Admission Requirements
Application to The Chicago School’s Doctor of Psychology in Applied Behavior Analysis; the Master of Arts in Applied Behavior Analysis; or the BCBA respecialization programs is open to any person who has earned a bachelors degree (a master’s degree is required for the BCBA Respecialization) from a regionally accredited institution and who meets other entrance requirements. Applicants will be judged on their overall ability to do graduate work. Factors that are considered in admission are: GPA from undergraduate and any graduate schools, successful work history after completion of the baccalaureate degree, the admission essay, and letters of recommendation from academic professors or professional or volunteer experience supervisors. Generally, an undergraduate GPA of a 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale is required for admission. There are separate applications for the campus-based programs and the online certificate program.
Standardized Testing:
The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required. Scores should be sent directly to the school (GRE School Code: 1119) for consideration. Please see the application for detailed instructions and information regarding application requirements, application deadlines, and letters of recommendation.
Application Fees:
Degree applications must be submitted with a $50.00(USD) application fee to be considered. Respecialization applications must be submitted with a $25.00(USD) application fee to be considered.
Program Specific Requirements
Doctor of Psychology in ABA
Psychology (at least one course), Research or Statistics (at least one course), Experience in either Experimental Psychology or Applied Behavior Analysis.
Master of Arts in Applied Behavior Analysis
The M.A. in Applied Behavior Analysis has two specific required undergraduate courses – a course in psychology and a course in either statistics or research methods - that must be completed prior to enrollment with a grade earned of ‘”C” or better.
BCBA Respecialization
Students applying to the online BCBA Respecialization certificate program must possess a Master’s degree. Applicants to this program should ensure their resume illustrates relevant work experience. A letter of reference, preferably from a supervisor or manager, is required. A practicum site approval form is also required from students seeking to complete their board required supervision through this program.
In addition to the admission criteria, students entering the certificate program must have access to a computer that is less than three years old, a broadband internet connection, and the Microsoft Office Suite including Word, Excel, and Outlook and, at minimum, the following computing skills:
- A comfort with basic Internet technology
- The ability to open and attach files from and to emails
- The ability to send and receive email
- The ability to save documents
TOEFL or IELTS, International Credentials, and International Students
TOEFL or IELTS: If English is not your primary language, you must submit official TOEFL or IELTS scores with your application (TOEFL School Code: 7161). International students who received a bachelor’s degree from an accredited United States institution are exempt from this requirement. The minimum scores are: TOEFL – 550 paper based, 213 computer based, 79 internet based; IELTS – 6.5.
International credentials: Applicants with international credentials must obtain and submit an official “course-by-course” evaluation through an evaluation agency such as World Education Services (www.wes.org) or Educational Credential Evaluators Inc (www.ece.org). In addition to the agency evaluation, all official graduate and undergraduate transcripts must be submitted.
International students: International students must submit a completed application by the general consideration deadline. This will allow sufficient time to obtain the additional documentation required to study in the United States. In addition, once accepted, international students must submit the International Student Information form, a copy of their passport, and financial documentation showing sufficient funding for at least one year of study and all living expenses. This documentation must be submitted at least two months prior to the start of the semester in order to allow sufficient time for the school to issue an I-20 for the student to obtain an F-1 visa, if needed.. An I-20 visa will not be issued without this documentation.
Applicant Notification
The Chicago School reviews applications on a rolling basis. Once review begins, complete applications will be considered by the Admission Committee and applicants will be notified regarding the admission decision. The Chicago School does not share information or provide any feedback regarding admission decisions.
If a student is offered admission, in order to secure a place in the incoming class, a non-refundable tuition deposit of $500 will be required by the deposit deadline indicated in the offer of admission. The non-refundable deposit will be applied in full toward the student’s tuition upon enrollment.
* Students accepted into the BCBA or BCABA Respecialization program are required to submit the intent to enroll form, but not a tuition deposit.
Policies
Transfer of Credit
Prior graduate course work, if within the area of study, may be eligible for transfer or waiver of credit. All accepted students may petition by submitting a “Petition of Transfer/Waiver of Credit”** and all required documentation. The decision to accept transfer credit is solely that of the school, which reserves the right to require satisfactory performance on an examination before awarding a transfer of credit. Satisfactory completion of a competency examination is required before transfer of credit is awarded when the course in question has been taken more than five years prior to admission. No credit will be transferred for course work that is more than 10 years old. Transfers of credit are subject to the following conditions.
- Transferred course credit is restricted to graduate-level courses from a recognized, regionally-accredited graduate degree granting institution.
- Transfer of credit is not granted for clinical practicum or internships.
- Transfer of credit is granted only for courses in which the grade obtained was a “B” or higher. (Pass/Fail grades are not eligible.)
- For each hour of credit accepted a transfer a fee will be assessed. Please see the tuition and fee page of the TCS website.
- A maximum of 15 semester hours of credit may be transferred in the doctoral program.
- A maximum of 12 semester hours of credit may be transferred into the M.A. program.
- Transfer credits can be applied to the BCBA Re-specialization to satisfy prerequisite coursework; however, The Chicago School can only guarantee courses completed within the framework of our program will be honored by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. Therefore, students planning to sit for the Board exam are encouraged to contact them in advance for a final determination regarding the course(s) in question. Students may contact the Board by visiting (www.bacb.com).
A course that does not meet the specific content requirements of an existing TCS elective course may be accepted as transfer credit as an elective if the course supports the required competencies and learning objectives of the program and meets the following conditions:
- The course must meet all other requirements for transfer credit.
- The course must be at the equivalent degree level.
- Approval by the Department Chair for the transfer credit and documentation of this approval is required.
Course credits used to confer another degree may not be accepted as transfer credit toward a TCS degree.
- Course credits conferred as part of another degree may be used to waive courses in a TCS program if all other requirements are met.
- Course credits conferred as part of a degree program that is required for admission to a TCS program may be applied to the TCS program.
- Exceptions may be made for specific articulation or dual-credit arrangements approved by the CAO.
** The Petition for Transfer/Waiver of Credit is available on the school website under “Student Services, Student & Academic Services Forms.” Please submit all required documentation with each petition. Any credit approved for transfer will not be added to the student’s academic record until after the second week of their first semester.
Effective for students applying to start Fall II of 2010 or later, course credits used to confer another degree may not be accepted as transfer credit toward a Chicago School degree.
Waiver of Courses
Any domestic or international student with previous graduate course work may request a waiver** of additional course work. Waiver of courses does not reduce the total number of hours of course work to be completed at The Chicago School; it permits students to substitute course work as approved by the department chair. An international student who has completed an undergraduate course(s) that, in the judgment of the department chair, is equivalent to a required course at The Chicago School, may apply for the course to be waived. Waiver will not apply to undergraduate courses offered by U.S. educational institutions. Students may seek a waiver for a total of 12 credit hours for the M.A. and 15 credit hours for the Psy.D. Waiver and transfer of credit hours may not exceed a total of 12 for the M.A. and 15 credits for the Psy.D.
Waivers granted for course work in the BCBA Respecialization program are not guaranteed to be honored by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. Therefore, students planning to sit for the board exam are encouraged to contact them in advance for a final determination regarding the course(s) in question. Students may contact the board by visiting (www.bacb.com).
** The Petition for Transfer of Credit/Waiver is available on the school website under “Current Students, Student and Academic Services Forms.” Please submit all required documentation with each petition. Any credit approved for transfer will not be added to the student’s academic record until after the second week of their first semester.
Residency Requirement
It is expected that students will fulfill all degree requirements through courses offered at The Chicago School. Under unusual circumstances, and subject to the approval of the department chair, a student may be permitted to complete certain course requirements at another institution.
Satisfactory Progress
Matriculated students must be continuously enrolled in their degree or certificate program until graduation unless granted an approved leave of absence. Satisfactory progress semester hours do not include waiver or transfer credit hours. No student will be permitted to take fewer than three semester hours of course work in the fall or spring semesters unless that student has fewer than three semester hours of course work remaining or is on an approved leave of absence. In order to receive financial aid, however, students must be at least half-time for the semester.
Credit Hours per Year and Program Length:
The maximum duration of the Master of Arts in Applied Behavior Analysis program is five years. The maximum duration of Doctor of Psychology in Applied Behavior Analysis program is seven years. Students must complete, at minimum, nine semester hour credits each calendar year. Students must be enrolled for a minimum of nine semester hours during fall and spring semester and five credits during summer term to be classified as full-time in terms of financial aid.
The BCBA Respecialization program can be completed in as little as 10 months. Completion may run longer for students also doing supervision through the program. The length of time will depend on the practicum option selected (either five or ten 8-week terms). Students enrolling in group supervision only will add 5 credit hours to the program; students enrolling in both group and individual supervision will add 10 credit hours to the program.
Graduation Requirements
By the end of the third week of the semester in which a student expects to meet the program requirements for the Master of Arts degree or Doctorate of Psychology degree, he or she is required to submit the Petition for Degree Completion* to the Office of Academic Records. Students must be in good standing in their program for the Master’s and Doctoral degree to be awarded.
Participants in the BCBA program will receive a post-graduate certificate indicating completion of 15 graduate level credit hours and an additional 10 hours if the student participates in the program’s supervised field work experience.
*Detailed information and the Petition for Degree Completion can be found on The Chicago School website under: Current Students, Student and Academic Services Forms, Petition for Degree Completion.
The Programs
Master of Arts in Applied Behavior Analysis
Students enrolled in the M.A. program take courses covering the content areas and practicum requirements for the Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) certification and also receive a solid foundation in clinical psychology as well as more extensive exposure to the techniques of behavior analysis and the science and philosophy behind them. The aim is to prepare students to sit for the BCBA exam and for a rewarding career in the rapidly growing field of applied behavior analysis.
Psy.D. in Applied Behavior Analysis
Students enrolled in the doctoral degree program will complete four supervised laboratory experiences. Laboratory experiences are designed to give students intensive learning experiences in four of the following areas: Instructional Design, Developmental Disabilities, Child & Adolescent Development, Supervision & Consulting, and/or a specialty area of their choice. Laboratory experiences can take a variety of forms. Students will do four major projects: grant application, oral comprehensive examination, written comprehensive examination, and syllabus design. Students will distribute these projects across the four domains of Behavior Analysis: Experimental Analysis of Behavior, Theory and Philosophy, Applied Behavior Analysis, and Service Delivery. Students may choose to do a 20-hour-per-week practicum for one of these projects. Comprehensive projects will occur in the context of Laboratory courses PA 690 , PA 691 , PA 698 , PA 693 , PA 694 . Each project addresses one domain, and each domain must be addressed by one project—the distribution of projects to domains is up to the student.
In addition to the major comprehensive projects students will complete an empirical dissertation (see below).
Applied Behavior Analysis Psy.D. Concentrations
Concentrations in the doctoral program are designed to give students in-depth and hands-on applications of behavior analysis to education and psychology. Each concentration is comprised of a series of courses that provide theoretical and applied foundations in a student’s area of interest. Students take two courses in each concentration area and may choose to concentrate in a particular area by taking electives on the same topic. Concentrations are supplemented by semester-long laboratory experiences (see above). Concentrations include Instructional Design, Supervision and Consulting, Developmental Disabilities, and a specialty concentration designed by the student and approved by the faculty. Students with a Master’s degree who have not completed BCBA coursework when they enroll may be eligible to take the BCBA respecialization concentration (see below).
BCBA Respecialization
Students with a Master’s degree who have not completed BCBA coursework when they enroll may be eligible to take the BCBA respecialization concentration. This concentration is comprised of five courses – 15 credits – approved by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board for the Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) certification. BCBA courses are taken during the initial semesters of the Psy.D. program to prepare students for the BCBA exam and to lay the foundation for doctoral coursework in applied behavior analysis. The following courses are in the BCBA sequence: AB 520 Concepts and Principles in Behavior Analysis (3 credits) , AB 521 ABA I: Introduction to Applied Behavior Analysis (3 credits) , PA 547 Professional Ethics and Issues (3 credits) , AB 550 Observations and Measurement (3 credits) , and PA 620 Advanced Applied Behavior Analysis (3 credits) . Students who have a Masters degree in behavior analysis or a related field and/or who have experience in applied behavior analysis may be eligible to take this respecialization. Eligibility will be determined by the faculty on a case-by-case basis. Students with a masters in an unrelated field or who have no experience in applied behavior analysis will be required to take the 116-credit Psy.D. program.
Instructional Design
Students with a Master’s degree and a BCBA take at least two courses in, and may choose to concentrate in, Instructional Design as part of their Psy.D. program. Courses in the Instructional Design concentration cover information students in behavior analysis need to design, construct, operate, and evaluate behaviorally-based systems of instruction. All courses reflect the latest developments in the area of Instructional Design. Courses in this concentration include PA 677 Essentials of Instructional Design , PA 678 Conceptual Foundations of Instructional Design , and PA 679 Designing a Behaviorally Based Curriculum .
Developmental Disabilities
Students with a Master’s degree and a BCBA take at least two courses in, and may choose to concentrate in, Developmental Disabilities as part of their Psy.D. program. Courses in the Developmental Disabilities concentration are designed to give students advanced knowledge in the application of behavior analysis to individuals with autism, mental retardation, and related disabilities. Courses in this concentration include PA 680 Analysis and Treatment of Developmental Disabilities , PA 681 Crit Issues in Dev Disabilities Infant/Early Child , and PA 682 Crit Issues in Dev Disabilities: Adolescent/Adult .
Supervision and Consulting
Students with a Master’s degree and a BCBA take at least two courses in, and may choose to concentrate in, Supervision and Consulting as part of their Psy.D. program. Courses in the Supervision and Consulting concentration are designed to prepare behavior analysts for administrative roles in schools and agencies. Courses in this concentration include PA 670 Supervision & Consulting in ABA , PA 671 Applied Behavior Analysis and Administration , and PA 672 Adv Organizational Behavior Management .
BCBA Respecialization
The BCBA Respecialization program requires 18 credits of internet-based core course work and 10 credits of supervised practicum work. Students wishing to complete supervised field work (practicum) at an approved site will take either 5 (group supervision only) or 10 (group and individual supervision) additional credits of internet course work. Students are not required to complete supervised field work with The Chicago School. The Behavior Analyst Certification Board requires supervised field work to be completed prior to sitting for the certification exam with them. Completing supervised practical work experience required by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board while enrolled in an approved program can lead to a significant reduction of required field experience hours (1,000 versus 1,500). Students who plan to pursue the BCBA credential by participating in our Approval Program for field experience have two options. If the student has a supervisor holding the BCBA credential on-site, the student must enroll in one additional distance course per term 9group supervision) after successfully completing EDC400. If the student does not have a supervisor on-site holding the BCBA credential, the student must enroll in two additional distance courses per term (both group and individual supervision) after successfully completing EBC400. Students must submit an application for site approval to the department chair who will review it with the BCBA supervisor and advisor. An applicant may not start accumulating experience until he or she has begun the course work required to meet the BACB coursework requirements. Sites must meet BACB criteria for approved activities and hours. All students must be able to complete a weekly minimum of 10 hours per week (hours in excess of 30 hours per week will not count toward the practicum requirement) of documented work with clients to meet the necessary requirements of the Behavior Analyst Certification Board.
Respecialization Practicum Criteria
BCBA Re-specialization students must be able to complete a weekly minimum of 10 hours per week (hours in excess of 30 hours per week will not count toward the requirement) of documented work with clients to meet the necessary requirements of the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. Applicants are encouraged to have experience in multiple sites and with multiple supervisors. Appropriate experience activities include:
- Conducting assessments related to the need for 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 such as attending planning meetings regarding the behavior analysis program, researching literature related to the program, and talking to individuals about the program. Any additional activities related to the oversight of behavioral programming, such as behavior analyst supervision issues or evaluation of behavior analysts’ performance, are appropriate.
Clients may be any persons for whom behavior analysis services are appropriate. The applicant may not be related to the client or the client’s primary caretaker. Applicants must work with multiple clients during the experience period. Approved site hours are applied toward certification eligibility in accordance with BACB University Approved Site requirements.
Philosophy
ABA procedures and theories have made remarkable progress possible for many people. For instance, this progress takes the form of children learning to read, children with severe disabilities learning very basic life skills, increased communication between people, decreased symptoms of adults with brain injuries, and many other examples of reduced human misery and increased skills. Behavior Analytic theories and procedures now cover many diagnoses, behaviors and procedures. Because all ABA work is to be validated with data about its effectiveness, each clinician generates a data set, and tests what he or she does. As clinicians review their outcomes, they modify and test procedures to get better results. Hence newly tested procedures are added each year, and older procedures are modified and sometimes discarded.
The reason for the existence of the ABA department is to make even greater progress for many more people by training students to understand and implement these behavior analytic theories and procedures. This goal requires that the faculty measure students’ performance and insure that students implement procedures correctly and ethically, and forward competent students to the next steps in the professional progression.
The ABA programs and curriculum are designed to help the student master the large ABA verbal and physical repertoires needed to be an effective professional. While there is overlap, classes and textbooks primarily shape the student’s verbal repertoires, and practica and experiences shape the physical repertoires. ABA procedures must be implemented as documented by data, so students must learn them exactly. For this reason, The Chicago School model is that of the student as an apprentice learning to be a professional, not of the student as a consumer choosing what to learn. When the student learns to correctly implement procedures and measure behavior, the resulting data should drive procedures and theory; until that time, students must rely upon the literature and professors.
As an apprentice, the student is required to attend professional meetings in addition to classes and practicum. In the Fall semester, the student must attend the International Precision Teaching Conference or a regional or state behavior analysis conference approved by the faculty, and in Spring, the Charter Association for Behavior Analysis (CABA) or another approved regional or state conference. In May of each year in residence, the student must attend the Association for Behavior Analysis: International conference. Regional conferences (e.g., Mid-American ABA), state conferences (e.g., Missouri ABA and Behavior Analysis Association of Michigan) and CABA offer opportunities to learn and practice professional behavior. Note that professional conferences are held in various parts of North America, and so students should budget for attendance, workshops, hotel, meals, and travel. See (abainternational.org) for information about the required conference for the Association for Behavior Analysis: International.
Because ABA implementations are data-driven, the student should focus especially on quick, precise, and efficient data collection procedures that inform professionals about outcomes of his/her behavior. Then, as new curricula, procedures, clients, and situations are encountered, the ABA professional can use the data of each client to judge effectiveness and guide his or her actions according to the best outcomes for the client. In future years, as students transition into professionals, they can collect and share data that help others and advance the field. For now, the faculty will model and direct the use of data and ABA procedures, while students should view themselves as apprentices whose focus is to learn everything possible from their time at The Chicago School. Also, students should consider themselves “works-in-progress” (as do other elements of the program, such as faculty, curriculum, and administration) and expect change over time and in response to data and contingencies. A large element in professional success is the willingness to seek out and learn from feedback; this is especially true in the areas of personal and professional emotional development.
Objectives
By completing the BCBA Re-specialization, students will:
- By completion of the program, students will be able to describe and explain behavior in behavior analytic terms. Students will also be able to use the dimensions of applied behavior analysis to evaluate interventions and distinguish among types of behaviors.
- By completion of the program, students will be able to define and provide examples for all of the important principles, processes and concepts of applied behavior analysis.
- By completion of the program, students will be able to systematically manipulate independent variables to analyze their effects on treatment. Students will also use various designs and various methods of analysis to evaluate interventions.
- By completion of the program, students will be able to conduct a task analysis and make recommendations to the client regarding appropriate target outcomes and intervention strategies.
- By completion of the program, students will be able to acknowledge and follow the ethical and professional standards of the profession of applied behavior analysis. They will use assessment methods and interventions that are ethical and scientifically validated while protecting the confidentiality and well-being of the client at all times.
- By completion of the program, students will be able to state the primary characteristics of and rationale for using various methods of assessment. Students will also be able to gather, organize, and interpret data obtained through various methods of assessment.
- By completion of the program, students will be able to identify the measurable dimensions of behavior.
- By completion of the program, students will be able to use multiple formats to effectively display data. Students will also be able to interpret and base decision-making on data displayed in various formats.
- By completion of the program, students will be able to effectively identify and use multiple behavior change procedures while recognizing the appropriate parameters and possible unwanted effects of these procedures.
- By completion of the program, students will be able to use effective performance monitoring and reinforcement systems while monitoring systems for procedural integrity. Students will also be able to establish support for behavior analysis services from persons directly and indirectly involved with these services.
By completing the Master of Arts in Applied Behavior Analysis, students will:
1. Students will develop appropriate relationships with clients and the professional community to practice applied behavior analysis (ABA) effectively as a scholar-practitioner
2. Students will demonstrate mastery of behavioral assessment techniques to collect reliable and valid data to aid in decision making.
3. Students will conduct research to evaluate behavioral concepts, principles, and interventions that contributes to dissemination of technological advancements in the field of ABA.
4. Students will develop skills that demonstrate respect and sensitivity to diverse populations in their professional practice.
5. Students will demonstrate mastery of and practice in a manner consistent with the ethical codes and standards for professional conduct in the field of ABA.
6. Students will apply the principles of behavior analytic data-based decision making in their professional work.
7. Students will demonstrate effective consultation skills in the application of ABA to educational systems.
By completing the Doctorate of Psychology in Applied Behavior Analysis, students will develop and obtain:
- Students will describe and explain behavior in behavior analytic (non-mentalistic) terms.
- Students will evaluate and provide examples of behavioral responses.
- Students will select a data display that effectively communicates quantitative relations and highlights patterns of behavior.
- Students will understand and use behavior change procedures.
- Students will use the most effective assessment and behavior change procedures within applicable ethical standards.
- Students will use and interpret behavioral assessments.
- Students will establish support for behavior analysis services from persons directly and indirectly involved with these services.
- Students will use alternating treatments (i.e., multi-element, simultaneous treatment, multiple or concurrent schedule) designs and analyze their effects on treatment to improve professional practice.
- Students will select and use appropriate measurement procedures given various situations.
- Students will make recommendations to the client regarding target outcomes based upon such factors as: client preferences, task analysis, current repertoires, supporting environments, constraints, social validity, assessment results and best available scientific evidence.
Ethics and Professional Behavior
Students are expected to learn and to follow the ethical guidelines of the American Psychological Association, the Association for Behavior Analysis: International, and the Behavior Analysis Certification Board during and after their work at The Chicago School. A class in ethics is required, and student adherence to ethical codes is evaluated both formally and informally.
Certification/Licensure
The Applied Behavior Analysis specialization/re-specialization course work is approved by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board® and meets the requirements necessary to take the Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) exam. ABA curricula are periodically reevaluated by the BACB and recertified.
Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) Licensure Track (Optional), M.A. Program
Masters degree-seeking ABA students may petition to take the additional course work and practicum necessary to pursue the Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) licensure credential in Illinois. The LPC licensure track requires approximately an additional 24 semester hours, six credits of supervised practicum and internship (600 hours), and the Clinical Competency Exam (CCE) beyond the ABA Specialization requirements.
Students planning to earn this credential should discuss the courses required with their advisor and the department chair during the fall semester of their first year. Generally, one additional summer and another year will be sufficient to meet the requirements if the student’s choice of this track is made in the fall semester of the first year.
Writing Assessment and Requirements
Believing that academic preparedness is a key to success in graduate school, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology requires new students to complete its innovative program, Foundations for Scholarship and Practice. This program, offered by the Center for Academic Excellence (CAE), reinforces the skills new students need to achieve their career goals. “Foundations” is an integral part of the first semester’s curriculum and all students are required to complete the program successfully and in a timely manner.
Foundations for Scholarship and Practice consist of three elements:
- Writing Assessment Process – In this component of “Foundations,” each student writes an essay in response to an assigned question and submits it to CAE for scoring. CAE returns the scored essay with constructive feedback. Based on the student’s performance, the school may waive the Academic Writing Course requirement (#2, below). Essay submission by the given date is considered successful completion of this element of “Foundations.”
- Academic Writing Course – This online course in professional writing is taken before or during the first semester at The Chicago School. A final grade of “pass” is considered successful completion of this element.
- Academic Focus Program – Academic Focus is an online, tutorial-driven orientation to graduate academics. A final grade of “pass” is considered successful completion of this element.
Professional Development Group
All Master of Arts in Applied Behavior Analysis students and Doctor of Psychology in ABA students are required to enroll in a Professional Development Group during their first semester at the school (PsyD students enroll in the first two semesters). In the M.A. program, a student’s Professional Development Group faculty member automatically becomes her or his advisor until that student selects a Thesis Chair. In the Psy.D. program, students are matched with an advisor and should enroll in that faculty member’s Professional Development Group. The Professional Development Group class is graded on a pass/fail basis.
Dissertation
Doctoral students write a Doctoral dissertation in the final year of their program of study, concurrent with their internship experiences. Like the Master’s thesis, the dissertation utilizes measurement, data collection, and research design methods to address a problem of the student’s choosing. The dissertation makes an original contribution to the field of behavior analysis, and should be structured as a formal product using APA format. The literature review should provide a complete statement of all issues relevant to the topic. Students may present dissertation data at conferences (e.g., the ABAI conference) and summarize dissertation data for publication in a scholarly journal.
BCBA Exam
The ABA program prepares and qualifies students to take the BCBA Exam. The exam results are treated as a professional qualification for individual students, as well as data about the adequacy of the program in preparing students. Students should visit (www.bacb.com) for details.
Full-Time vs. Part-Time Status
Master of Arts in Applied Behavior Analysis
Since the function of the program is to increase the student’s knowledge and abilities, and these goals require intensive efforts and substantial time, the student must consider carefully the balance between school, work, family, and other responsibilities. In general, faculty plan for students to spend three hours studying for each hour in class. Full-time status requires a minimum of nine credit hours of registration per semester, or five to six semesters, to complete the 52 hours required. However, the program can be completed in as little as two years if the student strictly limits her or his other commitments and takes nine to 13 hours per semester. Students who work full time should take a lighter load (five to nine hours per semester) in order to be able to devote to the program the energy and time that will yield the maximum benefit to them. Registration for courses during the summer semester is required.
Doctor of Psychology in Applied Behavior Analysis
Since the function of the program is to increase the student’s knowledge and abilities, and these goals require intensive efforts and substantial time, the student must consider carefully the balance between school, work, family, and other responsibilities. In general, faculty plan for students to spend three hours studying for each hour in class. Full-time status requires a minimum of nine credit hours of registration per semester, or eight to nine semesters, to complete the 77 hours required. However, the program can be completed in as little as three years if the student strictly limits her or his other commitments and takes nine to 13 hours per semester. Students who work full time should take a lighter load (five to nine hours per semester) in order to be able to devote to the program the energy and time that will yield the maximum benefit to them. Registration for courses during the summer semester is required.
BCBA Respecializations
Students entering the BCBA Respecialization are considered part-time. In general, faculty plan for students to dedicate at least 10 hours per week to their studies. This respecialization program falls under the Executive and Professional Education division of The Chicago School, which emphasizes blending real-world experience with career enhancement course work. Students are therefore expected to be working in a relevant field and should consider carefully the balance between school, work, family, and other responsibilities and the rigors of specialized, online study.
Class Scheduling
Since the Master of Arts in Applied Behavior Analysis program is able to draw upon the skills of professionals from across North America, some classes will be scheduled to meet in non-traditional formats to minimize travel. These will be announced well in advance so that students can make appropriate arrangements. Classes generally meet in one of three schedule patterns:
- Once a week for one, two, or three hours
- The distance class involves few or no face-to-face meetings, but instead extensive work via the internet or a similar distance communication system.
- Between three and eight times a semester (for longer periods at each class meeting) when the faculty member is traveling from outside the Chicago area
Classes are offered in a mix of day, evening, and weekend times. Note that there are some classes offered only in one time slot, such as evenings or weekends. Students are expected to have arranged other obligations in such a way as to permit attendance to classes whenever they are scheduled.
The majority of online respecialization courses are asynchronous. Students are allowed to access their core course(s) weekly as permitted by their personal schedule. However, students completing the group practicum supervision online (either as a stand-alone option or coupled with their one-on-one supervision) may have preset meeting times. Students will be advised by faculty at the beginning of the term as appropriate.
Technical Requirements (Respecialization Students)
Students completing virtual supervision through The Chicago School will enroll in one of the following series of online courses: EBC 500 , EBC 520 , EBC 540 , EBC 560 . To successfully participate, students must have these technical capabilities:
- A computer made in the last three years
- Broadband Internet connection
- A webcam, digital camera, or digital recorder capable of:
- Recording 24 frames per second (fps)
- Recording for 60 consecutive minutes
- Recording sound
- Focusing appropriate to collect student-client interaction
- A cable that connects the camera to the computer
- Software that converts the raw footage to a smaller file — Windows MovieMaker (PC) or iMovie (Mac)
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