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). At The Chicago School, we offer many different education pathways that prepare students for the BCBA examination. The M.S. Applied Behavior Analysis program helps students with a bachelor’s degree in a related field prepare to become a BCBA. For those with a master’s degree from an accredited university that is interested in the BCBA career path, we also offer a Post-Master’s Certificate in ABA.
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.
1. Graduate Degree + Work Experience
The most common track to a BCBA certification, looks like this:
- Earn a graduate degree in a relevant field (behavior analysis, education, or psychology) from an accredited university
- Submit completion of relevant coursework from an accredited university.
Obtain 1,500 hours of supervised independent fieldwork or 1,000 hours at a supervised practicum or 750 hours at a supervised intensive practicum
2. 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.
3. 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. Learn more about The Chicago School’s Ph.D. Behavior Analysis program.
Overview of BCBA Requirements
Requirements
- Option1: Behavior-Analytic
Coursework - Option2: Faculty Teaching
and Research - Option3: 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 to take the BCBA exam online. 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 185 multiple-choice questions.
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 be discussed. - The BCBA exam is a scaled score exam. According to the BACB, “Scaled scores are created when the number of questions that candidates answer correctly are mathematically transformed so that the passing score equals a certain point on a scale starting at 0 and ending at a number that equals the highest possible score.”
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. The key certification maintenance
requirements you’ll need to meet beforehand are:
- Satisfying ongoing continuing education requirements to maintain knowledge and stay up to date on developments within the field
- Complying with BACB 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 complete your maintenance requirements before the 15th day of the month they’re due.