Preparing to start the process

It is best to begin the fieldwork process about 2-3 terms prior to your tentative field work start date.  You will receive an announcement in your classes notifying you of the elective PS555 to complete your field work.  In these announcements, there will be a link to create a CORE ELMs account.  CORE ELMs is the system Purdue Global uses to track all documentation for your fieldwork and is the first step in the process of preparing for fieldwork.  The code to create an account is GRADPSYCH

Once you have submitted the request for the CORE ELMS account and it is processed by Clinical Placement Staff you will receive your log in information. Requests are processed within five business days after they are submitted. 

The log in instructions will be sent to the primary email address you list.  Email filters occasionally send email from CORE to junk mail, so if you do not receive the log in email  within a week of submitting your application be sure to check your junk mail folder.  

Once you have received the email, log in to CORE ELMS per instructions provided.

From there, proceed to the Step-by-Step instructions found at the bottom of the Home Page of CORE ELMS.  These guide you to complete your orientation requirements. You will be required to complete the list of requirements for your program.  Following the Step-by-Step instructions will help ensure you have completed each requirement.

Prior to submitting your praticum application, you are required to research state requirements for the state in which you are pursuing placement. This includes requirements for credentialing, field work site requirements for the state, field work supervisor credentials for the state, and documents and forms specific to state requirements. Please note that generally speaking, the BCBA credential is the primary gold standard in the field, but states may have additional requirements, so it is important that you look in to your state requirements.

Keep in mind that states periodically change their requirements for licensure and certification. You are responsible for reviewing your individual state requirements and acquiring all of the necessary supervision and fieldwork hours required to obtain licensure or certification. 

The BACB can be a valuable tool for you as you discover your requirements. The BACB requires you to complete 2,000 hours of fieldwork experience before becoming certified as an applied behavior analyst. You may begin to accrue your hours as you begin your concentration courses of the program. The 150 hours you complete for fieldwork as part of your PS555 course can count toward your 2,000 total hours for certification. Purdue University Global is not directly involved in the completion of your 2,000 hours outside of the required 150 hours for the elective fieldwork course. The following is a resource for you to utilize as you research your state and credentialing requirements: Behavior Analyst Certification Board.

Purdue University Global’s 150-hour fieldwork course is considered by the BACB to be Supervised Independent Fieldwork (SIF). As such, the 150 fieldwork hours will count as 150 hours toward your BACB hours. Per SIF guidelines for the BACB, the length of the supervisory period is 2 weeks, the minimum number of contacts per supervisory period is one, and the minimum amount of supervision per supervisory period is 5% of total hours. Note: The hours for Purdue University Global’s fieldwork will follow the same guidelines as above for Supervisory Independent Fieldwork.

If you intend to use your current place of employment to complete your field work hours, you must first check with your state board. It is important to note that some states prohibit this practice. Please note if an entity on your application is a current employer.

The BCBA guidelines are updated periodically. It is highly recommended you review the requirements regularly to ensure you are meeting the most current guidelines.