Information from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Watch this video to learn more about our special education programs.
The current cohort of this program is full. Please check back in February 2012 for updates.
For most children, simply the environment that they live in provides all the right conditions to learn social competence, language skills, and even how to play without any additional intervention from adults. However, autistic children require a very structured environment, optimized for acquiring the same skills that other children learn naturally. Applied behavior analysis (ABA) is about creating and providing a purposeful environment that allows children with autism to learn. Special education professionals who are certified in ABA have the skills and knowledge to develop, implement, and evaluate quality techniques that help produce positive behavioral change in special needs children.
Penn State shares your mission to help make life better for children with special needs. To help meet your goals, Penn State World Campus has partnered with the College of Education to offer you graduate study and a practicum in applied behavior analysis.
Penn State offers two graduate certificate programs and a practicum that are approved by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board®, Inc. (BACB®), and are designed to prepare you for the national certification examinations sponsored by the BACB. All courses are offered via DVD lectures, customized course materials, and supplemental online activities — taught by the same caring faculty who teach on campus. The courses are designed to be completed in one academic year.
Both certificate programs require the first three courses. In addition, the Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) program includes a final face-to-face, weeklong course held every August at Penn State University Park in conjunction with the National Autism Conference.
Penn State also offers an ABA practicum, which is a BACB-approved university experience program. The purpose of this practicum is to help you gain experience in developing, implementing, and evaluating techniques that produce positive behavioral change in your students. Enrollment in the practicum will also enable you to accrue the supervised experience hours that you need in order to sit for the BACB’s certification exam. Enrollment in the practicum is not required to earn either of the Penn State certificates; it is simply a convenient option for you to earn the experience hours that are required to become a BCBA or a BCaBA.
Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA) Certificate Program
This 12-credit, three-course sequence is designed for people who have earned at least a bachelor's degree and who wish to continue their professional development in the area of applied behavior analysis. The curriculum is intended to prepare you to sit for the BCaBA certification examination sponsored by the BACB®.
Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) Certificate Program
This 15-credit, four-course sequence is designed for people who have earned a graduate degree, who seek advanced knowledge in the field of applied behavior analysis. The curriculum is intended to prepare you to sit for the BCBA certification examination sponsored by the BACB. For the final course, students travel to Penn State University Park for a face-to-face, weeklong course held every August in conjunction with the National Autism Conference.
Penn State is an Act 48-approved provider for Pennsylvania educators, so the courses for the graduate certificate in applied behavior analysis will count toward professional development hours.
These programs are specifically designed for individuals with a background in education or human services who are interested in becoming board certified behavior analysts. However, anyone with an interest in learning about interventions to produce lasting change in behavior will find these programs to be extremely useful.
Professionals who can benefit from this program include:
Behavior analysis is a broad field. Typically, behavior analysts work in the helping professions (e.g., teachers, speech/language pathologists, occupational therapists, psychology). Training in behavior analysis can help add to your current professional knowledge base, thus making you better prepared to address a variety of behavioral issues in classrooms, early intervention, home, and community settings.
Board certified assistant behavior analysts conduct behavioral assessments and implement behavioral interventions under the supervision of Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs).
Board certified behavior analysts can act independently to develop, implement, and monitor behavioral interventions. BCBAs often design behavioral plans that are implemented by BCaBAs.
Penn State has a history of 100+ years of distance education and more than a decade of experience in online learning. We strive to create an online learning environment that brings you as close to the face-to-face experience as possible. Learn more about Penn State World Campus.
