ABA - Applied Behavior Analysis

Applied Behavior Analysis is the natural science approach to the study of human behavior for purposes of informing interventions that produce socially significant change. In this course, students learn the foundational concepts and principles of behavior analysis in the context of the tenets of science. Students learn about behavior and learning through an analysis of the field’s seminal basic and applied research with both humans and nonhumans. Pre-requisite(s): Admission to Applied Behavior Analysis program; or permission of Program Chair or designate. Co-requisite(s): None. 3 semester hours

Applied Behavior Analysis requires behavior to first be explicitly defined and measured prior to systematically manipulating variables in order to assess the effects of those variables on behavior within research or practice. In this course, students learn how to operationally define and measure behavior, create graphical displays for analysis, and utilize single-subject research designs for purposes of demonstrating functional relations. Pre-requisite(s): Admission to Applied Behavior Analysis program; or permission of Program Chair or designate. Co-requisite(s): None. 4 semester hours

Teaching new behaviors first requires assessment of a learner’s pre-requisite skills and other relevant environmental variables followed by the systematic design of instructional programs and evaluation of learning outcomes. In this course, students learn how to assess an individual’s current repertoire, conduct reinforcer and preference assessments, and design behavior-analytic instructional programs for purposes of teaching new behaviors. Pre-requisite(s): ABA 500 and ABA 501; or permission of Program Chair or designate. Co-requisite(s): None. 4 semester hours

In order to effectively treat problematic behaviors, behavior analysts must first assess the environmental variables to determine the function of the problematic behavior. In this course, students learn how to conduct functional behavior assessments and design comprehensive function-based behavior reduction programs in order to produce socially significant changes in behavior. Pre-requisite(s): ABA 500 and ABA 501; or permission of Program Chair or designate. Co-requisite(s): None. 4 semester hours

In Applied Behavior Analysis, language, otherwise known as verbal behavior, is studied in the context of the same concepts and principles as all other behavior. In this course, students learn about Skinner’s elementary verbal operants and the application of behavioral principles to the emergence of verbal behavior in humans. Students also learn Skinner’s initial theoretical contributions and examine this theory in the context of more recently proposed theories, such as Relational Frame Theory and emergent responding. Pre-requisite(s): ABA 500 and ABA 501; or permission of Program Chair or designate. Co-requisite(s): None. 2 semester hours

Behavior analyst practitioners and researchers are bound by an ethical code of conduct. In this course, students review the certifying board’s ethical code of conduct, evaluate and respond to scenarios involving ethical violations, and practice problem solving strategies to maintain ethical behavior over the course of one’s career. Pre-requisite(s): ABA 500 and ABA 501; or permission of Program Chair or designate. Co-requisite(s): None. 3 semester hours

Radical behaviorism is the philosophy of the science of behavior, pioneered by B.F. Skinner. In this course, students learn about radical behaviorism and the history of its inception in comparison to other types of behaviorism and learning theories. Students are expected to critically analyze seminal readings and discuss these readings in the context of complex individual and group behavior, accounting for phylogenic, ontogenic, and cultural levels of selection. Pre-requisite(s): ABA 500 and ABA 501; or permission of Program Chair or designate. Co-requisite(s): None. 3 semester hours

The concepts and principles of behavior analysis were originally discovered through animal laboratory research. In this course, students review and critique seminal basic research articles and analyze how subsequent translational and applied studies extended from them. Students are also expected to generalize findings from basic and translational studies to the design of applied behavior analytic programming. Pre-requisite(s): ABA 500 and ABA 501; or permission of Program Chair or designate. Co-requisite(s): None. 3 semester hours

In addition to direct client-facing clinical work, behavior analysts are tasked with the training and supervision of others in the implementation of behavior analytic programming. In this course, students learn how to assess performance deficits, how to design behavior-analytic training programs, and how to supervise others in accordance with best practices and ethical guidelines. Pre-requisite(s): ABA 510 and ABA 511; or permission of Program Chair or designate. Co-requisite(s): None. 3 semester hours

In this series of courses, students practice demonstrating behavior analytic skills with clients while accruing experience hours in a field placement. Students receive supervision from both a clinical and faculty supervisor and are expected to demonstrate various clinical and professional skills to proficiency. Pre-requisite(s): ABA 520/620 and ABA 515; or permission of Program Chair or designate. Co-requisite(s): None. 2 semester hours

This course provides an in-depth study of a special topic in applied behavior analysis not fully covered in one of the other program courses. Topics offered may be chosen based on professional and/or research interests of students and faculty, special faculty expertise, or areas of current debate and emerging interest in the field. This course may be taken for credit multiple times, provided that different topics are covered in each course. Pre-requisite(s): Permission of the Program Chair or designate. Co-requisite(s): None. 1-3 semester hours

In this course, students work with a faculty advisor to develop an experimental question and proposal for their applied thesis research. Students are expected to conduct a literature review, design an experiment to answer their experimental question using single-subject research design, and propose their study to the Institutional Research Review Board. Pre-requisite(s): ABA 515 and ABA 520; or permission of Program Chair or designate. Co-requisite(s): None. 2 semester hours

In his course, which is a continuation of ABA 591, upon approval from the Institutional Research Review Board, students are expected to conduct their thesis research, meeting with their faculty advisor regularly to analyze and discuss data and treatment integrity. Pre-requisite(s): ABA 591, or permission of Program Chair or designate. Co-requisite(s): None. 1 semester hour

In this course, which is a continuation of ABA 592, students are expected to finish any remaining experimental sessions, analyze the results, and discuss any conclusions and implications as indicated by the results of their reserach. Pre-requisite(s): ABA 592; or permission of Program Chair or designate. Co-requisite(s): None. 1 semester hour

In this course, which is a continuation of ABA 593, students are expected to conclude their experiment, finalize their thesis manuscript, and present their research to faculty for evaluation. Students also have the opportunity to prepare and submit their manuscript for publication, should they choose to do so. Pre-requisite(s): ABA 593; or permission of Program Chair or designate. Co- requisite(s): None. 1 semester hour

Teaching new behaviors first requires assessment of a learner’s pre-requisite skills and other relevant environmental variables followed by the systematic design of instructional programs and evaluation of learning outcomes. In this course, students learn how to assess an individual’s current repertoire, conduct reinforcer and preference assessments, and design behavior-analytic instructional programs for purposes of teaching new behaviors. Pre-requisite(s): ABA 500 and ABA 501; or permission of Program Chair or designate. Co-requisite(s): None. 4 semester hours

In order to effectively treat problematic behaviors, behavior analysts must first assess the environmental variables to determine the function of the problematic behavior. In this course, students learn how to conduct functional behavior assessments and design comprehensive function-based behavior reduction programs in order to produce socially significant changes in behavior. Pre-requisite(s): ABA 500 and ABA 501; or permission of Program Chair or designate. Co-requisite(s): None. 4 semester hours

In addition to direct client-facing clinical work, behavior analysts are tasked with the training and supervision of others in the implementation of behavior analytic programming. In this course, students learn how to assess performance deficits, how to design behavior-analytic training programs, and how to supervise others in accordance with best practices and ethical guidelines. Pre-requisite(s): ABA 610 and ABA 611; or permission of Program Chair or designate. Co-requisite(s): None. 3 semester hours

In this series of courses, students practice demonstrating behavior analytic skills and adapting educational practices with clients while accruing experience hours in a field placement. Students receive supervision from both a clinical and faculty supervisor and are expected to demonstrate various clinical and professional skills to proficiency. Pre-requisite(s): ABA 590; or permission of Program Chair or designate. Co-requisite(s): None. 3 semester hours

This course provides an in-depth study of a special topic in applied behavior analysis not fully covered in one of the other program courses. Topics offered may be chosen based on professional and/or research interests of students and faculty, special faculty expertise, or areas of current debate and emerging interest in the field. This course may be taken for credit multiple times, provided that different topics are covered in each course. Pre-requisite(s): Permission of the Program Chair or designate. Co-requisite(s): None. 1-3 semester hours