Online M.S. & M.A. in Applied Behavior Analysis
Ouachita Baptist University offers the first Master of Science and Master of Arts degrees in applied behavior analysis in Arkansas, helping lead the way in addressing the critical shortage of Board Certified Behavior Analysts® (BCBAs®) in the nation. Our online ABA graduate program empowers you to utilize the science of learning and behavior to design, evaluate and implement therapies that significantly enhance individuals' lives.
Whether you’re interested in research, teaching, pursuing a doctorate or becoming a practitioner, Ouachita offers two distinct pathways for you to advance your career in the rapidly-growing field of ABA.
Elevate your role in clinical practice, conduct important research, continue your education — whatever you choose to do, Ouachita propels you toward a future of career advancement. Explore the versatility of your applied behavior analysis degree in career fields such as:
Autism Therapy
Behavioral Gerontology
Mental and Behavioral Health Therapy
Organizational Behavior Management
School-Based Behavioral Intervention Support
Special Education
Substance Abuse Treatment
Discover the specialized and impactful courses offered in Ouachita's online ABA master’s program, including:
Applied Experience in ABA, with ACT training
Behavior-Change Procedures
Behavioral Assessment
Ethical & Professional Issues in ABA
Special Topics in ABA, including behavioral economics and contingency management
Subspecialties of ABA: relational frame theory (RFT) & acceptance and commitment theory (ACT)
Supervision, Training & Performance Management
While this program does not require a particular undergraduate major, common areas of study for BCBAs® include psychology, education and speech pathology.
Ouachita’s Patterson School of Natural Sciences offers online M.A. and M.S. degrees in applied behavior analysis with one 3-day, on-campus intensive. For enrollment starting in August 2025, Ouachita’s master’s in ABA application opens on January 1, 2025 and closes on May 1, 2025.
Learn more about Graduate & Professional Studies at Ouachita.
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Semester Program
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Completed Online
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Clinical Partners in the U.S.
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Arkansas’ only M.S. and M.A. in ABA
Choose Your Degree Path
Ouachita's M.S. in applied behavior analysis degree program seamlessly integrates online coursework with 1,500 concentrated supervised fieldwork hours accrued with one of Ouachita’s 20+ clinical partners across the U.S. and Canada. This unique approach ensures you understand theoretical concepts and have hands-on experiences applying them. To enroll in the program, you must secure a fieldwork site by July 1. You also choose between a thesis or capstone project by the end of your second semester.
Tailored for professionals already working in the field, this program is an ideal fit if you are aiming to become eligible for the BCBA® exam upon graduation, setting the stage for an advanced career in clinical practice, research or academia.
If you prefer the flexibility to gain practical experience at your own pace and on your own terms, Ouachita's M.A. in applied behavior analysis degree program eliminates the requirement to complete fieldwork hours and does not mandate a thesis or capstone project. Instead, you engage in an applied research project during your final two semesters.
The M.A. degree program is a great fit for those who work in diverse settings that utilize ABA beyond Autism and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AU/IDD) such as schools, nursing homes, psychiatric units, foster care, group homes or substance abuse treatment facilities. If you plan to remain in professional practice upon becoming a BCBA® without pursuing a Ph.D. or engaging in research, the M.A. suits your needs.
"As the first Master of Science and Master of Arts degrees in ABA in the state of Arkansas, and one of few faith-based institutions to offer master’s degrees in ABA, Ouachita is proud to provide a high-quality, comprehensive degree program in an effort to address the shortage of BCBA®s in the state and around the country and to train the next generation of compassionate, quality-driven scientist-practitioners who will be committed to the field and to serving their communities."
Julyse A. Migan-Gandonou Horr, Ph.D., BCBA-D, LBA
Director, Applied Behavior Analysis Program
program details
ABA stands for Applied Behavior Analysis and is the applied branch of the science of behavior and learning; it is the systematic application of behavior principles to teach and improve behaviors of social significance. ABA relies on the scientific method and data to design, evaluate, and monitor behavioral interventions.
Dr. Horr writes about autism and ABA.
Find answers to your questions about Ouachita's ABA program.
Total Hours = 36
|
YEAR ONE
|
|
|
|
ABA 6143, Concepts & Principles of ABA
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Fall Term I
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3 hours |
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ABA 6153, Research Methods in ABA
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Fall Term II
|
3 hours |
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ABA 6161, Concentrated Supervised Fieldwork I
|
Fall Term
|
1 hour |
|
ABA 6243, Behavioral Assessment
|
Spring Term I
|
3 hours |
|
ABA 6253, Behavior-Change Procedures I
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Spring Term II
|
3 hours |
|
ABA 6261, Concentrated Supervised Fieldwork II
|
Spring Term
|
1 hour |
|
ABA 6343, Ethical & Professional Issues in ABA
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Summer Term
|
3 hours |
|
ABA 6353, Supervision, Training & Performance Management
|
Summer Term
|
3 hours |
|
ABA 6361, Concentrated Supervised Fieldwork III
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Summer Term
|
1 hour |
| YEAR TWO |
|
|
|
ABA 6443, Behavior-Change Procedures II
|
Fall Term I
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3 hours |
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ABA 6453, Experimental Analysis of Behavior
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Fall Term II
|
3 hours |
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ABA 6482, ABA Thesis/Capstone I
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Fall Term
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2 hours |
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ABA 6542, Special Topics in ABA
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Spring Term I
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2 hours |
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ABA 6563, Advanced Concepts & Principles of ABA
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Spring Term II | 3 hours |
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ABA 6582, ABA Thesis/Capstone II
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Spring Term | 2 hours |
Total Hours = 36
|
YEAR ONE
|
|
|
|
ABA 6143, Concepts & Principles of ABA
|
Fall Term I
|
3 hours |
|
ABA 6153, Research Methods in ABA
|
Fall Term II
|
3 hours |
|
ABA 6171, Applied Experience in ABA I
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Fall Term
|
1 hour |
|
ABA 6243, Behavioral Assessment
|
Spring Term I
|
3 hours |
|
ABA 6253, Behavior-Change Procedures I
|
Spring Term II
|
3 hours |
|
ABA 6271, Applied Experience in ABA II
|
Spring Term
|
1 hour |
|
ABA 6343, Ethical & Professional Issues in ABA
|
Summer Term
|
3 hours |
|
ABA 6353, Supervision, Training & Performance Management
|
Summer Term
|
3 hours |
|
ABA 6371, Applied Experience in ABA III
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Summer Term
|
1 hour |
| YEAR TWO |
|
|
|
ABA 6443, Behavior-Change Procedures II
|
Fall Term I
|
3 hours |
|
ABA 6453, Experimental Analysis of Behavior
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Fall Term II
|
3 hours |
|
ABA 6491, Applied Research Project I
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Fall Term
|
1 hour |
|
ABA 6554, Subspecialties of ABA
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Spring Term I
|
4 hours |
|
ABA 6563, Advanced Concepts & Principles of ABA
|
Spring Term II | 3 hours |
|
ABA 6591, Applied Research Project II
|
Spring Term | 1 hour |
Ouachita General Graduate Admissions Requirements:
- Conferred bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution
- 2.5 minimum GPA on a 4.0 scale (individual programs may require a specific GPA)
- Completed Ouachita graduate application with a statement of purpose
- Three references
ABA Program Admissions Requirements:
For admission to Ouachita's ABA program, students must meet Ouachita’s general graduate admissions requirements and have an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher. They must also complete a brief interview with an ABA fieldwork coordinator. While it is not required, we recommend submitting a GRE score.
Conditional admission is considered for applicants who meet all other ABA admissions requirements but have an undergraduate GPA between 2.5 and 2.99.
Applications are evaluated based on writing ability, personal and professional goals, program fit, GPA, letters of reference, related experience and persistence and motivation.
2024-2025 Online ABA Program Tuition and Fees
- Tuition per graduate credit hour: $750
- Estimated total tuition and fees for full 36-hour program: $27,775
Explore Graduate and Professional Studies program costs and financial assistance.
Ouachita is a place of community and relationship — that’s why we host an on-campus 3-day intensive for online ABA students. During this residency, you connect with your classmates, professors and future alma mater. The visit enriches your academic experience and prepares you to complete the remainder of the program online.
Starting the online ABA program in Fall 2024? Save the date for your residency experience on August 2-4, 2024!
Students earning an Applied Behavior Analysis degree will demonstrate knowledge of and develop competence in:
- The historical, theoretical and philosophical foundations of behaviorism, as well as the conceptual analysis of behavior, with particular emphasis on radical behaviorism.
- The concepts and principles of applied and experimental behavior analysis.
- Behavioral measurement, data collection systems, graphical representation and visual analysis of behavioral data and experimental design with particular emphasis on single subject research designs.
- Ethical and professional issues as they pertain to behavior analytic research and practice.
- Behavioral assessments and selection of assessment-derived behavioral interventions, particularly as they pertain to behavior reduction and behavioral acquisition.
- The application of principles of behavior as behavior-change procedures, with particular emphasis on the implementation of behavioral interventions to increase and decrease behavior of social significance.
- Behavior analytic personnel supervision, training, consultation and performance management.
- Behavior analytic clinical skills with particular emphasis on professional practice and service delivery model across a variety of populations and settings, including and beyond Autism and Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities.
- Conducting applied behavior analytic research.
- One or more specialized areas of behavior analysis.
While fieldwork placement is not required for admission, it is required for enrollment in the M.S. in ABA degree program. Fieldwork placement requires a significant time commitment of at least 25 hours per week. Ouachita must receive a Memorandum of Understanding/Supervision Agreement from you by July 1 in order for you to participate. While Ouachita assists with this process, we expect you to take the lead in finding an appropriate placement. In some cases, fieldwork placement may require relocation to an available fieldwork placement site.
If the required time cannot be dedicated to your placement, completing the program requirements for the M.S. in applied behavior analysis degree program may not be possible. Review the Behavior Analyst Certification Board's BCBA® fieldwork requirements to learn more about expectations.
Current Clinical and Fieldwork Partners:
If you’re interested in applying to a Ouachita graduate program but are not a U.S. citizen, contact your graduate admissions counselor, Angie Schleiff, at [email protected] before submitting an application. Due to visa requirements, admission requests from non-U.S. citizens are addressed on a case-by-case basis and take extra time. Please inquire early in the process.
Minimum English proficiency requirements for international students are:
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL):
- At least a 79 on the internet-Based TOEFL (iBT)
- At least a 550 on the paper-based TOEFL
- International English Language Testing System (IELTS):
- At least a 6.5 on the IELTS exam
Rigorous, Christ-centered Education
As one of the only faith-based institutions in the country offering an ABA graduate program, Ouachita supports your academic success while nurturing your spiritual growth. From this unique environment, you graduate as a highly skilled and compassionate practitioner, prepared for a life of meaningful work.
Online Flexibility, Personal Connections
While you pursue your master’s in ABA, Ouachita’s low-residency program allows you the convenience of online learning as well as valuable interactions with your cohort during the one-time intensive. Additionally, the clinical work integrated into the M.S. program equips you with real-world experience. This blend of online flexibility and in-person engagement ensures a well-rounded experience to enhance your professional and personal growth.
BCBA® Certification Preparation
At Ouachita, our program follows the Association for Behavior Analysis International’s
(ABAI) Verified Course Sequence (VCS), which incorporates the BACB®’s 6th edition Test Content Outline (TCO) as well as the BACB®’s 2027 Pathway 2 BCBA® eligibility requirements. Test prep is embedded in our curriculum, ensuring you are
ready to excel on the BCBA® examination and become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst®.
Learn From Expert Faculty Members
In their words
watch how Ouachita's ABA program is making a difference.
GRADUATE & PROFESSIONAL STUDIES
Ouachita Baptist University's Graduate and Professional Studies programs cater to individuals committed to lifelong learning or seeking career advancement. The programs employ innovative modalities in diverse fields, ensuring that students find success professionally and spiritually. Emphasizing a sense of community, Ouachita cultivates meaningful relationships among students and professors for a supportive and enriching educational experience.
GET IN TOUCH
Connect with a graduate admissions counselor to learn more about how Ouachita’s online ABA program aligns with your academic and professional goals.