Online Graduate Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis

Earn the Graduate Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and concurrently fulfill all course requirements for the highly demanded Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) credential.

This 24-credit fully online program prepares graduates to be successful practitioners trained to enhance the educational outcomes and lives of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and/or other related disabilities using applied behavior analysis (ABA).

At a glance

Program Credits

Standard Completion Time

16–20 months

Ranked 20^th in Top 40 ABA Graduate Certificate Online Programs
Ranked 12^th in the 20 Most Affordable Online ABA Graduate Certificate Programs
Ranked in Top 62 Online ABA Programs
First Christian university worldwide to offer a program, with extensive autism training, verified to meet BCBA exam coursework requirements
May be started any semester and completed in as few as four semesters
50% tuition discount for educators working in Christian schools
Advance standing for Bible/theology credits available
Can be completed as non-degree program or part of the Master of Arts (ABA) degree
The Association for Behavior Analysis International has verified the courses listed below toward the coursework requirements for eligibility to take the Board Certified Behavior Analyst examination. Applicants will need to meet additional requirements before they can be deemed eligible to take the examination
Additional criteria for BCBA exam eligibility include a master’s degree or higher in any field of study and meeting fieldwork requirements. Visit bacb.com for details and other requirements

Other Important Information

The 5th edition BCBA exam will be available starting January 2022.
Individuals residing outside of the U.S. and Canada may apply to complete this program to earn a Graduate Certificate in ABA but effective January 1, 2023 will not be eligible to apply for BCBA certification from the BACB.
Graduate Certificate in ABA indicates completion of the ABA certificate program but not certification in behavior analysis; awarded only to matriculated students successfully completing the ABA certificate program
Students holding a master’s degree from another institution are responsible for verifying if their degree and the institution meet BACB’s current standards. Click here for details.
Students are responsible for verifying if this program meets the ABA licensing or certification requirements of the state and/or country where they intend to practice. Please see ABA Licensure and Certification.
BCBA exam pass-rate data are not published for sequences with fewer than six first-time candidates in a single year or for sequences within their first four years of operation.

Become a behavior analyst and enter a profession in high demand in the U.S. and globally
Apply ABA in diverse fields such as education, autism, and developmental disabilities
Work in schools, residential and home programs, clinics, hospitals, and other settings
Develop Christian services and ministries for individuals with autism and their families

Best research-supported scientific treatment for autism
Effective for individuals with other disabilities as well
Demonstrated to be effective in many areas including:
- Communication, social, self-help, play, and work skills
- Reading and other academic skills
- Positive and safe behaviors
- Family life

Semester	24 Total Credits = 21 ABA + 3 Bible/Theology Credits
Spring #1	SPE 721 ABA for Autism and Other Disabilities I (S1) SPE 723 Interventions for Autism/Other Disabilities (S2)
Summer #1	SPE 728 Ethics for Behavior Analysts (S1) SPE 726 Secondary Transition Assessment and Intervention (1 cr.) (S2) SPE 727 Supervision and Management (2 cr.) (S2)
Fall #1	SPE 724 Single Subject Research (S1) SPE 722 ABA for Autism and Other Disabilities (S2)
Spring #2	SPE 725 Principles of Behavior (S1) BIB 621 Biblical Integration for Educators (S2)

To enter the program, the candidate will:

Apply and complete Cairn University’s Graduate Program enrollment process
Hold a bachelor’s degree (with a cumulative GPA of 3.0) from an accredited college, university, or seminary

To complete the program, the candidate will:

Successfully complete all required coursework with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0

For more information about the online Graduate Certificate in ABA program, email grad-education@cairn.edu.

Our Admissions staff are available to answer any questions and assist you with each step of the enrollment process.