Congrats on choosing a very rewarding career!
Be prepared for a lot of hard work, learning, and having your mind blown. This blog post will discuss the process for becoming a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst (BCBA) or a Certified Behaviour Analyst (CBA). There are also additional certifications through the Behaviour Analyst Certification Board (BACB) and the Association for Behaviour Analysis Australia (ABAA).
Disclaimer: This post includes my own thoughts and understanding of the process of becoming a BCBA or a CBA. Make sure you visit and refer to the BACB website for any clarification about becoming a BCBA or the ABAA website for any clarification about becoming a CBA.
1. Visit the appropriate website and learn about the application process for becoming either a BCBA or CBA. There are a lot of details and processes that need to be followed, and it is imperative you are clear about what is required of you for either certification. The skills you will use and possess as a behaviour analyst should begin to develop in this initial step. You must understand what is required of you before starting the process.
At a glance:
- a Master's degree in a relevant field.
- Verified Course Sequence (VCS) (whether part of your Master's degree or separately) meeting the coursework requirements.
- Supervised fieldwork (hours depend on how you obtain this experience).
- Study for, and pass an exam (BCBA only).
2. Really get a good idea of what you're getting into! The coursework component can be just as intense and daunting as gaining hours of supervised experience! While you may have had some ABA experience, or you've done 'behaviour stuff' before, the natural science of applied behaviour analysis is extremely in-depth, and scientific! It will take a lot of commitment to work through the coursework - wherever you choose to complete it. Review the appropriate task/competency lists to get an idea of what tasks you are expected to know, understand, and be able to implement. 3. Enquire about coursework. Not all coursework is created equal. Finding the right, and appropriate coursework for you may take some investigation. In Australia, there are two options for VCS. One at Monash University (online), where you can obtain your Master of Applied Behaviour Analysis. You will get a Master's degree AND the VCS coursework. Griffith University offers a VCS Master of Applied Behaviour Analysis, where you will obtain a Master's degree and the VCS coursework, or a Graduate Certificate in Applied Behaviour Analysis. (This requires you to already have a relevant Masters's degree). There are also other places you can obtain your Master's or the coursework. The Association for Behaviour Analysis International has a list of offerings around the world. I have a strong affinity for the Florida Institute of Technology's ABA program, as that is where I completed my coursework (:D), and they provided an excellent program. It is best to direct any questions to the people who are running the programs at the specific universities, as they will have very specific information about the BCBA component. 4. Enquire about supervision. You may not want to start right away (in fact, you cannot start supervision until you have started your coursework - and you need to pass at a certain level in order to count your supervision hours!) but definitely look around, and ask questions. Finding a supervisor can be tricky. In Australia, there are just over 250 certified BCBAs/BCBA-Ds. Not every one of those CAN supervise, and not every one of those has the capacity or even offer supervision. You don't have to supervise in-person, and there are pros and cons of in-person and on-line. One of the main things you need to seek in a supervisor is your ability to learn from them. Supervision is an active process. It is unlike a traditional supervision process you may have experienced in your work life. Your supervisor is not there to tell you what you're doing 'wrong' or even what to do with your clients/students. They should be shaping up your behaviour analytic behaviours and skills. This requires independent and critical thinking from you. It requires being organised and coming up with questions for supervision. It requires an understanding of all the elements of what you need to complete during your supervisory experience. Your supervisor will guide you throughout your experience and should give you opportunities to develop your skills further. Aim to find a supervisor who has a similar educational and working background to you or who has extensive experience working with the population you are working with. There is a wealth of information on both the BACB's website and the ABAA's website that you should be very familiar with before starting supervision. The BACB also has a search tool to search for local supervisors and reach out about supervision. The ABAA website also has a page with details about available supervisors. Good luck with your journey! Once you learn about the scientific principles of Applied Behaviour Analysis, there is no going back!
Where are you on your behaviour analytic journey?
0%Starting my coursework 🎉
0%Working through supervision 📈
0%Looking for a graduate program 👀
0%Looking for a supervisor 🙌🏻