Career Opportunities with this Degree
Most graduates of the Master's program receive 2-4 job offers. Graduates are currently employed in behavior analysis throughout the country from Massachusetts to California. In each of the past four years a student applied for and was accepted into a doctoral program. All graduates who have taken the examination have achieved "Board Certified Behavior Analyst" status on their initial attempt.
Behavior analysts are employed in a variety of treatment, education and rehabilitation settings including: autism, behavior and learning disorders, developmental disabilities, performance management, parent and child interactions, child abuse and neglect, behavioral safety, school consultation, curriculum development and evaluation, parent and staff training, and language development. Employers include profit and non-profit agencies and consulting firms. Entry-level salaries for those with a master's degree in ABA range from $35,000 - $75,000 depending on experience and expertise.
Training Model
The program is designed to produce well-rounded professional behavior analysts with emphases on a thorough knowledge of behavior analytic principles, practical experiences, and the ability to communicate both to consumers and professionals. Students are provided the opportunity to gain a variety of practical experiences working individually or collaboratively. This is afforded through class assignments as well as during the practica which are closely supervised by faculty or other approved Board Certified Behavior Analysts working in the community. In addition, ethical practices are emphasized.
Unique Aspects of the Program
Currently, all classes are offered via interactive television between the Tallahassee and Panama City campuses with the ABA faculty alternating between the locations to ensure consistent faculty/student contact. This allows students the option of living in either of these cities and has resulted in a roughly equal distribution between the two. The emphasis on practical applications and presentation skills has resulted in 44 of the students having been authors on 41 presentations at professional conferences over the past four years. Assistantships (typically includes a stipend and tuition waiver) in which students work in settings as behavior specialists have been provided for all current students who have sought them. The remainder of students are employed in other behavior analytic positions.
Students have the opportunity to become active in the Florida Association for Behavior Analysis (www.FABAworld.org) as Conference Program Assistants or by presenting their research at the annual convention. FABA is the largest Affiliated Chapter of the Association for Behavior Analysis International with over 1000 members. FABA's Local Chapters in Panama City, the Emerald Coast Association for Behavior Analysis and the Capitol Area Association for Behavior Analysis in Tallahassee afford additional opportunities for student involvement.
