2022 Educational Certification Requirements For 4th Edition Students

The Behavior Analyst Certification Board® (BACB®) has updated the BCBA® and BCaBA® task list, and the new standards increase coursework requirements and specifications for course structure.

To qualify for the BCaBA® or BCBA® examination after January 1, 2022, applicants must meet new education standards. Florida Tech is ready to help those who have taken Fourth Edition coursework meet the new coursework requirements.

Meeting 2022 Certification Requirements

What Has Changed?

Coursework requirements have increased 

	Hours Added
	BCaBA	BCBA
Supervision & Management	10	20
Behavior Assessment	15	15
Concepts & Principles/Philosophical Underpinnings	-	45
BACB Compliance Code & Disciplinary Systems; Professionalism	15	-
Measurement, Data Display & Interpretation; Experimental Design	15	-
Behavior-Change Procedures; Selecting and Implementing Interventions	5	-

 

Coursework structure specifications have been added

BCaBA level: 

• BACB Compliance Code and Disciplinary Systems; Professionalism: 15 hours must be taught in one or more freestanding courses
• Discretionary category (15 hours) has been removed/reassigned

BCBA level:

• Concepts and Principles: 45 hours must be taught in a single, freestanding course
• Measurement: 45 hours must be taught in a single, freestanding course
• Discretionary category (30 hours) has been removed/reassigned

More information about the changes in BACB coursework requirements can be found in the January 2017 BACB newsletter.

Additional changes 

• At the BCBA level, degree field of study is no longer restricted. A master’s degree or higher in any field of study can qualify.
• Supervised experience must meet new supervised fieldwork requirements. Students should confer with their BCBA supervisors and refer to the 2022 Eligibility Requirements for BCBA or BCaBA.  

How Do I Meet New Standards? 

Most students who have completed a 4th Edition BCBA level VCS will need between six and nine additional credits. The courses needed depend on factors including:

• Whether 4th Edition coursework standards were met, not met, or exceeded
• The structure of courses taken under 4th Edition standards (e.g. what content was covered in a standalone course)
• The type of transition (i.e. BCBA to BCBA, BCaBA to BCaBA, or BCaBA to BCBA)

 What Steps Should I Take?

1. Determine what coursework hours you have and what hours you need

   • Did you take 4th Edition coursework at Florida Tech? We've got you covered! Click for more information.
   • Did you take 4^th Edition courses at a different school?
     • If your courses were part of a VCS, contact your VCS coordinator to learn how your courses apply to the 2022 requirement changes. Contact information can be found on the ABAI website
     • If your courses were not part of a VCS, request a coursework evaluation from the BACB

     • If you are unsure about where your courses fit into the VCS grid, you request a formal coursework evaluation from the BACB. Although there is a fee involved, this fee is later applied to your exam application. This is the only way to be certain of what they will accept and what you still need.

     • More information about the formal coursework evaluation can be found here: https://bacb.com/coursework-evaluation-application/.

     • Once you have your coursework evaluation from the BACB,  you can send a copy to abaonilne@fit.edu and we can advise you on what courses you need to meet the needed hours based upon that evaluation. 

2. Determine what courses will provide the hours you need

   • You can view our course content verification grid to see the hours provided by each of our 2022 VCS courses, but we are happy to advise you based on our experience.

   • To request advising:
     

     Email the following information to abaonline@fit.edu   
     • The program and school you attended
     • The level of certification you are seeking (BCaBA or BCBA) 
     • The type of degree you currently hold (i.e., bachelor’s or master’s) 
     • The program and school you attended 
     • Visit the following link, Verified Course Sequence Directory  
     • Find your school’s VCS 
     • Copy the website link of the course grid for your school’s program. (Include this link in your email response) 
     • List the courses from the grid you completed with a grade of B or better.  
     • List the years you attended the program (I.e. 2017-2020) 
     • Content verification grid for that program (available at https://www.abainternational.org/vcs/directory.aspx

More information about coursework commonly needed by students who took 4th Edition courses at other schools is available here.

3. Apply for admission

To take 4th to 2022 education requirement courses you must apply to the university and be accepted.

Important: Students who enroll as Non-Degree Seeking Continuing Education – Graduate do not earn a certificate. If you are instead interested in a certificate or degree program at Florida Tech, please see How to Apply.

Please follow these instructions to apply: 

1. Go to https://admissions.fit.edu/apply/. Create an account and select University Application
2. In the dropdown selections that follow, select Florida Tech Application then Non-Degree Seeking Students
3. Click the Create Application button and enter your personal information.
4. Next, you will come to the Application Information section. Please select the following:
   • Where would you like to study? Online
   • Student type: Non-Degree Seeking Continuing Education – Graduate
   • What would you like to study? Continuing Education (ABA 5th Edition – Behavior Analysis Online)
   • Under Courses I plan to take at Florida Tech do not list specific courses. Please enter “Edition Transition” in the Course 1 box. This will help expedite processing of your application.
5. Academic History: List colleges or universities you have attended and upload an unofficial transcript copies for all colleges listed. Unofficial transcripts are allowed temporarily. You will need to submit your official transcripts.
6. Submit your application!

We will review your application at our earliest opportunity and contact you if we have questions. You will receive registration information upon admission.

 

Additional Info:

Effective: January 1, 2024- A rolling 10-year expiration date will be placed on coursework submitted as part of a BCBA or BCaBA certification application. BACB March 2022 Newsletter

Effective: January 1, 2027- Revisions to core certification requirements, including degree, coursework, supervised fieldwork, continuing education, and ongoing supervision. Pathways 3 and 4 discontinued. BACB March 2022 Newsletter