What does it cost?

Check out our cost calculator or visit student financial services for information on estimated costs.

How long will it take?

Minimum of 36 semester hours

Where will I take classes?
Atlanta Campus

Application Deadlines View Admissions Requirements

  • Fall: February 1
  • Spring: Does Not Admit
  • Summer: Does Not Admit

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Applied Behavior Analysis, M.S.

Talk to the department
Sanquinette Vaughn
404-413-8040
[email protected]

Applied behavior analysis is an applied science that focuses on identifying how environments affect behavior and how we can use that information to develop effective behavior change strategies across a wide range of settings and populations. It teaches mastery of basic behavior-analytic skills, such as measurement, experimental design, and various principles and procedures of behavioral change to help students become better therapists, teachers and clinical practitioners.

The mission of Georgia State University’s M.S. in Applied Behavior Analysis program is to train the next generation of behavior-analytic scientist-practitioners who: (1) are grounded in the concepts, principles, philosophy, and evidence-based practices derived from the experimental and applied analysis of behavior, (2) can ethically and compassionately apply this knowledge to problems of social significance, and (3) are prepared for clinical practice, doctoral study, or both.

Features of the program include collaborations with faculty members, opportunities for applied fieldwork and research experiences, an emphasis on ethical, compassionate, and inclusive applications of the science of behavior, and a cohort model that fosters lasting professional relationships.

The program’s coursework is aligned with ABAI’s tiered model of accreditation standards. To access current certification examination pass rates, current and potential students may visit BACB's University Pass Rates page. For more information on the faculty, our research, news and other items of interest regarding Applied Behavior Analysis, visit our ABA unit page.

Education programs leading to professional licensure or certification (nursing, education, social work, counseling, accounting, allied health professions, etc.) may require additional approval from separate licensing boards, depending on the state. Students who live or plan to live outside Georgia and are considering a professional program should contact the appropriate board in their state of residency prior to beginning a course of study. To help students find the best-known contact information for the appropriate state licensing board and for a list of Georgia State program contacts, visit the Student Consumer Information website.

Program Highlights

Funding Opportunities

Various awards, assistantships and fellowships are available to new and current graduate students. Funding opportunities in the Applied Behavior program Analysis include:

  • Graduate Research Assistantships: students interested in conducting research in applied behavior analysis may be able to earn full or partial tuition waivers by working directly with program faculty on applied research projects.
  • Project Behavioral Early Education Scholars (BEES) is a new initiative that can help provide financial support as you study for this degree. Project BEES hopes to recruit, train and support graduate students interested in graduating with an M.S. in Applied Behavior Analysis. Learn more about this funding opportunity.

Classroom Experience

The Applied Behavior Analysis program provides classroom experiences that assist students in acquiring the necessary skills and knowledge to sit for the Board Certified Behavior Analyst® Examination. The program’s coursework is aligned with ABAI’s tiered model of accreditation standards.

Coursework is delivered primarily in a face-to-face format on our downtown Atlanta campus and consists of lectures, discussions and group projects. Our courses are offered on weeknights in the evenings (usually starting at 4:30pm) to accommodate the schedule of working professionals and to allow students to acquire fieldwork hours during the day.

Field Experience

Fieldwork experiences provide students the opportunity to accrue supervised experiences that meet the BCBA standards for qualified practical experiences. For more information about the requirements, including resource documents visit BCBA’s Eligibility Requirements page.

The faculty work closely with trusted partners in the community to provide these mentored experiences. Alternatively, if students are employed in a qualified setting, students can remain in those settings while in the program while our faculty collaborate with those sites to ensure they can provide the appropriate supervision and experiences.

Research Opportunities

Starting in the Fall of 2025, all students in the applied behavior analysis program complete an applied research project as a part of their studies.  This project is completed across three consecutive semesters with direct support and mentorship from our program faculty. In carrying out their research projects, students join our faculty’s existing research labs and receive close mentorship in carrying out projects, planning, implementation, and writing results for publication.

Examples of manuscripts resulting from student-faculty research collaborations have been published in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, Behavior Analysis in Practice, Behavioral Interventions,  The Analysis of Verbal Behavior,  and Education and Training in Autism and Developmental Disabilities.

Career Opportunities with an M.S. in
Applied Behavior Analysis

Nationally, annual demand for individuals holding BCBA certification has increased every year since 2010. The average salary for newly Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) nationwide is very high, and the average salary among all BCBAs in the Atlanta, GA. area typically exceeds the national average.

Many BCBAs work in fields related to intellectual and developmental disabilities and Autism Spectrum Disorder, with other practice areas continuing to grow. More information on BACB certificates, including areas of professional emphasis, can be found on the BACB’s website. Our program alumni are working in several states as BCBAs, case managers, teachers, educational leaders, and clinical directors.

Teacher showing student the letter A on a card

Program Details

Admissions Requirements

Application Deadline:

  • Fall: February 1
  • Spring: Does Not Admit
  • Summer: Does Not Admit

When applying to the applied behavior analysis program, you will need to submit several documents for review.

  • Online application
  • Application fee of $50
  • Goals statement (upload with the application — goals statement should be 500-1,000 words, summarizing your skills and experiences that are relevant to graduate students in applied behavior analysis. Address the fit between your objectives and the graduate training offered at Georgia State.  Finally, discuss what you would like to be doing three to five years after you complete your coursework at the university.)
  • Resume (upload with the application)
  • Two letters of recommendation (identify your recommenders on the application — recommenders should be professional or academic)
  • Official Transcript(s): Submit transcripts from all colleges/universities attended either electronically to [email protected] or by mailing directly to Georgia State University | Office of Admissions — Graduate School |P.O. Box 4018 Atlanta, GA 30302.
  • View the ABA Program’s Transfer Credit Policy

GSU’s M.S. in Applied Behavior Analysis Program abides by the April 15 resolution. This means that students accepted into the program are under no obligation to respond to offers of financial support (e.g., assistantships, fellowships, graduate scholarships, traineeships) prior to April 15 of the year in which they were accepted to the program. Read more about the April 15 Resolution.

Forthcoming Degree Requirements (all new students beginning Fall 2025)

The Applied Behavior Analysis M.S. degree program consists of the following requirements (credit hours in parenthesis):

  • Professional Studies (9)
    • EPY 8850 – Introduction to Single-Case Methodology (3)
    • ABA 8100 – Ethics for Behavior Analysts (3)
    • ABA 8000 – Principles of Behavior Analysis (3)
  • Major (12)
    • ABA 8250 – Behavioral Assessment (3)
    • ABA 8260 – Behavioral Intervention (3)
    • ABA 8800 – Behaviorism (3)
  • Applied Practice (6)
    • ABA 7650 – Fieldwork in Behavior Analysis I (3)
    • ABA 7660 – Fieldwork in Behavior Analysis II (3)ABA 8810 – Experimental Analysis of Behavior (3)

Program total: minimum of 36 semester hours

A catalog link will be available soon.

Optional Add-On Certificate in ABA Professional Specialization

Beginning in Fall 2025, the program will also offer an optional add-on Certificate in ABA Professional Specialization. The purpose of the Certificate in ABA Professional Specialization is to equip ABA Master’s students with advanced knowledge related to their intended population and setting for practice after graduation, and to shape competencies related to interdisciplinary collaboration. Students who complete this optional add-on certificate will complete one of five specializations, chosen in consultation with their advisor, each with specific associated coursework: (1) autism and developmental disabilities, (2) preschool and early childhood special education, (3) at-risk students, (4) health literacy, and (5) the science of reading.

This optional certificate requires 9 hours of coursework in one of five areas, as listed below.

Autism and Developmental Disabilities

  • EXC 7250 – Characteristics of Intellectual Disabilities and Autism Spectrum Disorders (3)
  • EXC 7320 – Methods of Teaching Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders Spring (3)
  • EXC 7000 – Collaboration with Parents and Professionals (3)

Preschool and Early Childhood Special Education

  • EXC 7650 – Characteristics of Young Children with Disabilities (3)
  • EXC 7660 – Methods of Teaching Young Children with Disabilities (3)
  • EXC 7000 – Collaboration with Parents and Professionals (3)

Science of Reading

  • EXC 7010 – Assessment and Structured Literacy Instruction in Word Reading for Students with Dyslexia and other reading Disabilities (3)
  • EXC 7190 – Theoretical Foundations for Literacy Instruction for Students with Dyslexia and Other Reading Disabilities (3)
  • EXC 7420 – Assessment and Structured Literacy Instruction in Reading Fluency, Vocabulary, and Comprehension for Students with Dyslexia and Other Reading Disabilities (3)

Students Who Are at Risk

  • EXC 6580 – Instructional Methods for Students with Behavior/Learning Disabilities (3)
  • EXC 6560 – Educational Evaluation of Students with Disabilities (3)
  • EXC 7310 – Strategies for Social and Emotional Behavior in Students with Behavior and Learning Disabilities (3)

Health Literacy

  • EPY 8265 – Health Behavior: Acquisition and Change (3)
  • PHPB 8275 – Health Literacy (3)
  • EPY 7080 – Psychology of Learning and Learners (3)

For degree requirements for current students (admitted prior to Fall 2025), visit the catalog.

Funding Your Graduate Education

Cost of attendance and funding opportunities are integral to your decision to attend graduate school. Georgia State University is proud to offer a variety of funding opportunities, from assistantships to fellowships.

Awards and Assistantships

Various awards, assistantships and fellowships are available to new and current graduate students. We encourage you to contact your department, college, school or institute of interest to get more information about the assistantships and fellowships that they offer their students.

The Scholarship Resource Center offers guidance and support to students seeking financial assistance through scholarship opportunities, including this scholarship library.

Fellowships

The Office of Graduate Programs’ Fellowship Advisor works with students interested in applying for nationally prestigious and competitive fellowships. The Office of Graduate Programs also coordinates the application process for students applying to the Second Century Initiative, the Provost’s Dissertation Fellowship and the Dissertation Library Travel Awards.

Cost Calculator

Our calculator can help you get an idea of the costs associated with attending the university.

The program’s coursework is aligned with ABAI’s tiered model of accreditation standards, which are aligned with Pathway 1 for the Board Certified Behavior Analyst certification.

View ABA Program’s Outcomes Data.

Alumni Spotlight

Whitney TrappMeet Whitney Trapp, M.S. ABA
Meet Whitney Trapp, alumna of the Applied Behavior Analysis program and working at an autism center in Brookhaven, Ga.read more ❯
Gereen Francis with PounceAlumni Q&A - Gereen Francis, M.S. ABA
Gereen Francis, M.S. ABA, has applied what she's learned to forming her own consulting business to help families understand their child's challenging behaviors.read more ❯
Ashley Gibbs works with a studentAlumni Q&A - Ashley Gibbs, M.S. ABA
Ashley Gibbs is a graduate of the M.S. in Applied Behavior Analysis and recently accepted a clinical director position overseas.read more ❯

Contacts

Program Coordinator
Daniel Conine
[email protected]

Learning Sciences
[email protected]
404-413-8040

Mailing Address and Office Location
College of Education & Human Development, Suite 750
30 Pryor St. SW
Atlanta, GA 30303

College of Education Logo30 Pryor Street SW
Atlanta, GA 30303