Special Education, Concentration in Applied Behavior Analysis (MEd)
This program is completed in-person.
Looking for an online program? See the Special Education, Concentration in Applied Behavior Analysis (MEd) online option.Applied Behavior Analysis (MED) Application Deadline
Course Catalog
Master of Education in Special Education - Concentration in Applied Behavior Analysis
Unit: College of Education and Human Development (GE)
Department: Special Education, Early Childhood, and Prevention Science
Program Website
Academic Plan Code(s): SPE_MEDAUO, SPE_MEDABI
Program Information
The non-teaching master's degree in Special Education is designed to advance the knowledge and expertise of professionals who are delivering services for children and adolescents with disabilities through comprehensive-care centers, institutions, hospitals, clinics, day care centers, preschools, and community programs. This program is not designed to lead to teacher certification.
The program offers two different options for students: the Intensive Practicum Option (Degree & Fieldwork) which requires in-person practicum coursework with all other courses online, and the Traditional Option (Degree only) that is completed 100% online.
Intensive Practicum Option
The Master's in Special Education concentration in Applied Behavior Analysis program’s Intensive Practicum Option is designed to prepare students for licensure as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. Students in this face-to-face option will complete a course sequence that satisfies the course requirements for the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) Certification Exam. In addition to coursework requirements, students must complete 2,000 hours of supervised field experience to be eligible to take the BACB exam. With careful planning, students in this option may complete the 2,000 hours of supervised field experience during their time in the program. However, many students choose to complete a portion of the required supervised field experience hours after finishing the program and earning the degree. It is important for prospective students to understand that they will not be eligible to sit for the BCBA exam until they have completed all requirements, including 2,000 hours of supervised fieldwork.
Traditional Online Option
Students in the Master's in Special Education concentration in Applied Behavior Analysis program’s traditional option will complete a course sequence that satisfies the course requirements for the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) Certification Exam, allowing them to meet the educational requirements for board certification. This option DOES NOT include supervision. In addition to coursework requirements, students must independently complete 2,000 hours of supervised field experience to be eligible to take the BACB exam. In this option, students will complete all of the required supervised field experience hours on their own outside of the program. It is important for prospective students to understand that they will not be eligible to sit for the BCBA exam until they have completed all requirements, including 2,000 hours of supervised fieldwork. Because the supervised fieldwork hours are not completed during the program, the traditional option within the MEd in Special Education concentration in Applied Behavior Analysis at University of Louisville is not designed to prepare students for licensure immediately upon graduation in any US state or other jurisdiction.
Application Requirements
Applicants to the Master of Education in Applied Behavior Analysis program must submit the following:
- Completed UofL graduate application submitted at https://apply.graduate.louisville.edu/apply/
- Official transcripts for all undergraduate and graduate coursework. To be considered official, transcripts must be sent by the issuing institution to the UofL Graduate School. Transcripts issued to the candidate, and/or uploaded by the candidate, are considered unofficial.
- International transcripts must be evaluated per UofL Graduate School requirements: https://graduate.louisville.edu/admission/international/evaluation
- Personal statement – Candidates should upload a personal statement describing their professional goals, interest in the program, and whether they plan to pursue as a part-time or full-time student
- Current resume
- Recommendations – Two (2) recommendations are required. Requests are automatically sent to the recommenders’ emails once the graduate application is submitted. Adequate time should be given for recommenders to respond to the request by the application deadline. Candidates may log into their admission portal to check the status of the recommendations.
International Applicants:
- International applicants must submit additional application items, and meet additional admission requirements. Information on the international application and admission requirements can be found here: https://graduate.louisville.edu/admission/international
Admission Requirements
- Complete application (including all checklist items above and payment submitted).
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution. Candidates enrolled in the final semester of their bachelor’s degree can be reviewed for provisional admission - pending a final, degree transcript.
- Minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.75. This is a competitive admission program and preference will be given to candidates with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
Admission is competitive. Meeting the GPA minimum and all other admission requirements does not guarantee that prospective students will be accepted into the program. Preference will be given to candidates who have course work and experience in education, counseling and/or behavioral health services.
Program admission dates: Fall semester only
Application Deadlines: August 1 for Fall
Please note that the program director will begin reviewing applications in early Spring for admission. Capacity for this program is limited and applicants are encourage to apply early for consideration.
MEd in Special Education, concentration in Applied Behavior Analysis
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| EDSP 546 | Behavior Analytic Approach to Communication | 3 |
| EDSP 603 | Experimental Analysis of Behavior | 3 |
| EDSP 605 | Concepts and Principles in Behavior Analysis | 3 |
| EDSP 650 | Behavior Assessment | 3 |
| EDSP 651 | Professional and Ethical Practice of Applied Behavior Analysis | 3 |
| EDSP 654 | Radical Behaviorism | 3 |
| EDSP 669 | Single Case Research Methods and Designs | 3 |
| EDSP 671 | Behavior Intervention | 3 |
| EDSP 678 | Comprehensive Review of Applied Behavior Analysis | 3 |
| EDSP 680 | Behavior Analytic Supervision and Consultation | 3 |
| Supervision (optional) | ||
EDSP 653 | Practicum in Applied Behavior Analysis 1 | |
| Minimum Total Hours | 30 | |
- 1
Students in the Intensive Practicum Option will enroll in EDSP 653 each semester in the program. The Intensive Practicum Option is designed to prepare students for licensure as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. Students in this option will complete a verified course sequence (VCS) for the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) Certification Exam. In addition to coursework requirements, students must complete 2,000 hours of supervised field experience to be eligible to take the BACB exam. With careful planning, students in this option may complete the 2,000 hours of supervised field experience during their time in the program. However, many students choose to complete a portion of the required supervised field experience hours after finishing the program and earning the degree. It is important for students to understand they will not be eligible to sit for the BCBA exam until they have completed all requirements, including 2,000 hours of supervised fieldwork.
Exit Assessment: Successful completion of all required coursework; scored target or better on rubrics for Advanced Candidates; “B-” or higher required in all course work.
Degree Candidacy: Students not enrolled during the semester in which they intend to graduate must register for degree candidacy as outlined in the Graduate Catalog.
The program offers two different options for students: the Intensive Practicum Option (Degree & Fieldwork) which requires in-person practicum coursework with all other courses online, and the Traditional Option (Degree only) that is completed 100% online.
The Master's in Special Education concentration in Applied Behavior Analysis program’s Intensive Practicum Option is designed to prepare students for licensure as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. Students in this option will complete a verified course sequence (VCS) for the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) Certification Exam. In addition to coursework requirements, students must complete 2,000 hours of supervised field experience to be eligible to take the BACB exam. With careful planning, students in this option may complete the 2,000 hours of supervised field experience during their time in the program. However, many students choose to complete a portion of the required supervised field experience hours after finishing the program and earning the degree. It is important for prospective students to understand that they will not be eligible to sit for the BCBA exam until they have completed all requirements, including 2,000 hours of supervised fieldwork.
Students in the Master's in Special Education concentration in Applied Behavior Analysis program’s traditional option will complete a verified course sequence (VCS) for the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) Certification Exam, allowing them to meet the educational requirements for board certification. In addition to coursework requirements, students must complete 2,000 hours of supervised field experience to be eligible to take the BACB exam. In this option, students will complete the required supervised field experience hours on their own outside of the program. It is important for prospective students to understand that they will not be eligible to sit for the BCBA exam until they have completed all requirements, including 2,000 hours of supervised fieldwork. Because the supervised fieldwork hours are not completed during the program, the traditional option within the MEd in Special Education concentration in Applied Behavior Analysis at University of Louisville is not designed to prepare students for licensure immediately upon graduation in any US state or other jurisdiction.
More information about certification or licensure is available at the following website: https://louisville.edu/about/departments/academic-planning-accountability/disclosures/professional-licensure.
For programs with an online option, more information about certification or licensure is available here:
https://online.louisville.edu/resources/compliance/license.
More about Applied Behavior Analysis (MED)
The Program's structured practical training system offers students the opportunity to practice the skills learned in the classroom across a variety of populations and settings. Full-time students dedicate around 15 hours per week to their practicum coursework across four of their five consecutive semesters. Students are assigned to community sites where they gain a wealth of experience working with a variety of populations in schools, clinics, and hospitals alongside talented BCBA professionals. The program is proud to have partnerships with the following community providers.
- Bluegrass Center for Autism
- Clinical Behavior Analysis
- Heartfelt Solutions
- Jefferson County Public Schools
- Lee Specialty Clinic
- LittleStar ABA Therapy
- Meaningful Day Services
- New Vista
- Oldham County Schools
- Shelby County Public Schools
- Stephens Behavior Consulting
- Walden Behavior Solutions
With the permission of the Program Coordinator and the approved community site, qualified full-time students may be allowed to accumulate fieldwork hours at their places of employment.
Teacher education candidates should visit the Educator Preparation Program page and review the expectations listed under the "Review These Teaching Profession Expectations" section.
The primary benefit of enrolling in the full-time option is the program facilitates the acquisition of fieldwork hours under a variety of settings and supervisors. In other words, the program arranges site placements and supervisors for the students and helps arrange relevant practical training activities. This ensures that when students graduate from the program, they have developed competencies across a variety of settings and patients/learners. This breadth of practical training helps students become more marketable when seeking employment after graduation. Students enrolled in the program full-time are expected to complete 15-20 hours of practicum each week and participate in weekly group supervision meetings. Practicum schedules will vary depending upon site needs.
A limitation for enrolling as a full-time student is that practicum placements are almost always unpaid. Historically, some full-time students have been able to simultaneously hold part-time employment while enrolled. Full-time employment for a full-time student is very strongly discouraged given the time requirements for practicum and didactic coursework.
The primary benefit of enrolling as a part-time student is the possibility of accumulating some fieldwork hours while employed by an agency offering applied behavior analysis services. However, potential applicants should be aware that employers may not offer compensation for the majority of the fieldwork hours trainees are expected to accumulate. This is because 60% of the fieldwork hours accumulated by a trainee must be acquired while engaged in unrestricted activities. Unfortunately, many of these types of activities are not billable by service providers. More information on the difference between restricted and unrestricted activities can be found in the BACB's Fieldwork Standards document.
A limitation for enrolling as a part-time student is the potential lack of variety in settings that comes with acquiring all fieldwork hours with a single employer. Additionally, students enrolled part-time are expected to facilitate the accumulation of their fieldwork hours on their own. For students interested in sitting for a BCBA certification examination, this involves ensuring that they have a qualified BCBA supervisor overseeing their work and are following the BACB's Fieldwork Standards.
Applicants interested in the program are encouraged to schedule a meeting with the program coordinator, Dr. Jon Burt. To schedule a meeting, send a quick message to jon.burt@louisville.edu along with a few options indicating dates/times when you are available to meet.
Please contact Betty Hampton at betty.hampton@louisville.edu if you wish to apply after the priority application deadline for the fall semester. The program does not consider applicants for the spring semester.
100% Online
M.ED in Special Education (Applied Behavior Analysis) can be completed 100% online!
FAQ: M.Ed in Special Education (Applied Behavior Analysis)
The job outlook for behavior analysts is fantastic. There is a large demand for behavior analysts and too few of us to fill the need. All of our past graduates have accepted employment offers in the field while still enrolled in the program. For more information, please see a recent Workforce-Demand Report published by the BACB.
Behavior analysts make very competitive salaries. According to Payscale.com and Indeed.com, the annual average salary for a master's level Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) is between $58,000 and $68,000.
No, the training offered in the program is self-contained and does not require a specific bachelor’s degree. However, experience working or being around developmentally disabled populations is recommended prior to starting as the vast majority of behavior analysts work with these populations after graduating.
The University's tuition rates can be found at the Office of Admissions website. Historically, the university has been able to offer graduate assistantships to some students enrolled in the program.
The program is well-respected and received by our students. Exit survey data from our last two cohorts show that the program scored a 5 out of 5 average rating from graduating students evaluating the program's overall quality.
The program admits a cohort of 20 students or less every Fall. Priority applications are due June 15th, although late applications may be accepted.
Yes, we strongly encourage you to reach out and setup an appointment to speak with us about the program and more generally about a career in behavior analysis. During our meeting, we can discuss your career goals and determine whether the program is a good fit. If you wish to setup a meeting please contact the Director of Special Programs, Betty Hampton, at betty.hampton@louisville.edu. When you reach out, please include some dates and times you are potentially available to meet and indicate whether you would prefer to meet in-person or over the phone.