Online Applied Behavior Analysis Undergraduate Certificates

Program Details

Next Start Date: January 8

Credit Hours: 18-22

Course Length: 8 Weeks

Estimated Program Length: 24 months

The Center for Behavior Analysis at the University of West Florida is a leading resource for individuals interested in ABA. UWF's online graduate certificates in Applied Behavior Analysis meets the education requirements for BCBA, IBA and QBA certification exams.

Why Study Behavior Analysis at UWF?

The science of behavior is a vast and multi-faceted in-demand career field with both clinical and educational applications. Students learn from faculty who actively work in the field to develop a strong understanding of the ethical application of behavior analysis. Our streamlined curriculum enables you to reach exam eligibility efficiently. We offer the following certificates to degree seeking students as well as to non-degree seeking students as standalone coursework options:

Graduate ABA Certificate (ABAI Verified Course Sequence for BCBA candidates)
Graduate QBA Certificate (for QBA Candidates)
Graduate IBA Certificate (for IBA Candidates)

Students interested in obtaining a Masters degree may also enroll in our online Masters in Exceptional Student Education with specialization in ABA program at UWF which includes all courses required to take the Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) exam with options to include courses required for the Qualified Behavior Analyst (QBA) and International Behavior Analysis (IBA) certification exams. This master's also includes an Organizational Behavior Management (OBM) elective sequence.

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What You Will Learn

UWF's online graduate certificates in Applied Behavior Analysis curriculum meets the education requirements for BCBA, IBA and QBA certification exams. These courses can also be used towards a the optional M.A. in Exceptional Student Education with a Specialization in ABA offered at UWF.

By completing one of the ABA graduate certificates, you will be able to:

Implement meaningful practice-based instruction based on systematic assessment and continuous evaluation to provide the maximum benefit to all
Systematically evaluate methods using data to make decisions in practice
Use effective written and oral communication skills to actively participate as a member of a professional community
Identify and apply legal concepts, professional ethical principles and regulatory requirements that apply to the field of behavior analysis

Courses

The University of West Florida Applied Behavior Analysis program has been verified by the Association for Behavior Analysis International as meeting specific coursework requirements, content hours, and faculty standards and is a pre-approved coursework provider by the Qualified Applied Behavior Analysis Credentialing Board (QABA®), an internationally-accredited credentialing agency dedicated to ensuring the highest standard of care among professionals providing applied behavioral analysis (ABA) services for individuals with autism spectrum disorders and related disabilities.

Courses & Requirements

UWF's 18-22 hour online ABA graduate course sequences meet the ABAI requirements for the 5th Edition Task List requirements for BCBA certification, Qualified Behavior Analyst (QBA) coursework requirements and the required Educational Objectives (REOs) for International Behavior Analyst (IBA) Certification.

Required Courses (21 credit hours)

EDF 6225 - Foundations of Applied Behavior Analysis *
EDF 6226 - Behavioral Assessments *
EDF 6223 - Applied Behavior Analysis and System Support *
EDF 6437 - Measurement in Single Case Design
EDF 6557 - Ethics in Applied Behavior Analysis
EDF 6224 - Supervision and Management Fluency
EDF 6222 - Concepts of Applied Behavior Analysis

Students who enrolled in our coursework prior to Fall 2019 were part of a 4th Edition Task List cohort, and those cohorts included EDF 6227 or EDF 6944 instead of EDF 6224.
Coursework listed here meets the Behavior Analyst Certification Board 5th Edition Task list requirements. 4th edition task list students, review requirements on our FAQs page.

Non-Degree Seeking BCaBA Students: Students who already possess a Masters degree or who are enrolled in a Masters program at a different institution may enroll in our graduate-level course sequence to meet the requirements for BCBA certification. *The first 3 ABA courses are pre-requisites to each other and the remaining courses in the program and must be taken one at a time in sequential order.

All courses in the ABA certificate programs may not be repeated more than once. Third attempts are not permitted.

You can begin the ABA coursework as a non-degree student and apply for admission to the master’s program. Up to 12 qualifying credit hours may be considered for transfer taken as a non-degree seeking student towards the Exceptional Student Education masters program. Contact our office at aba@uwf.edu or 850-474-2704 for more information.

Required Courses (22 credit hours)

EDF 6225 - Foundations of Applied Behavior Analysis
EDF 6226 - Behavioral Assessments
EDF 6223 - Applied Behavior Analysis and System Support
EDF 6437 - Measurement and Single Case Design
EDF 6557 - Ethics in Applied Behavior Analysis
EDF 6224 - Supervision and Management Fluency
EDF 6221 - Intensive Intervention in Autism and Related Disabilities*
EDF 6325 - Autism and the Law*

Non-Degree Seeking Students: Students who already possess a Masters degree or who are enrolled in a Masters program at a different institution may enroll in our graduate-level course sequence to meet the requirements for QBA certification.

*Degree Seeking Students: Must take EDF 6221 and EDF 6325 in the elective sequence

All courses in the ABA certificate programs may not be repeated more than once. Third attempts are not permitted.

Required Courses (18 credit hours)

EDF 6225 - Foundations of Applied Behavior Analysis
EDF 6226 - Behavioral Assessments
EDF 6223 - Applied Behavior Analysis and System Support
EDF 6437 - Measurement and Single Case Design
EDF 6557 - Ethics in Applied Behavior Analysis
EDF 6227 - Experimental Analysis of Behavior*

*Degree Seeking Students: Those who wish to meet IBA requirements while obtaining a Master's in Exceptional Student Education must choose EDF 6227 as one of their required electives.

All courses in the ABA certificate programs may not be repeated more than once. Third attempts are not permitted.

Individuals seeking an international certification may also wish to pursue the IBA (International Behavior Analyst) credential. Prospective IBA applicants should review all requirements and pertinent information by visiting theibao.com, clicking the downloads tab, and selecting the download in their preferred language.

IBA candidates are required to obtain 1000 practice hours and 50 supervision hours. These hours are defined in the IBA download. After applying for IBA, a Supervisor Directory will be available to you. For guidance on when supervision may begin, contact IBAO directly. The supervision process is tracked online through the candidate and supervisor’s online dashboard.

Those wishing to pursue IBA who are already working with a supervisor should contact IBAO directly for guidance.

A master’s degree is not required for IBA. Prospective certificants who have completed the REOs may choose the “experience route” for IBA certification. This path requires “two additional projects” assigned by your IBA supervisor. Supervisors will determine the type of project, as well as pass or fail. Further questions should be directed to IBAO.

Additional IBA Information:

Individuals who hold have completed supervision for another credentialing body are not required to complete additional supervision for IBA.
BCaBAs who have been certified for more than one year may be eligible for IBA and should contact IBAO directly to discuss certification options.
Current BCBAs may apply for IBA without completing additional requirements.

To be considered for admission into the University of West Florida’s online ABA Graduate Certificate program, you must be admitted into the University as a graduate non-degree seeking student.

How to Apply

To apply for admission to this program, you first need to submit an application for graduate admission (plus a $30 application fee) and be accepted for admission into the University of West Florida. In addition, you must:

Select either the Graduate ABA Certificate (for the BCBA course sequence), the Graduate QBA Certificate, or the Graduate IBA Certificate depending on which program you plan to pursue
Submit official transcripts confirming a bachelor’s degree from an institution whose accrediting agency is included on the list of UWF approved accrediting agencies
Applicants whose native language is not English, applicants who are citizens of a country in which the primary language is not English, and applicants who are U.S. citizens with a degree from a country in which the primary language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency

Have questions about this program or the admissions process? Contact the Center for Behavior Analysis at aba@uwf.edu.

Full Course Descriptions Registration Requirements

Careers & Outcomes

Behavior analysts improve the lives of individuals across a variety of interests. Graduates of our online graduate certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis go on to work in a variety of exciting environments including clinical, educational and occupational settings.

Job Titles

Behavior Analysts
Behavior Analyst Consultants
Clinical Directors

Career Outlook

The average salary for a Behavior Analyst is $70,875 in 2024
Annual nationwide demand for individuals holding BCBA/BCBA-D certification has increased each year since 2010, with a 14% increase from 2022 to 2023

Source: Payscale and BACB, 2024

Tuition Rate Per Credit Hour

Graduate ABA Certificate Online Tuition
Component	Cost	Total*
Graduate Applied Behavior Analysis Certificate (BCBA)	$384.60 per credit hour	$8,076.60
Graduate Qualified Behavior Analyst Certificate (QBA)	$384.60 per credit hour	$8,461.20
Graduate International Behavior Analyst Certificate (IBA)	$384.60 per credit hour	$6,922.80

Time to completion varies by student, depending on individual progress and credits transferred, if applicable. Fees are charged per semester unless otherwise noted.

Refer to UWF Cost of Attendance Estimates and Financial Literacy for more information on UWF costs and financial aid.

* Tuition and fees are subject to change.

Military & Financial Aid

Military & Veterans

The UWF Military & Veterans Resource Center (MVRC) serves as the campus advocate for military, dependents and veteran students. Contact the MVRC to learn more about the various military and veteran education assistance or tuition waiver opportunities and eligibility requirements.

UWF Financial Assistance

The University of West Florida offers various financial aid options for our online students, including loans, scholarships and grants for degree-seeking students. We provide eligible students with an alternative to paying the full amount of tuition at the beginning of each term in the form of an installment payment plan or a short-term loan. See more about Financial Aid and Education Funding Opportunities.

UWF Center for Behavior Analysis

The UWF Center for Behavior Analysis is a leading resource for individuals interested in ABA. Our programs prepare capable behavior analysts who can successfully apply their knowledge across diverse settings with curriculum that provides a comprehensive understanding of the ethical application of behavior analysis from industry experts and faculty who actively work in the field.