Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Programs

M.Ed. in Special Education and Child Development: concentration in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)

Graduate Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis

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M.Ed. in Special Education and Child Development: concentration in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)

The M.Ed. in Special Education and Child Development (33 credit hours) with a concentration in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is designed for individuals who are interested in seeking a master’s degree in special education and in fulfilling the coursework requirements for becoming a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). The coursework in the concentration in ABA includes a Verified Course Sequence that meets the coursework requirements (5th Edition) set forth by The Behavior Analyst Certification Board to sit for the BCBA examination. This concentration is offered as a 33-credit hour program with all courses offered 100% online. The majority of coursework is offered via “live” synchronous instructional formats to offer real time interactions between instructors and students, and to build a learning community for support. The M.Ed. with a concentration in ABA will not lead to eligibility for obtaining teaching licensure. Candidates also will develop practical research skills through coursework and completion of their own research projects. Note: Fall Admissions will likely lead to most timely completion of the program.

Why choose our Master in Education in Special Education and Child Development with a concentration in ABA?

  • The M.Ed. coursework is fully online so it provides flexibility for you to study from your home or office. The synchronous format of instructional delivery in the concentration and core courses provides excellent opportunities for the instructors to build a learning community for you to receive support, share ideas, and problem solve real-life situations related to behavior analytic practice.

  • Our program is integrated within Special Education, where concepts and strategies are discussed with a special lens to supporting individuals with disabilities in applied and natural settings (e.g., schools, classrooms, homes, communities).

  • Our rigorous courses are designed to support you in developing the skills, knowledge, and competencies to gain employment as a behavior analyst and to be effective in improving quality of life outcomes for individuals with disabilities and their families. You will be part of a supportive professional learning community with faculty members who are invested in your learning and peers who share the same drive to become board certified behavior analysts.

  • The Special Education faculty continuously achieve regional, state, and national recognition in scholarship, teaching, and research. Faculty and instructors for the core concentration courses either have board certified behavior analyst credential or have extensive training in applied behavior analysis and decades of experience in conducting behavior analytic research and consultation in applied settings.

  • The Verified Course Sequence (VCS) includes seven courses that are approved by the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) and meets the coursework requirements (5th Edition) set forth by The Behavior Analyst Certification Board to sit for the BCBA examination.



Career Options

According to the Behavior Analyst Certification Board based on the Labor Insight™ database, demand for behavior analysts in the United States is increasing each year since 2010, with an overall increase of 5,852% over the past 12 years (789 jobs in 2010 to 46,960 jobs in 2021). In North Carolina, the demand for behavior analysts has a 44% increase from 2020 to 2021. The increase in demand for individuals holding BCBA certification is also apparent in other countries.

The M.Ed. in Special Education and Child Development with a concentration in ABA prepares you to fulfill the coursework and degree requirements for becoming a BCBA. You will arrange your own supervised practicum experiences in order to sit for BCBA examination. Graduates holding BCBA may become independent practitioners of behavior analytic services and may supervise Registered Behavior Technicians or Behavior Certified Assistant Behavior Analysts. Other career options may also include: working in schools to support students with behavioral and learning challenges; providing behavior analytic services in home or community settings, and pursuing a doctorate program in special education or applied behavior analysis, or other related fields.

Student Opportunities

The capstone project allows students to hone their research skills and showcase their competencies while working with their mentor or faculty advisor. Candidates are able to implement what they have learned and make critical decisions based on data to guide their practice. Candidates develop and implement research projects addressing important issues in applied behavior analysis and/or special education, and may disseminate their research findings through publication in professional journals and/or presentations at local, state, or national conferences.

The Center for Graduate Life provides the support and sense of community students need to meet the challenges they will face throughout their graduate experience. The Center offers workshops on topics like grant writing, presentation skills, publishing in scholarly journals, and understanding the academic job search. Virtual workshops are available online on subjects such as graduate academic writing and research writing at the graduate level.

The University Career Center provides services, programs, and support for students and alumni. Services include such options as an Education Career Fair held each spring semester, individual appointments with career advisors and the Hire-A-Niner online job and internship database.

Learn From Outstanding Faculty

The UNC Charlotte Special Education Program is consistently ranked in the top 20 programs in the United States and is nationally recognized for its Ph.D. program in special education. Our program faculty have strong academic training, publish frequently in high quality journals, obtain grant funding for their work, and have decades of practical experience in applied behavior analysis. Further, they have been recognized through receipt of many awards and distinctions, related research and training in special education and applied behavior analysis.

Are you ready to make a difference in the lives of individuals with special needs through behavior analytic practice? If so, click here to learn more about the requirements for the Master of Education in Special Education and Child Development, graduate student financial aid, and the graduate application process.

Contact Information
Dr. Ya-yu Lo, M.Ed. Special Education/ABA Program Director, ylo1@charlotte.edu

Graduate Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis

The Graduate Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis (21 credit hours) is designed for individuals (a) who hold a master’s degree or are pursuing a master’s degree either at another institution or in a different program at UNC Charlotte and (b) who wish to become a BCBA. This program offers 21 credit hours of coursework that has been verified by the Association for Behavior Analysis International toward the requirements for eligibility to take the Board Certified Behavior Analyst® examination. Applicants will need to meet additional requirements (including completion of a master’s degree and supervised field experiences) to be eligible to take the examination. Professionals such as teachers or therapists who wish to gain knowledge in the content area but do not plan to become board-certified behavior analysts also make great candidates for the program. Candidates enrolled in the Graduate Certificate program will gain knowledge, skills, and dispositions in the content areas required for becoming a BCBA based on the BCBA Task List (5th Edition). The program is accepting Fall Admissions only.

According to the Behavior Analyst Certification Board based on the Labor Insight™ database, demand for behavior analysts in the United States is increasing each year since 2010, with an overall increase of 5,852% over the past 12 years (789 jobs in 2010 to 46,960 jobs in 2021). In North Carolina, the demand for behavior analysts has a 44% increase from 2020 to 2021. One pathway to becoming a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) is to obtain a master’s degree, complete behavior-analytic coursework, and complete practical fieldwork in applied behavior analysis. The Department of Special Education and Child Development at UNC Charlotte offers two routes for individuals to pursue their careers in the field of behavior analysis: Graduate Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis and M.Ed. in Special Education and Child Development: Applied Behavior Analysis Concentration. Both programs are fully online and consist of behavior-analytic coursework in a Verified Course Sequence (VCS), which is a set of courses that has been verified by the Association for Behavior Analysis International as meeting specific coursework requirements, content hours, and faculty standards.

The Association for Behavior Analysis International has verified the following courses (21 credit hours) toward the coursework requirements for eligibility to take the Board Certified Behavior Analyst® examination. Applicants will need to meet additional requirements before they can be deemed eligible to take the examination.

SPED 5200: Concepts and Principles in Behavior Analysis
SPED 5201: Science and Philosophy of Behavior Analysis
SPED 5202: Supervision and Consultation in Behavior-Analytic Programming
SPED 5203: Ethics, Compliance, and Professionalism in Behavior Analysis
SPED 6225: Behavior Analytic Intervention in Communication
SPED 6502: Behavioral Assessment
RSCH 7113: Single-Case Research

Contact Information
Dr. Leslie Bross, Graduate Certificate in ABA Program Director, lbross@charlotte.edu

Program FacultyAdjunct Faculty
Leslie Bross, Ph.D., BCBA-D
Ya-yu Lo, Ph.D.
Virginia Walker, Ph.D., BCBA-D
Charles Wood, Ph.D., BCBA-D		Michelle Garcia, M.Ed., BCBA
Dayna Lauren Miller, M.S., BCBA
Janet Sanchez Enriquez, Ph.D., BCBA-D

Are you ready to make a difference in the lives of individuals with special needs through behavior analytic practice? If so, click here to learn more about the requirements for the Master of Education in Special Education and Child Development: Applied Behavior Analysis Concentration, graduate student financial aid, and the graduate application process.