Special Education, MA
(Applied Behavior Analysis)
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Academic Advising
We are here to support your success and experience while at the MLFTC. Please connect with your assigned advising team when you have questions about the program and resources.
Phone: 480-884-0174 (advising team)
602-543-6358 (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 graduation, 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
Enya Goveo - 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 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 MLFTC Student Handbook for the Master of Arts in Special Education (ABA) 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. See the Policy and Code of Conduct page for more detail on academic integrity and other university policies.
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 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.
Course Sequence
Upon admission to the program, each student in the M.A. Special Education: Applied Behavior Analysis program is assigned a schedule of courses referred to as the 'course sequence.' It is important to discuss any variation from the sequence 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 find you needing to veer from the recommended course sequence, please review the ABA Course Availability Grid to determine when courses are offered. Since courses are not offered each semester and the schedule is subject to change, we invite you to schedule an advising appointment to devise an altered course sequence together.
iPOS Tip: Any changes to your course sequence will need to be reflected on the Plan of Study (iPOS) and approved by advising.
The course sequence 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 course sequence we recommend for completing the courses in the program, click the dropdown menu below that corresponds to the year when you started the program. The specific course sequence will also include the term (fall, spring or summer) and the session (A or B).
2025 Start Term
The Course Sequence for students admitted this spring 2025 will be available early this fall, around the same time the schedule of classes is available per the ASU Academic Calendar.
2023 Start Term
Note to students starting in summer 2023: During your final semester in Fall 2024, you will register for SPE 564 or SPE 598 Evaluation and Assessment in ASD during Fall Session A. Do not be confused by other elective course options offered during Fall B.
Note to students starting in fall 2023: SPE 563 is offered during session A and B. You will register for session B - class number 96486.
Elective Course Options
Important Notice: Due to the addition of new elective course options, there will be both Session A and Session B options in Summer and Fall 2024. Please follow the recommended course sequence for elective course options. For example, if you started the program in Summer 2023, you will choose an elective offered in session A. If you started in Fall 2023, you will choose an elective offered during session B.
The Special Education, MA (ABA) program requires students to complete two elective courses (6 credits) that are behavior-analytic in nature. There are 7 elective courses to choose from, offered at least once per year. It is important to follow the course sequence to stay on track for graduation.
SPE 520 Verbal Behavior (3 credits)
SPE 564 Controversial Therapies: Science, Fad and Pseudoscience in Educational Settings (3 credits)
SPE 598 Topic: Advanced Applications of Applied Behavior Analysis (3 credits)
SPE 598 Topic: Evaluation and Assessment in Autism Spectrum Disorders (3 credits)
SPE 598 Topic: Fundamentals of Behavior Analysis: Applied Animal Behavior (3 credits)
SPE 598 Topic: Intersection of Applied Behavior Analysis and Artificial Intelligence (AI): Innovative Applications and Ethical Considerations (3 credits)
SPE 598 Topic: Multiculturalism and Diversity in Applied Behavior Analysis (3 credits)
SPE 580 Practicum in Applied Behavior Analysis (optional, 1 credit): There is an option to replace one of the two, 3-credit elective courses required for the program with three, 1-credit practicum courses. If you are interested in this option, please scroll to the Supervised Fieldwork for ABA section to learn more. Reach out to your academic advising team for more information on how this may be incorporated into your Plan of Study (iPOS).
Culminating Experience
The culminating experience course is taken as the final course in the program. Students will select to complete either SPE 597 Capstone or SPE 593 Applied Project as a culminating experience for the program. Passing the Culminating Experience course with a grade of B or higher in your last semester is required for graduation. It may be taken concurrently with one other course during Session B only (not offered A). Students must be making satisfactory academic progress to be eligible to register for the culminating experience course.
iPOS Tip: The culminating experience is referred to as the 'degree requirement' on the Plan of Study (iPOS). You must know which culminating experience you wish to pursue prior to starting the iPOS.
Capstone (SPE 597)
The capstone option applies theoretical and practical information presented through coursework and, therefore, requires students to have access to all assignments and materials from the program. During SPE 597-ABA Capstone, students align their projects and experiences with the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) Task List (5th Edition) content area objectives and the BACB Guidelines for Responsible Conduct for Behavior Analysts. Students produce a capstone culmination paper demonstrating an integration and synthesis of knowledge and experience gained throughout the program.
Applied Project (SPE 593)
The applied project option provides students pursuing professional careers in the field of applied behavior analysis an opportunity to prepare a supervised applied project. As part of the applied project, students collect data on one or more individuals’ target behavior; identify research-based strategies to address the target behavior; design and implement a behavior intervention plan to systematically address the target behavior; collect data on the target behavior as the intervention is being implemented; analyze and draw conclusions from the data collected; and communicate findings using evidence of best practice from current research.
SPE 597 Capstone (starts at 3:45, ends 15:40) and SPE 593 Applied Project (starts at 16:10, ends 30:56)
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.
Degree Requirements page - Use the Culminating Experience information to help decide if you would prefer to take the Capstone or the Applied Project as your final course. You will not be able to move on without choosing and can update later if you change your mind.
Course Admin page - Use your Course Sequence to determine which courses you will take/have taken, whether to put them to put in the ‘Required Core’, ‘Concentration’ ‘Elective’, or ‘Culminating Experience’ section of the Course Admin page, and which semesters to list them in.
Please reference the Elective Description List for more information about the elective course options listed on your course sequence.
Faculty Committee page - Please 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 for review and approval.
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 degree.
We have provided guided instructions with screenshots below to help you complete the iPOS independently.
*Optional* Supervised Fieldwork in Applied Behavior Analysis
Review the following information about the optional supervised fieldwork in ABA course. Then, navigate to the bottom of the section for next steps to gain permission to participate.
This optional 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.
Qualifications:
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.
In addition to the 1 credit hour of tuition, the course also requires a $1500 course fee. Students can accrue up to 500 supervised fieldwork hours in one semester of practicum (~30 hours/week).
Did you know? Three semesters of SPE 580 can replace one, 3-credit hour elective course. The courses must appear on the Electives section of your iPOS. Connect with your advising team for more information.
Registration for the fall session is now open. The deadline for new practicum students to register for the fall session of SPE 580 is Friday, August 2. Begin the application process early since the course requires special permission to participate! Students currently registered in practicum and in good academic standing will automatically receive permission to register and must do so by Friday, July 26.
Follow the steps required to participate in the gray dropdown menu:
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. It is currently open for the fall session.
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 Agreement - Once registered, a team member from Community Education Services (CES), will send directions on completing the ASU agreement. The agreement 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.
Graduation
Whether you are planning to participate in ceremonies or not, you must apply to graduate to receive your diploma. This may be accomplished through MyASU once you have an approved iPOS on file. Apply during your last semester of study, by the deadline listed, to avoid a late fee. Visit the graduation section of the University Registrar Services website for more information, including how to have your degree conferred early if you finish graduate degree program requirements during session A.
Students are welcome to attend one or both ceremonies - the ASU Commencement and/or the MLFTC Convocation - but must register for ceremonies in order to participate. Please visit the Graduation page in the Resources section for more information.
Click here for steps to prepare for graduation
Make sure you have an approved Plan of Study (iPOS) on file. Directions for completing the iPOS are here.
Once registration opens, register for your final semester of coursework, including the culminating experience (SPE 593 or 597). To receive permission, an approved iPOS must be on file.
Apply to graduate on MyASU by the deadline to avoid a late fee and have your name posted in the electronic program. Go to the Graduation tab in the 'My Programs' section and click on Apply for Graduation. The graduation date must align with the anticipated graduation date on the iPOS and your final semester of courses.
If you wish to participate in the ASU Commencement and/or MLFTC Convocation ceremonies, register for them on MyASU. The portal generally opens mid-semester and is found in the same section (Graduation tab). Also, remember to purchase your cap and gown!
Note for summer graduates - there are no summer graduation ceremonies. You are welcome to attend ceremonies in the spring or the fall, which you may register for after applying to graduate. Do not confuse the application for graduation (semester you complete coursework) with the registration for ceremonies (semester you choose to participate in ceremonies).
More information about graduation for online students can be found on the Graduation section in Resources & Information.