Special Education, Non-Teaching (MED) Concentration in Applied Behavior Analysis

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_MEDAUT, SPE_MEDAUO, SPE_MEDABI

Program Information

This program can be completed in a traditional classroom format or entirely online (traditional option only).

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 (available for face-to-face students only) and the Traditional Option (available in a traditional classroom format or entirely 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 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.

Traditional Option

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.  Only one practicum course is included in this sequence of coursework, making this a good option for working students.  However, it is important to note that hours completed during the required practicum are separate from the fieldwork supervision hours required for the BACB exam. In addition to coursework requirements, students must complete 2,000 hours of supervised field experience to be eligible to take the BACB exam.  Hours completed during the field-based practicum experience may be used toward both the course and the BACB fieldwork hours, as long as the requirements for both are met.  In this option, students will complete most 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.

Admission Requirements

Admission requirements for this program include the following:

• Complete application for admission 
• Admission to the College of Education and Human Development
• Baccalaureate degree in special education, psychology, speech language pathology, occupational therapy or social work from an accredited institution
• Professional certification/license/experience in a field related to autism/intellectual disability
• Statement of professional goals
• Two letters of recommendation
• Test of English as a Foreign Language required of all international students from countries in which English is not the native language; and 2.75 cumulative grade point average. (GRE – Not Required)   

MEd in Special Education, concentration in Applied Behavior Analysis 

¹

Students in the Intensive Practicum Option will take EDSP 653 during each semester in the program; students in the Traditional Option will take EDSP 653 in only one term (typically summer) during the program.

Midpoint Assessment: Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher; grade no lower than B-minus in all coursework; completion of intervention proposal and presentation with a rating of Satisfactory; Target performance or better on all Hallmark Assessment Tasks to date; scored Target performance or better on Advanced Program rubrics.

Exit Assessment: Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher; grades no lower than B-minus in all coursework; completion of intervention proposal and presentation with a rating of Satisfactory; Target performance or better on all Hallmark Assessments; scored Target performance or better on Advanced Program rubrics; positive recommendation from the Special Education Program Committee.

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 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.  Only one practicum course is included in this sequence of coursework, making this a good option for working students.  However, it is important to note that hours completed during the required practicum are separate from the fieldwork supervision hours required for the BACB exam. In addition to coursework requirements, students must complete 2,000 hours of supervised field experience to be eligible to take the BACB exam.  Hours completed during the field-based practicum experience may be used toward both the course and the BACB fieldwork hours, as long as the requirements for both are met.  In this option, students will complete most 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.

More information about certification or licensure is available at the following website:  https://louisville.edu/oapa/licensure-information (you may search by school or by the name of the program then click on 'View Details' to display the information).

For programs with an online option, more information about certification or licensure is available here: https://louisville.edu/online/About-Us?tab=disclosures.