Problem and Assessment (15 of 30 hrs.)
b. Intervention and Behavior Change Considerations (5 of 10 hrs.) c. Behavior Change Systems (5 of 10 hrs.)
d. Fundamental Elements of Behavior Change and Specific Behavior Change Procedures (20 of 45 hrs.)
ABA 653 Skill Acquisition
Wednesdays, 5pm-9pm, and one additional online learning experience each week; nine sessions, March 29 through May 24, 2017; one session, April 19, is online.
This 3-credit advanced course has been approved by the national Behavior Analyst Certification Board as addressing competencies in the areas of identification of problem behaviors, assessment, intervention and behavior change. It provides a systematic introduction to behaviorally-based assessment methods, the use of reinforcement to teach new behavior, and a variety of instructional methods and instructional formats. The instructional planning process and the protocols necessary to develop comprehensive instructional programs for learners will be reviewed with special emphasis for those learners with autism spectrum disorders. The broad goal of the course is to impart students with a broad range of instructional tools that allow them to develop systematic and comprehensive programs that teach relevant skills in the most natural contexts possible. Specific topics include: schedules of reinforcement, preference assessment, criterion-referenced skill assessments, reinforcement-based behavior change procedures such as token economies and self-management, stimulus control, errorless teaching, behavior chains, discrete trial instruction, naturalistic teaching, verbal behavior training, and maintenance and generalization of skills.
ABA 653 meets Behavior Analyst Certification Board, Inc.TM Task List 4 requirements for the following: a. Identification of the Problem and Assessment (10 of 30 hrs.)
b. Intervention and Behavior Change Considerations (5 of 10 hrs.) c. Behavior Change Systems (5 of 10 hrs.)
d. Fundamental Elements of Behavior Change and Specific Behavior Change Procedures (25 of 45 hrs.)
ABA 655 Organizational Behavior Management (OBM)
Wednesdays, 5pm-9pm, and one additional online learning experience each week; nine sessions, May 31 through July 26, 2017; one session, July 5, is online.
This 3-credit advanced course offers intensive study of selected topics in the field of applied behavior analysis. The curriculum has been approved by the national Behavior Analyst Certification Board as addressing competencies in the identification of problems and the implementation, management, and supervision of services. This course will provide students with techniques to collaborate with other
8
professionals working with students requiring special education. It will train students to use everyday language when explaining behavioral concepts and it will teach students to consider environmental modifications to reduce the need for behavior analytical services. This course will also provide students with behavioral methodology for staff training and evaluations. Performance management, behavior expectations, and competency-based training are a few of the topics covered during this course. The students will design tools for monitoring procedural integrity for skill acquisition and problem behavior management. Upon completion of this course students will be able to address complex issues related to training and development of staff in different contexts such as consultation, public schools, home-based programs and private schools. Students will also learn what best practices in consultation are, some limitations and strategies for problem-solving around limitations, and the different models of consultation (e.g., in public schools, within agencies, in-home, etc).
ABA 655 meets Behavior Analyst Certification Board, Inc.TM Task List 4 requirements for the following: a. Identification of the Problem and Assessment (5 of 30 hrs.)
b. Implementation, Management and Supervision (10 of 10 hrs.) c. Discretionary (30 of 30 hrs.)
ABA 698 Practicum (optional)
Every student is required to be under the supervision of a BCBA during their time with the program. Those students who don’t have a BCBA available at their worksite, and cannot or don’t want to hire a BCBA privately to provide supervision, may enroll in the Practicum course (usually 3 credits in fall and 6 credits in spring). The focus of the Practicum is learning and consolidating behavior analytic skills related to the Behavior Analysis Certification Board (BACB) Fourth Edition Task List and Ethical Compliance Code. The practicum site must be approved by the Graduate Program Director.
III. Application Process for the ABA Graduate Certificate Program
Step 1: Complete the online application through the Graduate Admissions Office at: www.umb.edu, Admissions, Graduate or http://www.umb.edu/admissions/grad/apply, AND pay the Application Fee.
(If you submit the online application, please include a resume with the rest of your application materials.)
If you apply before June 1st, you are applying for admission to the Term: Fall 2016, Academic Load: part time; Intended Major: Applied Behavior Analysis (Graduate Certificate).
If you apply to the program AFTER June 1st, then apply for official admission as a matriculating student for Spring 2017. You may begin taking courses with us as a non-matriculating student in Fall 2016 if you
apply to the program for Spring ’17 by September 1, 2016 and have permission from the Program Director. Students begin our program only each fall. Non-matriculating students are not eligible for the
same financial aid options, and must earn at least a B in ABA 651, ABA 654, and ABA 656 to roll them into their official program when they matriculate in Spring.
Step 2: Provide official transcripts from all colleges and universities you have attended. No tests are
required (except for international or permanent resident immigrant applicants who may be required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International Language Testing System exam (IELTS). If you are an international applicant, please see www.umb.edu and follow these links: Admissions, Graduate, International Graduate Applicants; or follow this link
http://www.umb.edu/admissions/grad/international_ga.
Step 3: Letters of Recommendation: You must submit 2 letters of recommendation from people familiar
with your work and your potential as a graduate student. Follow the instruction on the online application form for obtaining Letters of Recommendation. The University may ask for three letters of recommendation during the application process, as many programs require three. Feel free to submit
9
three if you wish, but we require only two. If you apply online, you may include the email contact information for your recommenders, and the University will contact them so they may submit their letters electronically, if they wish.
Step 4: Statement of Interest and Intent:
A two-part essay -
Part 1 (no more than 300 words) - give your reasons for wishing to attend graduate school. Part 2 (at least 1200 words) - indicate your specific interests, and the kind of work you would like to do, in your intended field.
Steps 1 through 4: Submit to Graduate Admissions the following items listed under Final Instructions
on the application form:
___Signed application form
___Application fee ($60 for in-country and $100 for international) ___Resume, if applying online
___(If applicable), photocopy of front and back of alien registration card
___Official Transcripts from all of the colleges or universities you have attended, both graduate and undergraduate (request them to be mailed directly to Office of Graduate Admissions given below)
___ 2 Letters of Recommendation
___Statement of Interest and Intent (see description above)
You may submit the application form and fee electronically or mail them along with other required documents to: Office of Graduate Admissions
University of Massachusetts Boston 100 Morrissey Blvd.
Boston, MA 02125-3393
*Please note: it is your responsibility to track the arrival of your transcripts and all application materials to Graduate Admissions. Once your application is received, you will receive an email from Graduate Admissions with an identification number and pin that you can use to sign in at
http://www.umb.edu/admissions/grad/application_status/ and track the receipt of these items.
When you check the status of your application documents on the Graduate Admissions webpage, you might see a notice that you need to submit GRE test scores. Not to worry. Initially the system thinks you are applying to a full masters program instead of a Graduate Certificate Program. As soon as the Graduate Admissions Evaluators conduct the final review of your materials, they will remove that requirement.
Step 5: Also, submit to us, not Grad Admissions, the
_____Applicant checklist (page 19 of this packet)
_____AIS form about your supervision, found in the Appendix of this ABA Information Packet _____Current job description
Please note: If you will be starting a new job before the courses start and do not know who will
be your BCBA supervisor in the fall, please send in the AIS form with the information you do have, and a note explaining your situation and when you might have the rest of the information.
If you will be in a setting/practicum site that does not enable you to apply behavior analytic skills or can only do so on a limited basis (less than 20 hours per week), you will not be accepted into the program.
Send these forms to: ABA Program, Center for Social Development and Education, UMass Boston, Healey Library 10-28A, 100 Morrissey Blvd., Boston, MA 02125; fax to 617-287-7249; or email as an attachment to [email protected].
10
Step 6: When approved, you will receive an official letter from the UMass Boston Graduate Admissions
Office along with a form to complete and submit with your deposit which is currently $250. You must submit the form and pay your deposit to the Graduate Admissions Office or you will not be able to
register for courses.
It is your responsibility to pay both your deposit of $250, and your New Student Fees of $390. Note that your $250 deposit (paid directly to Graduate Admissions with the confirmation form you’ll receive with your letter of acceptance) will be credited against the $390 New Student fees once they have been billed, and should leave you with a balance of $140. You must pay this $140 amount to the Bursar when billed, or a hold will be placed on your account and you will be unable to register for the following semester’s courses. Watch your Wiser account for the balance of $140 to appear.
Step 7: In July or August, we will email to you a logistics packet that outlines instructions for registering
and other particulars such as textbooks to purchase.
Registering for all three Fall courses begins in early August and must be completed by September 1, 2016.
You will receive Permission to Register numbers from our office from Jill Tilton
([email protected] or 617.287.7235) if you are not yet officially matriculated in the program. Step 8: You are required to submit an immunization form to the Health Office. This information will be
requested after you receive your acceptance letter and submit your deposit. Please submit this form:
https://www.umb.edu/editor_uploads/images/healthservices/Immunization_Form_2015-16__7.14.15.pdf if you will be attending at the Boston site; or if you’ll be attending at one of the ITV sites, submit this one:
https://www.umb.edu/editor_uploads/images/healthservices/Online_Courses_Only_Exemption_Form_11. 20.14.pdf. You must send in a health form or a hold will be placed on your account, and you won’t be able to register for classes. These forms can be emailed back to [email protected], faxed to 617-287-3977, or mailed to University Health Services, UMass Boston, 100 Morrissey Blvd., Boston, MA 02125.
All matriculated graduate students registered for 7 or more credits must have health insurance. If you are a matriculated student in fall, when you will be registered for 9 credits, you must either purchase the University’s health insurance or fill out the online waiver form showing that you already have comparable coverage. Go to http://www.umb.edu/healthservices/insurance/health_insurance_waivers for instructions on waiving the University health insurance.
11
IV. Course Sequence Information and Relationship to the
Behavior Analyst Certification Board
The Behavior Analyst Certification Board has approved this six-course sequence at the Master’s level. (Please note that individuals at the Bachelor’s level can also be accepted into the program contingent upon meeting entrance criteria.) This Board established specific tasks and learning objectives for all courses (see www.bacb.com for Task List, Fourth Edition). The curriculum that will be utilized for the UMass Boston courses is directly related to this task list and has been sanctioned by the Board. When applying to the ABA graduate certificate program, it is imperative that applicants visit the BACB web site and review the expectations and the responsible code of conduct. By applying to this program, it is understood that you are committed to learning about the field of applied behavior analysis and that you are also committed to applying the science according to the ethical guidelines.
The sequence of the six courses is designed to bring students through the process of understanding what applied behavior analysis is and how it is to be applied. There will be a course requirement that students complete a case study (this assignment will be initiated in course 1 and carry through the first five courses.) Therefore it is imperative that you are either currently working or volunteering in a setting that will enable you to complete this objective by applying applied behavior analysis skills at least 20 hours per week.
Recent changes in the required degrees to be eligible to sit for the professional certification exams
were made in January, 2011, and are as follows, taken directly from the www.bacb.com website, Eligibility Standards, on April 17, 2013. Please check the website for the most current information.
New BCBA Degree Requirement
Any application for BCBA-level certification that is received after, or is incomplete as of, December 31, 2015 will be subject to the following degree requirement:
Possession of a minimum of a master's degree from an accredited university that was (a) conferred in behavior analysis, education, or psychology, or (b) conferred in a degree program in which the candidate completed a BACB-approved course sequence.
Current BCaBA Degree Requirement
(Effective 2/26/2013)
Possession of a minimum of a bachelor's degree from an accredited university.
Graduate Student Expectations
This is a graduate series and therefore the expectations are that students commit to the responsibilities of the course sequence. There is a significant amount of information (via lectures and readings) that needs to be presented and it is imperative that students come to each class prepared to discuss the material. In order to prepare students to sit for the BACB examination, students will need to test out of course material with a minimum grade of B per course. Instructors will make the assumption that students are prepared to work and contribute to the class and that there is a respect for both the professor and other students.
Supervision Opportunities
You must identify a qualified, BACB-approved supervisor for the practicum hours required by the BACB to sit for their exam, through your workplace or independently. The bacb.com website contains a list of those who are certified at the Master’s Level, along with contact information, if you are searching for a Board-certified supervisor. If you are unable to obtain a BCBA supervisor, you may register for a Practicum course during both fall and spring semesters.
12
BACB Examination
The first available examination date for most students successfully completing the 2016-2017 course sequence will be in November 2017. Students will be encouraged to access the Web site to determine the examination specifics.
Time frames for courses
The 45-hour, three-credit courses will run from September 2016 through July 2017. Specific dates per course are included in the course descriptions starting on page 5, and will also be identified in the Logistics Packet you will receive after you have been officially accepted into the ABA Graduate Certificate Program. Historically the courses have been offered sequentially. Five courses are held on Wednesday nights from 4pm-9pm September through July. The Ethics course will be held on Monday nights, approximately once per month from Sept. through May, and some of the Ethics classes will be online. Each course is nine sessions. One class meeting or more per course may be online: for this cohort, so far, Wednesday classes scheduled to meet on Oct. 12, Nov. 23, Feb. 22, April 19, and July 5 will be offered online. No classes will be held on December 21 and 28.
Web-enhanced courses
This course sequence is Web-enhanced in that all lecture notes, handouts, quizzes, tests, and the course reader will be posted on a Web site. Students will need to have access to a computer and the Internet throughout the course sequence. Computer labs are available at UMass Boston; however, it is recommended that students have computer access from home. It should be noted that this is NOT an online program but the program is enhanced via the Web site. Each student will have an account and will be expected to access information from the Web site frequently.
ITV connected sites
For the thirteenth year, the program will be offered simultaneously across multiple sites. The course is primarily taught from the UMass Boston Harbor Campus and is then broadcast to several different sites at the same time. This course format requires both the professor and the students to adhere to specific rules and interactional guidelines. There may be as many as 60 students enrolled in the course and the professor will be accessing student input across multiple sites. It is assumed that all students will be respectful of the technology and the intricacies of this significant endeavor.
IVa. State Licensure in Massachusetts for Applied Behavior Analysts
With rapid growth in the field of ABA services comes an increased demand for professional credentials for those persons calling themselves applied behavior analysts. Massachusetts has become the tenth state to require state licensing for ABAs. The state Board of Registration of Allied Mental Health and Human Services Professionals has developed regulations that detail licensure eligibility requirements and how the practice of licensees will be overseen. Regulations can be accessed here:
http://www.mass.gov/ocabr/licensee/dpl-boards/mh/regulations/rules-and-regs/262-cmr-1000.html. The regulations establish the process and eligibility criteria for licensure and standards of practice for ABAs and AABAs in accordance with the licensing law (section 10.0). During grandfathering (which will last until June 2017) and following it, there is a clear path for persons credentialed by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board TM (BACB) to qualify for licensure. The coursework requirements align with the BACB standards for course sequences and the additional credits required are discretionary. The experiential requirements are also aligned with the BACB standards and prospective licensees will also need to pass the BACB's exam.
13
V. Tuition and Fees for Fall 2016 – Summer 2017
Note: See http://www.umb.edu/bursar/payment_information/ for payment information, such as a payment plan.
Note: Please check https://www.umb.edu/academics/caps/moreinfo/registration/fees for official tuition and fees. The following is based upon information available in October, 2015 and is not the official listing of course costs.
SEMESTER
COURSE NUMBER
COST per Course
FALL 2016
SPRING 2017
ABA 651
ABA 654
ABA 656 ( Ethics course,
Sept.-May)
ABA 652
ABA 653
UMass Campus $1605 ($1515+$90)
---
Off-campus sites: $1705 ($1515+$90) +$100
site fee paid
directly to the site
for non-employees
Groden Center (Providence)
MelmarkNE (Andover)
Nantucket Community School
**Summer
2017**
ABA 655
Fees subject to increase in summer term
You must register for all courses offered within a semester during the university’s
registration period before the start of each semester.
Fees:
Deposit to confirm acceptance = $250 (Pay directly to Graduate Admissions, with
deposit form)
Remainder of New Student fee = $140. This is billed upon registration and payable
to the Bursar.
$505 per credit x 3 graduate credits = $1515
ITV fee, ALREADY included in box above for each course
$90 UMass, Groden Center, Melmark New England,
and Nantucket
Students attending at remote sites will pay a site fee for non-employees directly
to the site: Groden Center ($100), MelmarkNE ($100), and Nantucket Community
School (to be determined)
14
VI. University of Massachusetts Boston Master’s Degrees
Master’s Degree comprised of BCBA and advanced ABA coursework
You may pursue a Master of Education degree that includes at the same time all requirements to receive the ABA Graduate Certificate. This option is possible through the 33-credit M.Ed. in Learning, Teaching & Educational Transformation (LTET non-licensure). See www.ltet.wikispaces.umb.edu.
You may enroll in our advanced ABA graduate courses and complete this master’s degree in Education until the Master’s in ABA program receives formal approval from the University. Our ABA Master’s Program is moving through the UMass Boston governance process, and we anticipate its final approval by Spring, 2016. This program will be targeted to applicants who wish to utilize applied behavior analysis within their careers.
The M.Ed. LTET with concentration in ABA and the future ABA Master’s are comprised of the same ABA courses (11 courses required for LTET, 12 for the MS in ABA):
The six ABA Graduate Certificate courses – ABA 651 through 656 ABA 660 Autism Spectrum Disorder: Characteristics and Interventions ABA 661 Behavior Analytic Approaches to Psychological Disorders ABA 662 Culturally Responsive Practices in ABA
ABA 663 Designing Behavior Analytic Research ABA 664 Implementing Behavior Analytic Research ABA 698 Practicum in ABA (optional)
ABA 665 Verbal Behavior (Summer ’16)
Please check these websites for further details:
https://www.umb.edu/csde/professional_development/aba http://www.umb.edu/academics/caps.
Applying to the M.Ed. in Learning, Teaching & Educational Transformation: Students in good standing in the ABA Graduate Certificate program currently may join the LTET M.Ed. with concentration in ABA with permission of the Program Director, without going through the admissions process again. When the MS in ABA is approved, students currently in LTET will have the option of joining the MS in ABA program (requires an additional course), or remaining in LTET. As of Fall 2015, someone interested in either one of these master’s degrees should apply to the ABA Graduate Certificate Program (direct application to LTET is no longer possible), and after starting the certificate program, request permission to expand their program into the M.Ed.
Once the MS in ABA is fully approved by the University, a student will be able to apply directly to the MS.
Master’s degree and Initial Licensure in Moderate Disabilities
In addition, we are pleased to draw your attention to an additional master’s degree option: a Master’s degree and Initial Licensure in Moderate Disabilities.
If you are admitted to the UMass Boston Graduate Certificate Leading towards Licensure in Moderate Disabilities, the LTET program will count 15 credits of the required 27 credits for the Moderate Disabilities Certificate, as well as all the ABA Certificate courses, towards the M.Ed. The student would then need to complete an additional 12 credits beyond the M.Ed.: LTET to complete the Graduate Certificate Leading towards Licensure in Moderate Disabilities and earn initial teacher licensure (6-credit practicum and two additional 3 credit courses). See
https://www.umb.edu/academics/cehd/curriculum/grad/special_education_med/moderate_disabilities/cour ses_of_study.
15
Admission procedures and recommended Plans of Study are introduced here. The admissions criteria for the different programs and other details can be found in the Graduate Bulletin, which is available online at
http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/umass-boston/graduatestudies2011/.
Admission Procedures
Applying to the Graduate Certificate Program Leading towards Licensure in Moderate Disabilities always requires a separate application from the application to the ABA Graduate Certificate. After acceptance into both certificate programs, you would fill out a one-page form to “add” the LTET M.Ed. as a combination of both certificates.
You may initiate your applications by applying online at
http://www.umb.edu/admissions/graduate/apply/index.html (preferred), or by downloading the application packet from the same link. You may use the same transcripts used for one application for another application if you FAX (617.287.6236) or mail a short signed note to Grad Admissions requesting this, or email the signed note as an attachment to [email protected].
Target date for Moderate Disabilities Certificate: June 1st for Fall admission to the program, November 1st for Spring admission. Priority Deadline for ABA Graduate Certificate Program: June 1st for Fall admissions. All application materials must be submitted by the specified deadline. For ABA Graduate Certificate only—please contact [email protected] or [email protected] if you wish to apply after June 1st.
Recommended Plans of Study
Once admitted to the different programs, you have an advisor in each. These advisors provide guidance and support in determining the order of courses taken toward completion of each program of study. The LTET advisor can show which of the required ABA Graduate Certificate courses count for which LTET core course or as an elective. The LTET advisor can also show LTET students who have also been admitted to the Graduate Certificate in Moderate Disabilities with Initial Licensure which of the Moderate Disabilities courses can be counted for which LTET core course or as an elective. The LTET student can receive a M.Ed. taking only courses required for the ABA and Moderate Disabilities Graduate Certificates.
Please contact the College of Education and Human Development Student Services office (Wheatley 1-50, University of Massachusetts Boston, 100 Morrissey Blvd.; Boston, MA 02125-3393; phone: 617-287-7625; email: [email protected]) for additional information.
VII. Applying for Financial Aid for the ABA Graduate Certificate
Courses
Applying for Financial Aid as a Matriculating Student: You may apply for financial aid, in the form of a student loan, by following the steps below. Since at least two of the courses are offered within the fall semester, and two within the spring semester of each year, financial aid may be obtained for those courses.
However, ABA 655, offered during the summer, will most likely NOT qualify for financial aid because only one course will be offered during the summer.
The qualifications are:
Admission to the ABA Graduate Certificate Program U.S. citizen
Taking six or more credits for each semester for which aid is requested Have a valid Social Security number
If a male aged 18-26, have registered for selective service
To apply for a student loan as described above, go to: https://studentaid.ed.gov/about, FAFSA: Apply for Aid
16
The UMass Boston Title IV financial aid code is: 002222
When you apply for financial aid, the university will be contacted, and will contact you when they receive your approval from the state. They will prepare the financial aid packet for you. The amount will include tuition, fees, and an estimated amount for books and transportation. You might be selected randomly to submit documentation to verify the information you provided on your online application.
Since you would have been officially admitted to the ABA Graduate Certificate Program, the UMass Boston financial aid office will assume that you will register for at least six credits per semester. However, if you have NOT registered for the required six credits by the official university Add/Drop deadline, they will rescind your financial aid.
NOTE: If you will begin the ABA Graduate Certificate Program in fall as a non-matriculating student, go
to the UMassBoston website for financial aid options which are less extensive than for matriculating students: http://www.umb.edu/admissions/financial_aid_scholarships/
If you plan to obtain financial aid, you MUST register for all the courses taken within Fall and Spring semesters before the following dates:
Semester Register for courses by: Fall 2016
ABA 651 ABA 654 ABA 656
Before the UMB add/drop period ends in September
Spring 2017 ABA 652 ABA 653
Before the UMB add/drop period ends in January
Summer 2017 ABA 655
Before the UMB add/drop period ends in May
Financial aid is only available if the student is enrolled for at least 6 credits, so would not be available for the single summer course unless students enrolled in an additional graduate summer course.
Note: See http://www.umb.edu/bursar/payment_information/ for payment information, such as a payment plan.
17
VIII. Applicant Checklist
All applicants need to complete the following checklist and to sign off on this
form.
I have completed and reviewed the Applicant Information Sheet and have reviewed the following documents: (Please check off)
_____ I have accessed and reviewed the BACB Web site www.bacb.com _____ I have read the Course Description and Application Process
_____ I have read the Course Sequence, Facts and Information document _____ I have read the Schedule of registration and costs for each course and will register and pay my tuition and fees in a timely manner
_____ I have frequent access to a computer to obtain materials and participate in activities on the course Web site
______ I have a BCBA supervisor and have provided contact information and a signature from the supervisor on the AIS form
______________________________ _______________ Signature Date
Please sign and date this sheet and submit it and the Applicant Information Sheet (following) to us at the address below. Or, you may send the completed and signed forms as an attachment to
[email protected] or fax them to 617-287-7249.
ABA Program
Center for Social Development and Education University of Massachusetts, Boston
Healey Library 10-28A 100 Morrissey Blvd. Boston, MA 02125
617-287-7235 or 617-287-7254 Fax: 617-287-7249
18
APPENDIX
APPLICANT INFORMATION SHEET
(AIS)
Applicant Name:
Mailing Address:
E-mail Address:
Home Phone Number:
Cell Phone Number:
Work Site or Practicum Site:
Address of Work or Practicum Site: Work Phone Number:
Position Title:
Experience servicing people with disabilities
Locations_____________________________________ Total number of years __________ Type of work _____________________________________________________________________
Any language beyond English that you speak, and the level of your fluency
:
Indicate by priority your preferred ABA class location
UMass Boston (live site) ________ Other sites involved via live interactive TV:
Groden Center (Providence, RI)
MelmarkNE (Andover, MA)
Nantucket Community School
Please check off all boxes that apply:
_____ I have attached a current job description to this form and a description of the setting in which I will be applying behavior analytic techniques
_____ I currently work in a setting in which I can apply behavior analytic strategies at a minimum of 20 hours per week and a minimum of 80 hours per month
19
_____ I am interested in sitting for the examination at a later date. Please explain:
____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________
_____ I currently do not have a certified behavior analyst to serve as my BCBA supervisor and I am interested in obtaining information about supervision opportunities. A BCBA supervisor is required during the program.
_____ I currently have a certified behavior analyst to serve as my BCBA supervisor
_____ I have received attestation (see below) from my BCBA supervisor that I am currently applying behavior analytic strategies at a minimum of 20 hours per week (80 hours per month) or will be by the start of the ABA Graduate Certificate Program.
BCBA SUPERVISOR ATTESTATION
___I am a Board Certified Behavior Analyst in good standing with the BACB
____I understand that you will contact me before the start of each course to provide information about the course content
____I understand that at the end of each course, I will be contacted again for my opinion as to how well my supervisee has mastered that content
____I attest that this applicant is working in a setting where they could be applying behavior analytic strategies at least 20 hours per week (80 hours per month)
___ I attest that I plan to be the applicant’s supervisor for the duration of the ABA Graduate Certificate Program, following the guidelines provided by the Behavior Analysis Certification Board (BACB)
________________________________ __________________________________ Supervisor Name Supervisor certificate number
_________________________________________ _________________________________ Supervisor Address Supervisor email address _________________________________________ _____________________________ Supervisor phone
Supervisor signature Date