4 Best Online Courses For Learning ABA Therapy
Here are the best online courses for learning ABA therapy.
4 Best Online ABA Therapy Courses
- Walden University's Online Psychology Master's Courses
- Brandman University's Applied Behavior Analysis Graduate Certificate
- Penn State World Campus' Graduate Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis
- Arizona State University Online with an MA in Special Education
When colleges and universities have various programs, they're usually centered around certificates needed by graduates to attach to their earned degrees.
Many such courses are a continuation of their education since they must be frequently updated as time passes in their career field. There are also certificates for undergraduate degrees.
As a whole, therapy courses carry many benefits, allowing students to hone their skills in a subject being studied.
They can also serve as great credentials when pursuing a career field that is slightly different from the one they're majoring in. Below are four of the best ABA courses and certificates that can be taken.
1. Walden University's Online Psychology Master's Courses
Based in Minneapolis, Walden is an online university. Every degree program they offer is over the internet. Many of the professors have extensive experience in working with students through web communication.
Walden itself offers students up to three ABA-focused classes to help them learn the framework of the therapy.
They maintain a psychology program that seeks to help students look for a specific professions related to ABA before getting through the end of their chosen program. One of them is Principles of Behavior Analysis.
The other two are Introduction to Behavior Assessment and Research Methods for Behavior Analysis. Additional courses can be found if students wish to take the certification for the BACB.
They're good options for students who would like to finish their undergraduate with a Master's in psychology, a needed area of study for companies that hire behavioral therapists.
2. Brandman University's Applied Behavior Analysis Graduate Certificate
A private university, Brandman is a four-year institution with a focus on liberal arts. It's located in Irvine, California. Its admissions standards aren't very strict and the student population is quite low.
This translates into better time spent between professors and students, especially students having issues getting through their courses. It also makes it easy to apply at any time and still receive the same standard of education as those who enroll early in the semester.
In any case, most online colleges have this advantage, so Brandman isn't the only one.
Their BCBA program lasts for eight weeks and will qualify participants to take part in the exam at the end of the program.
The BCBA exam must be taken to earn certification as a therapist, which is officiated immediately after the exam is passed. There are seven courses in all.
To enroll at Brandman, applicants must have a 3.0 GPA, and post-baccalaureate or Bachelor, Master's or greater is okay as well, so long as it comes from a university or college that's accredited by the BCBA. Applicants have to turn in a resume that verifies their place of work, one that's relevant to ABA therapy.
Schools, ABA centers, or other places involving social work are preferred.
3. Penn State World Campus' Graduate Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis
Penn State is a well-known university for both sports and scientific research. Along with classes for on-campus students, the university also has programs that are entirely online.
Their online program is called the World Campus. It's one of only a handful of public universities that have full online courses.
Some majors that the school is popular for are information science, business, and nursing. Currently, there are less than 3,000 students attending classes through the World Campus program.
Students taking part in the program can earn a graduate certificate in ABA therapy.
It costs $924 for every credit taken for seven classes, with 21 credits needed to pass. BACB standards are met in the courses, making students ready to go forward with the exam after they receive the degree.
People that are teaching utilizing the skills shown in ABA would be in good hands with Penn State's World Campus. It's further approved by the state of Pennsylvania's Act 49 provision.
This legitimizes the program for being counted as part of the student's work experience hours. Anyone interested in ABA therapy can sign up for courses with World Campus.
However, Penn State suggests that people with degrees and real time spent in the profession gain the certificate as soon as possible.
4. Arizona State University Online with an MA in Special Education
Another public university. ASU calls Temple, Arizona home. It's the same as other public universities that provide college in how hopeful attendees apply for enrollment. There are certificates for graduates and developmental courses.
The Master's degree centers on teaching applied behavior analysis.
Still, applying for the certification isn't too stringent for people that already have some experience in this area.
Other than that, ASU is about the same as other better than decent online colleges for students focused on an ABA career.
The professors are knowledgeable and have time for students, helping to prepare them for any exams and certifications required. All courses related to ABA are approved by the BACB.
What to Consider When Selecting an Online ABA Course
Making sure guidelines are up to date
Lots of certification options for ABA therapy are easy to find over the internet. Still, not all of them have updated guidance. In this situation, the BACB won’t likely have accreditation with the institution's programs.
For BACB to approve an institution's program, a representative with the certification must supervise part of the courses and the exam.
Checking for accreditation of the school
Even small colleges can have accreditation by the BACB, whether they're private or public. But the degree won't be relevant to certain localities if there's no accreditation at all.
Applicants can verify that the school is accredited directly through the BACB. Furthermore, the professors in the program should have experience in ABA therapy.
In most reputable schools, hopeful attendees won't even have to ask or search for anything. As it'll be provided to them at the time that they find out about what the school offers that they want. But in case it doesn't, another route involves contacting the faculty and staff of the college.