ABA Certificate Program

• 18:820:512 - Introduction to Analysis and Single-Case Design

  Introduces the student to the process of analysis using baseline logic and learning how it applies to single-case methodology. Provides an overview of behavior measurement and recording, visual analysis, and graphing. Basic single-case research designs will be discussed, including general characteristics, strengths, and considerations. General issues regarding internal and external validity will be explored, as well as ethical considerations in research design and implementation. Students will practice applying the principles of research design and ethics to the interpretation of research literature.

• 18:820:513 - Basic Principles of Behavior Analysis

  Presents the student with an introduction to the basic principles and historical overview of applied behavior analysis, learning theory, and the fundamental principles of science and behavior. Students will learn to distinguish between respondent and operant models of behavior and conditions. Concepts and principles of behavior including reinforcement, punishment, stimulus control, verbal behavior, and motivional operations will be defined and discussed in the context of behavioral learning theory in order to establish a theoretical foundation for applications in advanced-level courses.

• 18:820:516 - Applications of Behavior Analytic Principles: Functional Assessment and Functional Analysis

  Focuses on understanding the functions of challenging behavior, becoming familiar with various methods of determining the functions of behaviors, and developing behavior intervention plans that match the functions of the behaviors. The student will learn how to observe, collect data, and interpret data in the assessment of challenging behaviors. Specifically, students will learn the methods for obtaining descriptive data and the procedures for conducting systematic manipulations, such as functional analyses (FA). Variations of FA procedures will be described, including brief FA and procedures that are easier to implement in natural settings. Specific single-subject experimental designs will be reviewed in the context of FA. The ethical considerations inherent in behavioral assessment, treatment, and research will be reviewed. A variety of articles describing state-of-the-art methods for FA will be assigned and discussed.

• 18:820:517 - Applications of Behavior Analytic Principles: Skills Assessment and Instructional Strategies 

  This course provides students with foundational knowledge and practical skills in applying behavior analytic principles to teach new skills and behaviors, focusing on individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Students will learn to identify and evaluate evidence-based strategies for teaching, including discrete-trial and naturalistic teaching methods, shaping, task analysis, and chaining, as well as tools for assessing relative strengths and deficits. Students will learn to apply key behavioral principles to teach new behaviors, such as motivating operations, discriminative stimuli, prompting, and prompt-fading. Furthermore, the course will emphasize analysis of verbal behavior, using visual supports—such as video modeling and activity schedules, methods for teaching stimulus discrimination and strategies for promoting social skills. Throughout the course, students will develop the ability to design, evaluate, and implement effective, evidence-based interventions tailored to the needs of individuals with ASD, ultimately preparing them to apply these skills in clinical practice.

• 18:820:521 - Ethics for Behavior Analysis

  This course will familiarize the student with ethical issues and responsibilities of special educators and behavior analysts in the fields of education and mental health. Informed consent, due process, protection of confidentiality, and selection of least intrusive, least restrictive behavior change procedures will be presented and discussed within the context of case method. Ethical decision-making processes will be emphasized, and the relationship between ethics and law will be explored.Prerequisites: 18:820:512, 18:820:513.

• 18:820:522 - Ethics for Behavior Analysis

  Offers an introduction to the application of behavior analytic concepts and principles to industry (i.e., Organizational Behavior Management;OBM). The course highlights the subfields of personnel management (PM), Behavioral Systems Analysis (BSA), and Behavior Based Safety - across a variety of settings including human services (e.g., schools, homes, clinics), private businesses (e.g., retail, food service), and industries (e.g. piecework, manufacturing). We discuss and practice a functional assessment approach (e.g., data-based decisions, function-based strategies, competency- based training, and performance monitoring and feedback) to improve personnel performance via a semester-long performance improvement project. We also learn about BCBA supervision through review  of the literature on and behavior analytic approaches to supervision, the risks of ineffective supervision, and the effects of supervising and mentoring. 

• 18:820:537 - Theoretical and Philosophical Foundations of Behavior Analysis

  This course emphasizes the theoretical foundations, philosophical framework, scientific principles, and fundamental concepts of applied behavior analysis (ABA) and contrasts the worldview of behavior analysts with other perspectives inside and outside psychology. Students will demonstrate competence in articulating the philosophical tenets of behaviorism and the theoretical approaches to understanding behavior, as well as the ability to interpret behavior through the lens of behavior analytic concepts and principles. Practical applications to behavior analytic problem solving and case conceptualization in applied settings will be emphasized.