Applied Behavior Analysis Postbaccalaureate Certificate

Description and Outcomes

If you are interested in expanding your knowledge of applied behavior analysis in order to meet the coursework requirements for eligibility to take the Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst® examination, consider the Applied Behavior Analysis Postbaccalaureate Certificate program. 

Prospective and current students must review Purdue Global’s State Licensure and Certifications site to view program and state-specific licensure information. Because state regulations and licensure requirements are continually updated, students are strongly encouraged to confirm their state’s licensure and educational requirements by viewing the Behavior Analyst Certification Board®, Inc. for full eligibility requirements as well as the Certification, State Board, and National Board Exams section for additional program disclosure information.

Qualified credits earned in fulfillment of this certificate program may be transferable to certain Purdue Global degree programs.

Program Length

The Applied Behavior Analysis Postbaccalaureate Certificate program consists of a minimum of 41 quarter credit hours. Upon successful completion of the program, you will be awarded a certificate.

Program Outcomes

  1. Disciplinary Knowledge and Skills: Draw upon foundational principles in the field of applied behavior analysis, which includes historical, ethical, and cultural considerations, to design behavior intervention plans. 
  2. Research and Analysis: Utilize basic methodology in applied behavior analysis, which includes research design, data analysis, ethical and cultural considerations, and the interpretation and evaluation of findings, to determine effective client services.
  3. Critical Thinking Skills and Problem Solving: Use analytical thinking, skeptical inquiry, and the scientific approach to identify the variables that influence behavior in order to design function-based behavior intervention plans.
  4. Disciplinary Knowledge and Skills: Apply conceptual knowledge of principles of applied behavior analysis to case examples and scenarios that reflect everyday problems within individuals, families, and organizations with regard to functional assessments, behavior intervention plans, and the evaluation of effectiveness of treatment.
  5. Professionalism and Ethics: Demonstrate competent and ethical practice in the field of applied behavior analysis through the conduct of functional behavior assessments that inform function-based behavior intervention plans that address socially significant behaviors.
  6. Communication: Explain treatment approaches in terms that clients, their families, and organizations can understand to gain informed consent.

Program Availability

For program availability, please refer to the U.S. State and Other Approvals section and Program Availability Information.

Policies

Progression Requirements

You may not use credit for prior learning to fulfill any requirements in the Applied Behavior Analysis Postbaccalaureate Certificate program. All courses must be completed at Purdue Global.

To be eligible to satisfy certification requirements and ensure your knowledge is current, you may be required to retake courses if you are a returning student and completed them more than 5 years prior to your re-enrollment. You may request exceptions, based on relevant coursework and professional experience, from the Dean or a designee.

Certification, State Board, and National Board Exams

Certification and licensure boards have state-specific educational requirements for programs that lead to a license or certification that is a precondition for employment. Prospective and current students must review Purdue Global’s State Licensure and Certifications site to view program and state-specific licensure information.

Licensure-track programs may limit enrollment to students in certain states; please see Purdue Global’s Program Availability Information to determine enrollment eligibility.

The Association for Behavior Analysis International has verified the following courses toward the coursework requirements for eligibility to take the Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst® (BCaBA®) examination (via Pathway 2). Applicants will need to meet additional Behavior Analyst Certification Board® (BACB®) eligibility requirements, including evidence of residency in an authorized country, before they can be deemed eligible to take the examination. 

  • PS225 Ethics in Applied Behavior Analysis
  • PS340 Exceptional Needs Children
  • PS360 Applied Behavior Analysis I
  • PS365 Applied Behavior Analysis II
  • PS385 Targeted Topics in Applied Behavior Analysis
  • PS410 Screening and Assessment
  • PS430 Program Design and Evaluation

Please refer to the BACB’s website for full eligibility requirements (www.bacb.com).

It is important to note that students seeking BCaBA certification can only begin accruing supervision hours once they begin taking an ABA concentration course in the verified course sequence. Any supervision hours documented prior to taking the first qualifying course will not be recognized by the BACB.

The Applied Behavior Analysis Postbaccalaureate Certificate program meets educational requirements for the BCaBA examination in the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territory of Guam, and all states. Prospective and current students must review Purdue Global’s State Licensure and Certifications site to view program and state-specific licensure information.

It is important to understand that requirements for behavior analysts vary by state and can change with little to no warning. Students seeking employment as a behavior analyst should inquire directly to the jurisdiction where employment is desired, as some states require additional licensure or certification. The BACB U.S. state licensure requirements may be viewed at the following link: https://www.bacb.com/u-s-licensure-of-behavior-analysts/.

Beginning January 1, 2023, applications for BCaBA or BCBA certification from candidates who live outside of the United States and other designated countries will no longer be accepted, per the BACB's Global Certification policies. Specific information regarding this policy can be found on the BACB’s website at https://www.bacb.com/global-certification/.

The BACB can be contacted at:

Behavior Analyst Certification Board
8051 Shaffer Parkway
Littleton, CO 80127
Tel: 720-438-4321