What is a BCBA?
A Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) is a person with a certification in applied behavior analysis. BCBAs receive this certification through the Behavior Analyst Certification Board.
Applied behavioral analysis (ABA) uses scientific and systematic processes to help influence an individual’s behavior. Behavior analysts can work in schools, classrooms, hospitals, clinics, and nonprofits; many analysts specialize in certain areas like autism, developmental disabilities, or mental health issues.
If you’re interested in this career path, you might consider becoming a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA).
How does BCBA certification work?
To receive BCBA certification, there are four main requirements every applicant must meet:
- Hold a graduate degree in a relevant field
- Fulfill relevant coursework
- Complete supervised experience
- Pass the BCBA exam to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst
There are three tracks you can take to achieve these requirements.
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- Full-Time Faculty Position In BA
In this track, you are able to apply for a BCBA certification by presenting a relevant graduate degree, experience as full-time faculty in behavior analysis, evidence of research, and supervised practical experience.
Note: you must have at least three years of full-time teaching experience that includes research.Your submitted research must be on behavior analysis, published, peer-reviewed, and include an experimental evaluation.
- Full-Time Faculty Position In BA
- Doctoral Degree
This route to BCBA certification requires a doctoral degree, postdoctoral experience, and supervised practical experience in order to qualify for your BCBA certification.
Your doctorate must be in behavior analysis, education, or psychology. Postdoctoral experience must include 10 years of full-time behavior analysis practice.
Overview of BCBA Requirements
Requirements
- Option1:Â Behavior-Analytic
Coursework - Option2:Â Faculty Teaching
and Research - Option3:Â Postdoctoral
Experience
BCBA exam
- Meet Continuing Education
Requirements - Adhere to Ethics
Requirements - Recertify Every
Two Years
What is the BCBA exam? What does the BCBA exam involve?
No matter which track you take to achieve BCBA requirements, you must
apply to take the BCBA exam.
- You can apply online via the BACB’s website. The application asks that you show proof of your degree, coursework, and supervised experience; you’ll also have to pay an application fee.
- Once the Behavior Analyst Certification Board sees that you’ve met these requirements, its members will approve your application. Then, you may sign up for the exam.
- The BCBA certification exam includes 150 multiple choice
Exam content covers analytical skills like measurement and experimental design, as well as client-centered responsibilities like assessment and intervention. These areas come from the BACB’s Fourth Edition Task List, which will give you a more specific overview of what exam questions will discuss. - A BCBA exam is a scaled score exam. To pass it, you’ll need to achieve a passing score of 400 and above. For context, the highest score you can achieve is 500.
- Like the certification standards, the BACB’s examination standards are also set to change in January of 2022. Exams will follow the Fifth Edition Task List, which reorganizes, clarifies, and builds upon the sections of the previous one.
How do you maintain your BCBA certification?
Once you’ve successfully earned your BCBA certification, you’ll need to maintain it so that you can keep doing your work as a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst.
You’ll be up for recertification every 2 years. Key maintenance
requirements you’ll need to meet beforehand are:
- Satisfying ongoing continuing education requirements
- Complying with BACBÂ ethics requirements
- Submitting a recertification application before your certification expires
Logging your progress in all of these areas will occur online via the BACB’s website. You should have your maintenance requirements completed before the 15th day of the month in which they’re due.