Department of Psychology

Master of Arts in Applied Behavior Analysis

Applied Behavior Analysis is a branch of psychology dedicated to the application of the principles of learning to change socially significant behavior. Applied Behavior Analysts work in a wide variety of settings, including schools, specialized treatment programs, hospitals, private businesses, and universities. Applied Behavior Analysts work with a wide variety of populations across the lifespan. These often include individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and other neurological disorders, individuals who work within organizations and systems, and non-human animals.

Program Offerings

The Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) graduate program at Fresno State provides students with academic coursework, research experience, and supervised field experience.

All coursework meets the Test Content Outline for the BACB’s 6th Edition exam.
The ABA program provides students with experience in clinical interventions with children and adults with autism and other developmental disabilities.
Students gain research experience in various areas, including social skills children, applications in organizational behavior management, interventions in health and fitness, problem gambling, Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT), and environmental sustainability.
Students and faculty regularly present at state and national conferences and publish in various relevant journals.
All of our graduates secure competitive employment upon graduation.
Approximately a quarter of all graduates choose to pursue doctoral-level studies.
Our program consistently achieves high first-time pass rates on the BCBA exam.

Consistent with the mission of California State University, Fresno, the Master of Arts in Applied Behavior Analysis strives to make student success our priority. To this end, we embrace a culture of diversity and inclusion, advance our distinction in science, professional programs, and community engagement, produce transformative scholarly research and creative works that target regional issues with global significance, exemplify the ethical stewardship of capital and human resources, and develop institutional, community, and intellectual leaders. These aims are achieved through a variety of educational experiences, including rigorous coursework, supervised fieldwork (practicum), mentored research (thesis), and facilitation of student interaction (e.g., research meetings, membership in the campus ABA Club, attendance at department events, community outreach, etc.).

In line with University values, the Psychology department and Applied Behavior Analysis program encourage and protect free inquiry and statement, thus ensuring a forum for the generation, discussion, and critical examination of ideas. The mentorship model of student guidance and supervision emphasizes the importance of quality teaching and the close interaction between faculty and students, intended to stimulate scholarly inquiry and discourse, inspire creative technical competencies, and support research and dissemination.

The Master of Arts in Applied Behavior Analysis is a minimum two-year, full-time graduate program and requires a minimum of 44 units of coursework. The coursework meets the objectives set out by the Behavior Analysis Certification Board (BACB) 6th Edition Test Content Outline (TCO) in all areas. In addition to coursework, students should complete between 10-20 hours per week of practicum experience during both years of the program (including summer) to meet the minimum BACB requirements of 1500 hours of supervised experience. The program provides campus-based, paid practicum placements, support, and supervision for all students, contingent on satisfactory performance in their placement, as outlined in the contract with their supervising BCBA and the policies of the practicum site and CSU Foundation. The ABA program is designed to produce active, effective, and ethical graduates who are prepared for national certification by the BACB and competitive job placements within the field of behavior analysis. Program requirements also prepare interested students for doctoral studies in competitive Ph.D. programs in behavior analysis.

View Program Coursework ABA Program Data ABA Practicum and Supervision Experiences

The mission of the ABA Master of Arts in Psychology is to provide comprehensive education and training in Applied Behavior Analysis, producing culturally responsive scientist-practitioners who meet the needs of diverse communities and populations through research, theory, and application.

Learn More About ABA Program Mission, Goals, and Objectives

All entering graduate students are required to have completed Psych 144 – Research Methods (or equivalent). It is highly recommended that students have also completed some undergraduate coursework relevant to the area of Applied Behavior Analysis. At Fresno State these courses include, but are not limited to, Psych 172 – Applied Behavior Analysis, and Psych 136 – Learning and Human Behavior.

All of the application materials for the Psychology Graduate programs will be through Cal State Apply.

Learn About ABA Application Requirements View Requirements For Graduation

Questions/Comments/Concerns Contact:

Dr. Marianne L. Jackson
ABA Master's Program Coordinator
majackson@csufresno.edu
559.278.2757