Questions about BACB Certification in Applied Behavior Analysis (4th Ed)
Why should I pursue certification in behavior analysis?
The answer is marketability. ABA practitioners know that certification is the key to job growth and security. There is a growing need for well-trained board-certified professionals in behavior analysis, in schools' early intervention programs, day programs, residential settings and home-based programs. Certification in behavior analysis will provide the opportunity to access a wide range of career options.
Florida Tech offers a comprehensive professional development program in behavior analysis with a flexible and supportive online environment. For your convenience, all courses are offered completely online and do not require any travel to the Florida Tech campus. With the Florida Tech ABA Online course series, you have the opportunity to develop your knowledge of behavior analysis from the comfort of your home or work at a time that best fits your schedule.
The ABA Online Fourth Edition program courses meet the instructional requirements toward certification as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst® (BACB®) or Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst® (BCaBA®) defined by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board, Inc.® (BACB®).
There are five courses taken over four terms required for the BCaBA level of certification and eight courses taken over six terms required for the BCBA level. All courses are taught and graded at the master's level and require master's level coursework to be completed.
Which courses do I need to complete to become certified?
If you are interested in becoming certified and have not taken any courses that meet instructional requirements for certification, you would need to take courses BEHP5011 through BEHP5018 for BCBA-level certification or courses BEHP5011 through BEHP5015 for BCaBA-level certification.
When is the next certification exam?
The BACB currently offers certification exam periods four times a year. All degree coursework, instructional requirements and supervised experience must be completed prior to qualifying to take the BACB examination. For more information, please visit the BACB's website at
http://www.bacb.com/.
What is the difference between BCBA certification and BCaBA certification?
The requirements to apply for the BCaBA certification examination are less advanced than the requirements to apply for the BCBA examination. The salary and type of positions may differ depending on the agency and the state. The BACB strongly recommends that any BCaBA work under the supervision of a BCBA and not practice independently. Some states adhere to this BACB recommendation, while others have different stipulations depending on the type of client or practice.
Will I be certified in behavior analysis when I complete all the courses in one of the two professional development programs?
Only the BACB can certify behavior analysts. In order to be certified in behavior analysis with the BACB, one must first meet all certification requirements, including:
- The instructional requirements (which can be completed with the ABA Online course series)
- An accepted degree earned from an accredited institution (for more information on degree requirements, visit http://bacb.com/bcba-option-1/ for BCBA requirement or http://bacb.com/bcaba-requirements/ for BCaBA requirement).
- Supervised experience hours
- A complete exam application submitted to and accepted by the BACB
- A passing score on the BACB examination
