Priority admission will be given to students who submit all application materials to the Office of Admissions by March 15. Later applications will be accepted until the program cohort is filled. Admission is considered only for the summer and fall semesters. In addition to the criteria established for general admission to graduate studies, applicants must have the following: 

• An undergraduate GPA of 3.25 on a 4.0 scale or 6 hours of graduate-level coursework a 3.0 equivalent in each course 
• Letter of intent addressing preparation for graduate study, ability to succeed at the graduate level and professional goals and objectives. The letter should address what the applicant expects to achieve through graduate level study. The letter of intent should be typed and a maximum of 750 words in length. 
• Two letters of recommendation 
• Identification of potential site to obtain supervised experience. 

International applicants must also have a minimum IELTS score of 7.0 OR TOEFL score of 95. This requirement is for non-United States citizens who are not native English speakers. Students from the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand are exempt from English proficiency verification. 

Required Courses

• AB531 Basic Principles in Applied Behavior Analysis (3) 
• AB532 Methods for Studying the Behavior of Individuals (3) 
• AB533 ABA I: Skill Acquisition and Assessment (3) 
• AB534 ABA II: Function Based Assessment and Treatment of Challenging Behavior (3) 
• AB535 Principles in Psychopharmacology (3) 
• AB537 Behavioral Consultation & Management (3) 
• AB601 Conceptual Topics in Behavior Analysis (3) 
• AB603 Ethics, Disciplinary Systems, and Professionalism in Applied Behavior Analysis (3) 
• AB605 Research & Practice in Applied Behavior Analysis – I (6) 
• AB607 Research & Practice in Applied Behavior Analysis – II (6) 
• AB608 Research & Practice in Applied Behavior Analysis – III (3) 
• GR698 Masters’ Final Project (0) 

Choose one course: 

• CE614 Family and School Collaboration (3) 
• CF506 Theories and Issues in Child Development (3)
• CF520 Professional Ethics & Practice (3) 
• CF630 Advanced Family Systems (3) 
• DS618 Environmental Design in Human Services (3) 
• EX507 Families & the Child with Exceptionalities (3) 
• EX555 Introduction to Autism (3) 
• EX601 Education Assessment Technology (3) 
• EX693 Special Education and the Law (3) 
• PY525 Maturing and Aging (3) 
• PY555 Health Psychology (3) 

Other 500 or 600 level courses may be considered for electives but must be approved by the Program Coordinator or advisor. All elective courses must be taken at the graduate level. 

Because of the intensive workload for this program, all courses must be completed in order with the exception of the approved elective that may be taken during any semester, though it is recommended to be taken during the first summer semester. 

Individuals seeking to sit for the BCBA® certification exam after January 1, 2022 must complete either 2000 hours of Supervised Fieldwork or 1500 hours of Concentrated Supervised Fieldwork. Supervision by SEMO Faculty is limited. Potential students should contact the SEMO Applied Behavior Analysis Program Coordinator prior to beginning the program if they do not have access to a qualified ABA Supervisor locally. 

The accelerated Master of Arts in Applied Behavior Analysis degree program allows undergraduate students to take classes in their senior year that count for both undergraduate credit and graduate credit. Students majoring in Education, Psychology, Child Development, Communication Disorders, or working towards an Autism Studies Certificate could benefit from this opportunity. 

Program Requirements: 

• Junior Standing with at least 75 credit hours completed 
• Limit of 12 hours (500 level) 
• Minimum grade point average of 3.0 
• 2 letters of recommendation 
• Personal statement 

Program Notes: 

• Must be admitted to the accelerated graduate program prior to taking courses 
• Course fee will be at undergraduate rate. 
• Course will be initially recorded as undergraduate class at the end of semester. 

After grades are submitted at the end of the semester, the courses will be added to the graduate course list for graduate credit.