Post-Bachelor’s Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis
- Chicago, IL
- Full-Time
- 4 semesters or 6 terms
Applied Behavior Analysis is the ethical design, implementation, and evaluation of environmental changes to produce socially significant improvements in behavior. The Post-Bachelor’s Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis develops mastery of the principles of behavior analysis and their application in clinical work and everyday life.
This program prepares students to become Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analysts ® (BCaBAs ®), which is an undergraduate-level certification in behavior analysis. Professionals who are certified at the BCaBA ® level must be supervised by someone certified at the BCBA/BCBA-D level, but BCaBAs can supervise the work of Registered Behavior Technicians, and others who implement behavior-analytic interventions.
Post-Bachelor’s Certificate in Applied Behavioral Analysis: Student Experience
The Chicago School provides an immersive learning environment for students to develop the skills needed in their field, while offering a variety of networking opportunities near each campus. Faculty members who are practicing professionals are available to provide students with insight into different techniques that can be applied in their fieldwork. Students work side by side with each other in diverse, culturally rich settings where they can identify and support underserved communities that require mental health services.
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Concepts and Principles in Behavior Analysis I
Behavior analysis is a natural science approach to the prediction, control, and understanding of behavior. Students will first be introduced to the philosophical assumptions of determinism, empiricism, parsimony, and pragmatism. Students will then learn to identify and describe the basic concepts and principles of behavior analysis. These will include operant conditioning, positive and negative reinforcement, basic schedules of reinforcement, extinction, positive and negative punishment, using primary and establishing secondary reinforcers and punishers, establishing stimulus and motivational control, and establishing discrimination and generalization training procedures. In addition, students will learn to identify, describe, and apply common behavior change procedures including shaping, chaining, and differential reinforcement.
Measurement and Design in Behavior Analysis
This course addresses the measurement of behavior, data display, interpretation of data, and experimental design. Aspects of measurement including behavior definition, measurable dimensions of behavior, measurement systems and their selection, and data collection, graphing, and interpretation will be covered. Students will learn how to evaluate the validity and reliability of measurement procedures including interobserver agreement, social validity, and treatment integrity. This course also covers the uses and defining features of single-subject experimental designs as well as their advantages and limitations.
Professional Ethics and Issues in Behavior Analysis
In this course, professional, ethical, and legal issues related to the practice of psychology and behavior analysis, based on the ethical standards of these fields are critically examined. Issues considered include privacy, privilege, confidentiality and its limitations, informed consent, clients’ rights, malpractice, client-therapist relationships, and regulation influencing the practice of therapy.
For information on where The Chicago School of Professional Psychology meets, does not meet, or has not determined if the program meets licensure eligibility requirements for the state in which you wish to be licensed, please visit: https://staging.thechicagoschool.edu/admissions/licensure-disclosures/
Application to The Chicago School of Professional Psychology’s Post-Bachelor’s Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis program is open to any person who has earned a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution and who meets other entrance requirements. Applicants will be judged on their overall academic ability. Factors that are considered in admission are: GPA from undergraduate and any graduate schools, successful work history after completion of the baccalaureate degree, the admissions essay, and letters of recommendation from academic professors or professional or volunteer experience supervisors. Generally, an undergraduate GPA of a 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale is required for admission. Applicants must submit official transcripts from all schools where a degree was earned. It is recommended that transcripts are submitted from all schools where credit was received to enhance their applications.
The Chicago School is dedicated to keeping our professional degree programs accessible to anyone regardless of financial status. In addition to the scholarships that may be available, our Financial Aid department will help provide you with information to determine what financial arrangements are right for you.