Applied Behavior Analysis
(Graduate Certificate)
Are you a new student? We recommend taking time to review the New Student Checklist.
Click the links below to be directed to topic-specific content:
Academic Advising
We are here to support your success and experience while at the MLFC. Please connect with your assigned advising team when you have questions about the program and resources.
Phone: 480-884-0174 (advising team)
480-965-5555 (department)
Email: ABAadvising@asu.edu (advising team)
GraduateEducation@asu.edu (department)
Appointment: https://calendly.com/aba-advising-team
For tips on preparing for an advising appointment and different ways to connect with us, see the Academic Advising page on this site.
Click here to meet the academic success team!
Your academic advising team works together to keep you informed, on track for program completion, and supported throughout your program. Here is some information about the roles within the team.
Academic Advisors:
Art Gonzalez - Academic Success Advisor
Chelsea Overstreet - Academic Success Advisor, Sr.
Dawn Koths - Academic Success Advisor
Samantha Francois - Academic Success Advisor, Sr.
Tiffany Huggins - Academic Success Advisor
As the core members of your advising team, we will interact with you most frequently. We are experts on your program requirements and are available to assist with program related questions. We are also familiar with ASU and MLFTC resources and will refer you, as appropriate, to ensure you are fully supported.
Other members of the advising team:
Max Gutierrez - Student Support Specialist
Max works primarily with new students. If you have questions about items on the new student checklist, registration, or submitting your first draft of the Plan of Study (iPOS), he can assist you.
Christie Martin - Academic Success Coordinator, Sr.
Christie coordinates advising-related functions, working mainly behind the scenes, though you may hear from her occasionally.
Program Description and Policy Information
Students are encouraged to read and understand the MLFC Student Handbook for the Graduate Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis program, as well as familiarize themselves with the ASU Graduate College Policy Manual.
For more information on this program please visit:
ASU students and faculty are expected to act with integrity in their educational pursuits - discover what academic integrity is and why it is important.
*This program does not lead to teacher certification. For information on special education programs that lead to teacher certification, visit the Master of Education in Special Education information page.*
Click here to learn more about program coursework and expectations
Program structure and time commitment
The courses in this graduate program are rigorous and accelerated, composed of online and offline activities, as well as team projects and meetings. Each course will require students to allocate 15-20 hours per week to view videos or interactive online modules, read supporting materials, complete quizzes, and engage in live (video/audio) discussions with peers. Courses in this program are not self-paced. Each course is organized into modules, ranging from 5-7 days in length. All readings, assignments, meetings and activities must be completed during the scheduled dates of the module.
Live discussion and offline activities
Courses include a required live, synchronous discussion component, in which students will arrange meeting times with peers/team members throughout the course. Each meeting will last approximately 1 hour in duration. It is important to plan to allocate sufficient time for ‘offline’ activities such as written assignments and reading. The amount of time spent on offline activities and independent study will vary by student and course, but can be significant.
Assignment completion for mastery of content
Students are required to complete all assignments within each module, during the dates scheduled for the module, mastering course content prior to moving onto the next one. Falling behind in one module may negatively impact your ability to integrate feedback and be successful in subsequent modules and the course. The goal is content mastery, not simply course and program completion. To ensure that students demonstrate competency with each of the objectives of the course and program - regardless of total points accumulated on assignments within the course, each individual assignment must be completed in order to receive a passing grade for the course.
Consult with instructor with questions about course content and/or expectations
Review the course syllabus and schedule for course specific details. Consult with your Course Instructor (CI) and/or Lead Instructor with questions about course content and expectations.
Plan of Study (iPOS)
The interactive Plan of Study (iPOS) is a tool to help you navigate the program requirements and identify your path to completion. The iPOS is required and must be submitted during your 1st semester to maximize its usefulness as a planning tool. For general iPOS information, please visit the Plan of Study (iPOS) page in the Student Resources section.
For this program, an academic advising appointment is not required to complete the iPOS.
The iPOS will require you to complete the following 5 pages at a minimum, in the order listed:
Welcome page - Check the acknowledgment box stating you will abide by the Graduate College Policy Manual and academic integrity.
Degree Requirements page - Acknowledge the 21 credit hours requirement by clicking 'Save.'
Courses > Course Admin page- Use your Course Schedule to determine which courses you will take or have completed and add the courses in the Required Core section of the Course Admin page, along with the semester the course is planned for.
Advisors > Faculty Committee page - Input Dr. Samuel DiGangi as the Faculty Committee and list him as 'Chair' once prompted.
Summary/Submit - Check the acknowledgment box stating you agree to act with academic honesty and integrity, and then submit your iPOS.
An approved iPOS must be on file before applying for graduation. It is used by the graduation office to determine if all requirements for your program have been satisfied before awarding your certificate.
We have provided guided instructions with screenshots below to help you complete the iPOS independently.
Course Sequence/Schedule
Upon admission to the program, each student in the Graduate Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis program is assigned a schedule of courses referred to as the 'course sequence or schedule'. It is important to discuss any variation from the schedule with an academic advisor. A complete list of required coursework for the program, in no particular order, can be found on the ASU Online Graduate Certificate website.
It is important to discuss any variation from the recommended schedule with an academic advisor. The complete list of required coursework for the program, in no particular order, can be found on the ASU Online Degree website. If circumstances lead you to veer from the recommended course schedule, please review the ABA Course Availability Grid for the semester you were admitted (Fall 2023 to Spring 2025, or Summer 2025 and beyond) to determine when courses are offered. Since courses are not offered each semester and the schedule is subject to change, we encourage you to arrange an advising appointment to devise an altered course schedule together.
iPOS Tip: Any changes to your course schedule will need to be reflected on the Plan of Study (iPOS) and approved by advising. An advising hold may be placed on your account if we notice your coursework is out of sequence. The hold is to ensure you contact advising to discuss options for staying on track for graduation.
The course schedule for this program is designed to promote mastery of course content by offering one course at a time. During one semester, students complete one course during the first half (session A) and another during the second half (session B) for a total of 6 credits. Dynamically dated courses, such as the optional, 1 credit SPE 580 Practicum in ABA course, have unique start and end dates.
The ASU Academic Calendar displays start and end dates for sessions A and B. Dynamically dated course dates can be found in Class Search under the specific course.
To determine the sequence in which we recommend completing the courses in the program, click the link below that corresponds to the year when you started the program. The specific course schedule will also include the term (fall, spring, or summer).
2025 Start Term
Graduate Certificate in ABA - Spring 2025 (Session A, January)
Graduate Certificate in ABA - Spring 2025 (Session B, March)
Graduate Certificate in ABA - Fall 2025 (Session A, August)
Graduate Certificate in ABA - Fall 2025 (Session B, October)
Course Sequences for programs not listed will be available on/around the date that registration opens for the related semester per the ASU Academic Calendar.
2024 Start Term
Graduate Certificate in ABA - Fall 2024 (Session A, August)
Graduate Certificate in ABA - Fall 2024 (Session B, October)
*Optional* Supervised Fieldwork in Applied Behavior Analysis
Review the following information about the optional supervised fieldwork in ABA course.
This course, SPE 580 Practicum in ABA, provides a qualified supervisor in accordance with the Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) experience requirements. Students are responsible for identifying a fieldwork site and will engage in supervised activities centered on the application of behavior analytic tasks associated with developing, maintaining, and oversight of behavior analytic programs. They may also engage in designing, implementing, and monitoring trainings for parents and staff. Students will gain experience in application of BACB Task List 5th edition (TL5) Content Areas. Offered on a semester basis - Fall, Spring and Summer - for approximately 16-17 weeks.
For more information on BCBA fieldwork requirements, please visit www.bacb.com and review the BCBA Handbook.
>>The application for Summer 2025 will be available the week of February 17 with a registration deadline of April 7. <<
Review the drop-down menu below for steps to gain permission to participate. Get started early since the process is lengthy!
Click here for steps required to participate in SPE 580
Please begin by completing these required action items, in order:
1) Self-enroll in Canvas - Click here to enroll and complete Modules 1-3. You must be logged into your MyASU account to access Canvas.
Modules 1 and 2 remain open all year. The survey in Module 3 opens approximately 6 weeks before the registration deadline of each semester. The spring application closed on November 18 and the summer application will be available the week of February 17.
2) Register for Course - If approved to move forward after completing the modules, you will receive an email from your advising team with permission to register. It is important to register by the deadline to secure a space.
3) Complete ASU Acknowledgment - Once registered, a team member from Community Education Services (CES), will send directions on completing the Acknowledgment to your employer. The acknowledgment should be finalized before the course starts to maximize the accrual of hours. If not finalized by the Tuition and Fees Refund deadline, consider withdrawing to avoid being held responsible for payment of tuition and fees.
Important Notes:
If you wish to continue with the course after graduation, it is important to apply as a 'non-degree' graduate student during your last semester to be eligible to register. Click here for details.
SPE 580 is a dynamically dated course, so does not follow the traditional start/end dates on the Academic Calendar. Find the exact start and end dates, along with other important dates, on Class Search.
If you are taking SPE 580 during your final semester, keep in mind that your degree cannot be awarded until after the last day of SPE 580, which is dynamically dated and does not always align with the end of the semester. For example, the conferral date for summer is August 9 but the last day of SPE 580 is August 28. Your degree will still have a conferral date of August 9 but will not be awarded until after August 28.
Qualifications to Participate in SPE 580 (Practicum):
Recommended for students in good academic standing and with strong time management skills.
Students identify a fieldwork site - qualified supervisors will provide guidance on appropriate settings and issue approval.
All supervision is provided by a qualified supervisor in accordance with the BCBA experience requirements - students need not identify or contract with a separate supervisor. A BCBA need not be present at the practicum setting.
Supervision is structured to provide a combination of BACB recognized restricted and unrestricted hours through group and individual supervision.
Remote meetings are conducted via web-based video conferencing.
Students can accrue up to 500 supervised fieldwork hours in one semester of practicum (~30 hours/week).
In addition to the 1 credit hour of tuition and may require additional fees. Contact Student Business Services at sbs@asu.edu for questions about charges to your account.
Program Completion
During your last semester of the program, you must apply to graduate, in order to ensure your certificate can be awarded. Please be sure you have an approved iPOS on file before applying. When you are ready to submit the application:
Go to the My Programs section of MyASU
Open the Graduation tab
Click on 'Apply for Graduation' and follow the prompts
Review the steps to apply for graduation on the University Registrar Services webpage.
Please note: Applying for graduation (completion of program) is not the same as registering for ceremonies - only students earning a graduate degree, not a graduate certificate, are eligible to participate in ceremonies.
BACB Information
Website: Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB)
BCBA Certification Information
Eligibility Pathway: Pathway 2 Behavior-Analytic Coursework
Verified Course Sequence: ASU 51171 BCBA 5th Edition
An Attestation is not needed for students who complete a Verified Course Sequence and apply for the BCBA certification exam before January 1, 2026.
Students who apply for the BCBA certification exam on/after January 1, 2026 will need an Attestation. Contact the MLFC Compliance team for assistance at MLFTCcompliance@asu.edu. Provide your BCBA application number, full name as listed in the application, and ASU 10-digit ID number.
Recent and Upcoming Changes to BACB Requirements - we recommend subscribing!
Additional Resources
ABA Program Informational Webinar - November 19, 2024