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Special Education: Professional Learning

This Certificate in Applied Behavioral Analysis produces compassionate, motivated educators with a deep understanding of how to identify and address individual children’s behavioral needs.

At a Glance

Program Results

Professional Learning

Certificate –  Applied Behavioral Analysis

Career Outcome

Board Certified Behavior Analyst, behavior coach, or behavior support specialist after fulfilling all requirements of the Behavioral Analyst Certification Board (BACB)

Program Type

  • Part Time

Location

  • Online

Estimated Length

1-7 semesters

Application Deadline

Spring entry: December 1

Fall entry:

  • March 1 (early notification deadline)
  • July 15 (final deadline)

About This Program

Applied behavior analysis (ABA) is a​ systematic approach to influencing socially important behavior through the identification of reliably related environmental variables and the production of behavior change techniques that make use of those findings.

Common services provided through ABA may include, but are not limited to:

  • Conducting behavioral assessments
  • Analyzing data
  • Writing and revising behavior-analytic treatment plans
  • Training others to implement components of treatment plans
  • Overseeing the implementation of treatment plans

Behavior analysts provide services to clients with a variety of needs including, but not limited to:

  • Organizational functioning (e.g., staff performance, management, and pay structure interventions)
  • Skill deficits (e.g., communication, adaptive behavior), and
  • Problem behavior (e.g., aggression, self-injurious behavior).

Important Notice: This certificate program does not satisfy initial teaching licensure requirements. If you are seeking an initial teaching license, visit our Become a Teacher page.

Students interested in obtaining an M.Ed. in Special Education can take these courses as an area of focus.

Applied Behavioral Analysis Certification

The Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) sets the requirements for board certification. These requirements include the completion of a verified course series (such as this one) as well as the additional requirements found on the BACB website.

Behavioral Analyst Certification Board

Learning Opportunities

Certificate

Behavior Analysts work with students who need extra support in the classroom, at home, or in the community. This fully online certificate program prepares practitioners to work with students with disabilities using the science of applied behavior analysis.

This certificate is designed for candidates holding a bachelor's or master’s degree who wish to gain specific skills and knowledge to address the behavioral needs of students. The certificate includes a verified course sequence, approved by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB). Completing the certificate fulfills the coursework requirement needed to sit for either the BCBA (master's degree required) or BCaBA examination. 

ALL application materials, transcripts, and recommendations must be received by the deadline in order for an application to be considered complete. You may begin, or return to, your application here.

Professional Learning Admission

Application for admission is made to the School of Education and Human Development Office of Admission & Enrollment. For more information about the professional learning admission process, please visit our Professional Learning Admission page.

Professional Learning Admission

Professional Development

This online course series supports practitioners working with students using the science of applied behavior analysis. Courses can be used for professional development and licensure recertification points. Students interested in completing several courses in this series should start with EDIS 5133: Principles of Applied Behavior Analysis.

Students planning to sit for the BCBA or BCaBA exam should complete the Applied Behavior Analysis certificate to ensure they meet all coursework requirements. Students can transfer one course from this course series into the certificate. 
 

Application Due Date

Students interested in taking courses in this series must fill out a Non-degree Student form at least a week before the start of the desired term; no application is needed. Early submission is recommended to secure spots in desired classes.

Professional Learning Admission

Application for admission is made to the School of Education and Human Development Office of Admission & Enrollment. For more information about the professional learning admission process, please visit our Professional Learning Admission page.

Professional Learning Admission

Program Faculty

All Program Faculty
Bryan Cook headshot

Bryan Cook

  • Professor
Lysandra Cook

Lysandra Cook

  • Professor
Youjia Hua

Youjia Hua

  • Associate Professor
William J Therrien

William J. Therrien

  • Thomas G. Jewell Professor of Education
  • Director, STAR Research in Practice

Contact Us

Information Sessions

All Admission Events

The school hosts a variety of admission events including information sessions and open houses for prospective students as they explore our degree program offerings. View upcoming opportunities to engage with faculty and staff.

Online Graduate Certificate Programs - Virtual Information Session - October 1, 2024

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  • Virtual
Register

Disclosures

The information contained on this website is for informational purposes only. The UVA Graduate Record represents the official repository for academic program requirements. These publications may be found at https://records.ureg.virginia.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=62&poid=9157.

As a member of the State Authorizations Reciprocity Agreement (SARA), the University of Virginia (UVA) is authorized to provide curriculum in a distance learning environment to students located in all states in the United States except for California. (34 CFR 668.43(a)(6)& 34 CFR 668.72(n)). Although California does not participate in SARA, it allows students to enroll in out-of-state programs.

Upon completion of the Applied Behavioral Analysis Certificate at the UVA School of Education and Human Development, graduates may be eligible for initial professional licensure in another U.S. state by applying to the licensing board or agency in that state.

Please visit the University’s state authorization web pages to make an informed decision regarding which states’ educational requirements for initial licensure are met by this program. (668.43(a)(5) (v)(A) - (C))

Enrolled students who change their current (or mailing) address to a state other than Virginia should update this information immediately in the Student Information System as it may impact their ability to complete internship, practicum, or clinical hours, use Title IV funds, or meet licensure or certification requirements in the new state. (34 CFR 668.402).