Undergraduate Major in Applied Behavior Analysis and Autism Studies
BACB Required Content Areas of Study
*This degree is due to sunset by summer 2025, meaning that courses will no longer be offered for this major past that date.
All students entering the program will participate in undergraduate courses that meet the Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA) Task List 5 requirements (Please see: Task Lists for BACB Certifications - Behavior Analyst Certification Board).
Current students completing their program of studies based on the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB®) Task List 5 requirements and must ensure that all requirements are met and documents are submitted to the BACB in time to sit for the Task List V Examination prior to it changing on January 1, 2026. Please note that the BACB and/or the Applied Behavior Analysis International (ABAI®) can make changes to eligibility requirements for certification at any time. Current and future students are required to review information from the BACB and remain current with updates (https://www.bacb.com/bcaba/).
For this program, students must also have a co-undergraduate major and satisfy all undergraduate requirements to obtain the Bachelor Degree. Students are responsible for successfully completing all undergraduate requirements (Minimum of 120 credits). Students must complete a core set of ten lecture-based courses (30 credits) and one required practicum (3 credits) in ABA. The total major program involves a minimum of 33 undergraduate credits in ABA, a minimum of 30 credits in a co-major, and a minimum of 60 General Education credits.
Six core ABA classes have been approved by the ABAI and is a registered ABAI Verified Course Sequence (VCS) that meets the BACB Task List 5 requirements. Students must maintain a B- in all of the VCS core ABA courses. Candidates who need additional remediation in areas may be encouraged to take non-credit developmental courses.
Program length: 48 months (based on full-time enrollment)
The courses are listed below:
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Professional Courses: (30 Credits) |
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EDU 220 |
Understanding Special Populations and the Building Collaborative Relationships across Home School and Community for All |
3 |
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PSYC 301 |
Educational Psychology |
3 |
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EDU 491 |
Educational Programming for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders and other Developmental Disabilities |
3 |
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EDU 492 |
Basic Applied Behavior Analysis for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders and other Developmental Disabilities |
3 |
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EDU 493 |
Team-Based Beh Assess and Implementation |
2 |
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EDU 494 |
Professional and Ethical Compliance Code and Disciplinary Systems in ABA |
1 |
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EDU 498 |
Behavioral Assessment and Supports for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders and other Developmental Disabilities |
3 |
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EDU 499 |
Professional Practices in Applied Behavior Analysis and Autism Spectrum Disorders |
3 |
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SPED 401 |
Supporting the Success of the Uniquely Abled Learner |
3 |
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SPED 410 |
Universal Design and Assistive Technology |
3 |
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EDU 210 S |
Practicum Seminar |
1 |
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PSYCHOLOGY-ABA CO-MAJOR:
Psychology-ABA Co-Major Requirements:
21 Credits
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1 of the following: PSYC 201 PSYC 202/ PSYC 203 |
Introduction to Child Development Introduction to Adolescent Development Adult Development and Aging |
3 |
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PSYC 250 |
Writing and Reading in Psychology |
3 |
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PSYC 303 |
Statistics for Psychological Research |
3 |
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PSYC 309 |
Research Design in Psychology |
3 |
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PSYC 311 |
Biopsychology |
3 |
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PSYC 410 |
Undergraduate Research in Psychology |
3 |
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PSYC 490 |
History and Systems of Psychology |
3 |
Psychology-ABA Co-Major Elective Requirements:
Choose 6 electives (18 Credits) in any of the following: (3 lower 200-300 level and 3 upper 400 level)
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PSYC 249 |
Data Management for Psychologists/Fundamentals of Data Mgmt |
3 |
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PSYC 317 |
Intercultural Communications in Psychology *(Study Abroad-Barcelona) |
3 |
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PSYC 330 |
Multicultural Perspectives |
3 |
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PSYC 377 |
Psychology of Health & Illness |
3 |
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PSYC 380 |
Psychology of the Family |
3 |
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PSYC 391 |
Motivation and Emotion |
3 |
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PSYC 401 |
Psychology of the Mind |
3 |
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PSYC 405 |
Child & Adolescence Deviance |
3 |
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PSYC 406 |
Abnormal Psychology |
3 |
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Students will participate in a practicum experience that will follow the experience guidelines of the BACB. Small group supervision will be provided on a weekly basis. Students will apply the content of the ABA program courses and the BACB Task List while directly working with individuals with ASD and/or other Developmental Disabilities in their fieldwork experience. Students will receive the supervision and feedback needed to develop the professional repertoire of a BCaBA. Students who are enrolled in this program are subject to the policies and guidelines of the School of Education Program as stated in the current Felician University Catalog and Student Handbook.
Please note, Felician University cannot guarantee practicum placement or Fieldwork supervisor. However, we will help assist those students who need to find placements and supervisors. To be eligible to sit for the BCaBA exam, students are also responsible for accumulating 1300 supervised fieldwork hours as supervised by a qualified BCBA. Additionally, students do not earn the certification until they pass the BCaBA examination. Passing the exam is not a graduation requirement.
BEHAVIOR ANALYST CERTIFICATION BOARD
As is further described by the Board (www.bacb.com), the BACB is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation established in 1998 to meet professional credentialing needs identified by behavior analysts, governments, and consumers of behavior analysis services. On a regular basis, the BACB’s certification requirements, exam content, and procedures undergo a review according to international standards for organizations that grant professional credentials. content experts in the discipline. Content experts in the discipline establish the BACB requirements and examination content. Students are required to thoroughly review the BCBA requirements and associated documents. The VCS Program Coordinator serves as a liaison between the students and the BACB. Each student must schedule a meeting with the VCS Coordinator during the first semester in the program.
Course Delivery
The six VCS approved courses are offered remotely through live synchronous virtual technology through Felician University. To remotely access the courses students must adhere to the University General Guidelines that pertain to the needed technology and protocol for participating in the courses.
Required Practicum Experiences
As a major qualification to sit for the BACB Examination to become a Board Certified assistant Behavior Analyst, an applicant must officially participate and document Supervised Fieldwork experience https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/BCaBA-2022EligibilityRequirements_210513.pdf
The applicant is responsible for acquiring and documenting the fieldwork hours in accordance with the official procedures of the BACB. Students must review the BACB Fieldwork Requirements during their first semester in the program and sign a document indicating their understanding. In addition, each student will receive a Program and Practicum Handbook that delineates the requirements. Students will be required to sign a document indicating they have received the Program and Practicum Handbooks.
To assist our students in accumulating hours and advanced training, Felician requires each student to participate in one semester practicum experience. Students will participate in a practicum experience that will follow the concentrated supervised fieldwork guidelines of the BACB. During the practicum, a student will participate in a minimum of 15 hours per week of applied behavior analytic work, that involves both hands-on training as well as program planning, development and evaluation activities. The primary focus is on acquiring the skills necessary to demonstrate competence of relevant tasks on the BCaBA Task List V and the skills necessary to interact effectively with consumers, supervisors, parents, and others. Securing a supervision site and Responsible BCBA or BCBA-D is required prior to students enrolling in this course.
The practicum course experience will have two primary components: A seminar component for one credit along with a field component for two credits. Students must be enrolled in both simultaneously. Students may also participate in three additional practicum experiences as electives. Each practicum will have a one-credit seminar along with a two-credit field experience component.
For a student to participate in the practicum experience, they must have an official background check as required by New Jersey. Students within the undergraduate major are expected to comply with the BACB Compliance Code and Disciplinary Systems for Behavior Analysts https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/BACB-Compliance-Code-english_190318.pdf at all times. Students must sign and submit an Ethics Compliance Statement within their first semester of matriculation in the program. In addition, specific practicum sites may have additional requirements.
* Felician University cannot guarantee practicum placement or Fieldwork supervisor. However, we will help assist those students who need to find placements and supervisors.
**To be eligible to sit for the BCaBA exam, students are also responsible for accumulating 1300 supervised fieldwork hours, submit all documents that are required. Completing 1300 hours is not a requirement for graduation.