Certification in Behavior Analysis

1. Certification in Behavior Analysis Department of Psychology

2. About Behavior Analysis • The field of Behavior Analysis grew out of the scientific study of principles of learning and behavior. • Two branches • Experimental Analysis of Behavior: A natural science approach to the study of behavior as a subject matter founded by Skinner. • Applied Behavior Analysis: This science in which tactics derived from the principles of behavior are applied to improve socially significant behavior.

3. About the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) • The Behavior Analyst Certification Board is a nonprofit corporation established in 1998 to meet professional credentialing needs identified by behavior analysts, governments, and consumers of behavior analysis services. • The BACB adheres to the national standards for boards that grant professional credentials. • Certifications from the BACB are national.

4. What is a Board Certified assistant Behavior Analyst and Board Certified Behavior Analyst? • Board Certified assistant Behavior Analyst BCaBA) is a Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) bachelors level certification. • Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) is a BACB Masters level certification.

5. WHAT DOES A BCaBA DO? • Conducts descriptive behavioral assessments • Interprets results from assessments • Designs ethical and effective behavior-analytic treatment plans for clients • Oversees implementation of programming in familiar cases (e.g., similar to those encountered during their training) • Teach others to carry out interventions once the BCBA has trained the BCaBA BCaBAs must be supervised by a BCBA

6. Skills Required to Work as a BCaBA • BCaBAs must be able to work in a variety of settings comfortably dealing with people with behavior problems. • Must be a team player (many times behavior analysts are part of treatment teams) • They must be good observers, detail-oriented, compassionate, and possess excellent written and communication skills.

7. WHERE DO BCaBAS WORK? • Clinics • Private family homes • Group homes • Foster homes • Residential facilities • Assisted living facilities • Schools • Hospitals

8. Job Opportunities • Board Certified assistant Behavior Analysts are in demand. • BCaBAs can work as consultants or employees. • BCaBA consultants in Miami are typically paid approximately $25 to $35 an hour. • BCaBA employees in Miami are typically paid a salary of approximately $30,000 to $40,000 a year.

9. How do I become certified? • You need to meet three requirements to become ELIGIBLE to take the BCaBA certification exam. • A bachelor’s degree from an accredited university • 135 hours of coursework in behavior analysis • 1000 hours of independent supervised fieldwork • Upon completing the requirements for the certification exam, you must apply to take the exam, and then pass the exam to become board certified.

10. BACB Coursework Requirement • The applicant must complete a total of 135 classroom hours of instruction in behavior analysis. These hours must be allocated as per the BACB requirements in specific content areas: • Ethical considerations – 10 hours • Definition & characteristics and principles, processes & concepts - 40 hours • Behavioral assessment and selecting intervention outcomes & strategies - 25 hours • Experimental evaluation of interventions, & measurement of behavior and displaying & interpreting behavioral data - 20 hours • Behavioral change procedures and systems support 40 hours

11. FIU Undergraduate Behavior Analysis Course Sequence • FIU offers a BACB-approved university course sequence. These courses meet all the course content requirements for the certification exam. • These courses are as follows: • EAB 3002:  Introduction to Experimental Analysis of Behavior (3 credits)EAB 3765:  Behavior Analysis of Child Behavior Problems  (3 credits)EAB 4034: Advanced Behavior Analysis – Lecture (2 credits)EAB 4034L: Advanced Behavior Analysis – Lab (3 credits)EAB 4794: Behavior Modification (3 credits) For more information regarding the FIU course sequence, please visit http://casgroup.fiu.edu/behavior

12. Who teaches these courses? • As per BACB requirements, all courses are taught by Board Certified Behavior Analysts. • The behavior analysis faculty include: • Dr. Jacob Gewirtz, Ph.D., BCBA-D • Dr. Maricel Cigales, Ph.D., BCBA-D • Dr. Anibal Gutierrez, Ph.D., BCBA-D • Dr. Yaneris Leon, Ph.D., BCBA • Dr. David Lubin, Ph.D., BCBA • Paloma Pedraza, M.S., BCBA, Ph.D. Candidate • Adam Ventura, M.S., BCBA  • Sara Richardson, M.S., BCBA • Alejandro Dominguez, M.S., BCBA

13. BACB Fieldwork Requirement • Applicants must complete 1000 hours of Supervised Independent Fieldwork in behavior analysis.  • The distribution of Supervised Independent Fieldwork hours must be at least 10 hours per week, but not more than 30 hours per week, for a minimum of 3 weeks per month.  • Applicants must be supervised at least once every 2 weeks for 5% of the total hours they spend in Supervised Independent Fieldwork.  A supervisory period is two weeks. • Applicants may not start accumulating experience until they have begun the behavior analysis coursework.

14. BACB Fieldwork Requirements

15. BACB Fieldwork Requirement • How do I find a site to accumulate my fieldwork hours? • There are several agencies in Miami that have created paid internships to meet the BACB fieldwork requirements. • Can I have multiple supervisor? • The BACB encourages applicants to have experiences in multiple sites and with multiple supervisors. 

16. BACB Fieldwork Requirement • What activities are appropriate for Independent Supervised Fieldwork? • Conducting assessment activities related to the development of behavioral interventions • Designing, implementing, and monitoring behavior analysis programs for clients • Overseeing the implementation of behavior analysis programs by others • Other activities normally performed by a behavior analyst that are directly related to behavior analysis (e.g., researching the literature related to the program)

17. BACB Fieldwork Requirement • Where does supervision occur, and does it need to be documented? • The supervisor (i.e., BCBA) must observe the applicant engaging in behavior-analytic activities in the natural environment at least once every two weeks.  The supervisor must provide specific feedback to applicant on his/her performance. Half of the supervision meetings can be via webcam or in small groups. • Supervisors are responsible for providing documentation for each supervisory period on a feedback form provided by the BACB. 

18. When can I take the exam? • Exams are administered three times per year: March, August, and November. • Exams are computer-based and offered at various testing sites. • Upon meeting the requirements for the certification exam, you can choose the exam administration you wish to apply for.

19. Masters in Applied Behavior Analysis • The Behavior Analysis Masters Program at Florida International University is a program that leads to a Master of Science in Psychology and eligibility to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst®. • The scientist-practitioner based teaching model offers students a focus on the experimental, theoretical, methodological, and applied analysis of the behavior of individuals across a range of clinical problems and diverse populations.

20. Unique Benefits of Our Program • Personalized student support and advising • Completion of practicum hours needed for Behavior Analyst certification • On-campus as well as off-campus placement opportunities • Supervision by highly-experienced BCBAs Completion of all requirements for the BCBA exam upon graduation • Research opportunities

21. Admissions Requirements • A grade point average of 3.0 during the last two years as an upper division student. • Foreign students whose native language is not English must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (the TOEFL) and obtain a score of 550 or higher on the paper based version or 213 or higher on the computer-based version • Undergraduate degree in psychology or completion of a psychology research methods class and a statistics class.

22. How to Apply Send to the University Admissions Office: • FIU graduate application form • Certified transcripts of all college level work • Graduate Record Examination Scores (GRE): Scores on the mathematical and verbal aptitude sections of the General GRE, taken within the previous five years • TOEFL:  All students whose native language is other than English will be required to submit scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language.

23. How to Apply Send to the Psychology Department c/o The Graduate Secretary: • Curriculum vita or a resume: pertinent information on previous experience, education, honors, awards, interests, community service, and achievements. • A statement of intent:  including a discussion of education and career objectives and the specific relationship of the Master’s degree to the achievement of those objectives.  Statements should not exceed three typewritten double-spaced pages. • Letters of Recommendation:  Three letters of recommendation from persons who are in position to evaluate the applicants professional, and particularly, academic performance, and his or her potential for success in the Master’s program. 

24. BCBA Certification • Upon completion of the masters program you will be eligible to take the board exam. • BCBAs are also in high demand • They can work independently and supervise the work of BCaBAs and behavior therapists. • They work in the same settings as BCaBAs. • In Miami, BCBAs make between $40-60 per hour • They make salaries of about $50,000-$70,000 per year • Many BCBAs work as consultants and have their own practice.

25. BACB information • For more information regarding the BCaBA and BCBA certification, please visit: www.BACB.com.