What is accreditation?
Accreditation is both the process of reviewing the quality of higher education institutions and programs, and the status granted of those quality institutions and programs. In the U.S. accreditation signals to the public, students, families, government officials, and the press that an institution or program is legitimate and offers a quality education. ABAI’s accreditation board is a programmatic accreditor and specifically focuses on the accreditation of behavior analysis programs (not entire colleges or universities).
What is ABAI accreditation?
ABAI accreditation means the program has undergone a comprehensive peer-review process, met standards for coursework, faculty, research, curriculum, experiential learning, and outcomes. Graduation from an accredited program fulfills the Pathway 1 degree and coursework requirement of BCBA or BCaBA examination applications – other requirements must be met.
What is the difference between institutional accreditation and ABAI accreditation?
Higher education institutions must be accredited and authorized to award degrees, and to receive federal and state funding. In the U.S., most institutions (private and public universities and colleges) are accredited by one of (approximately 20) institutional accrediting organizations, which are often referred to as "regional accreditors". Almost all of those are recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or the United States Department of Education (USDE). You can verify whether your school is recognized by the CHEA on www.chea.org.
ABAI accreditation is specific to behavior analysis training programs at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree levels. The ABAI-accredited programs have gone through a rigorous quality review process and successfully met the ABAI Accreditation Board’s standards.
Graduates of ABAI-accredited programs meet the coursework and degree requirements BACB for Pathway 1 eligibility. You might see that the BACB’s Pathway 2 eligibility requires a graduate degree from an accredited or qualifying institution: this is referring to institutional accreditation rather than ABAI accreditation of a program. In these instances, the coursework can come from a behavior analysis program that is not yet ABAI accredited (e.g., a VCS or behavior analysis courses).
Are tier 2a/2b programs accredited?
No. The tiered model is designed to approximate accreditation, with tier 1 being accredited degree programs. However, the BACB accepts degree programs that are recognized as tier 2a/2b as meeting the Pathway 1 requirements, now through December 31, 2031. You can find a list of our ABAI-recognized programs here.
What is a Verified Course Sequence (VCS)?
A Verified Course Sequence (VCS) is a set of courses that are verified as containing behavior-analytic content. Verification indicates that coursework meets the minimum content-hour requirements for BACB examination eligibility criteria (it doesn’t verify quality or degree requirements). Completion of a VCS fulfills the Pathway 2 behavior analytic coursework requirements of BCBA or BCaBA examination applications – additional requirements must be met and can be found on the BACB’s website.
I am currently enrolled in a VCS program for 5th Edition coursework, but I won’t be ready to take the examination until 2025. Will I still be eligible?
The BACB announced that beginning January 1, 2025, examinations will be based on the Test Content Outline (6th Edition). However, there is no change to eligibility requirements (e.g., your coursework) to apply for the exam until January 1, 2027. Therefore your 5th Edition coursework can be used to meet the application requirements through December 31, 2026. You should still study the updated Test Content Outline items!
I am not sure that I have completed all of the required coursework for eligibility via Pathway 2. Can I submit my transcripts to ABAI for review?
No. ABAI does not certify or license individuals, thus we cannot review transcripts or provide a determination for certification or licensure applications. Please refer to the appropriate certification or licensure body for information about their review processes.
Students applying for ABAI’s Student Membership may be asked to provide transcripts during the membership application process to verify degree completion or enrollment.
I looked up a VCS and it is labeled as "retired". What does this mean?
The BACB’s 5th Edition requirements went into effect January 1, 2022. Therefore, many VCS programs have a new set of courses (a new sequence) to meet the new and increased requirements enacted in 2022. A sequence designated as "retired" means those courses, under the 4th edition, are no longer offered (evident by the end date of the course). Additionally, some programs may no longer offer coursework altogether, and have retired their sequence. Please see What do the start and end dates mean? for further clarification.
Don’t worry – if you took a sequence that is listed as retired, your courses may still be valid, and it is likely that you can use them to apply for examination. If it has been a while since you completed your courses, it is critical you review the coursework expiration policies of the relevant certification or licensure boards. In some cases, you may need an additional course or take an updated version of the course to meet the increased requirements. We encourage you to meet with your program coordinator or supervisor for guidance.
What do the start and end dates mean?
- Start dates indicate the first time the individual course/module was offered as verified through ABAI, with those (edition-specific) content hours.
- End dates indicate the last time the individual course/module was offered as verified through ABAI, with those (edition-specific) content hours. If the courses are still offered, end dates will not be listed on the grid.
- The start and end dates are used by the BACB to confirm content hours for each course when processing examination applications for individuals applying via Pathway 2.
How do I read a course grid on the Verified Course Sequence (VCS) Directory?
A course grid lists courses that have been verified as containing behavior analytic content and specific hour requirements. The VCS number is the one listed under the institution name and "Course Sequence Number". Each program has a unique number. The column on the left shows each course number. If you hover your mouse/cursor on the course number it will show you the course title. Going across the row of each respective course number indicates how many hours offers in specific content areas. Start dates indicate the first time the individual course/module was offered as verified. End dates indicate the last time the individual course/module was offered as verified. End dates are not listed if the course is still being offered with those specific content hours.
I want to become a BCBA, where do I start?
It is important to know that ABAI does not certify individuals – we manage the academic aspect of behavior analytic training. Currently, the BACB offers two main Pathways to eligibility for BCBA certification. To apply, one of the two Pathways must be completed:
Pathway 1: ABAI-accredited or ABAI-recognized program - you must complete the following:
Pathway 2: Behavior-Analytic Coursework – you must complete the following:
-
Any graduate degree from an accredited institution
- Search chea.org’s institution database to determine if your degree is from an accredited institution
- If your degree was obtained outside of the US, please review the BCBA Handbook for information regarding degree equivalency evaluations
-
Qualifying coursework (you can browse our VCS directory to search for verified 5th edition BCBA sequences)
- If you already hold a graduate degree, you can complete a "coursework only" or "certificate" program to fulfill the coursework requirements
- Supervised Fieldwork Experience (see BCBA Handbook)
After reviewing our accredited programs, recognized programs or VCS Directory, you can find contact information for program coordinators listed under each program.
Please note that as of January 1, 2023, BACB certification is only available to individuals residing in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. If you will be practicing in the United States, we recommend looking up information about your state’s licensure requirements. Additional information regarding U.S. licensure can be found here.
I have a graduate degree from outside of the US, where can I get my transcripts evaluated to see if my degree qualifies?
Please contact the certification or licensure board to determine if they accept the degree and institution. If seeking BACB certification, review the appropriate handbook and direct further questions to their "contact us" form.
Can ABAI recommend a program to me?
There are many important factors to consider while researching which program is the best fit for you. ABAI cannot recommend a program outright, but we encourage you to review our ABAI-accredited programs and ABAI-recognized programs to find a program that has been fully evaluated and offers practical training and research opportunities in many areas. These programs may also meet the educational requirements for BACB certification.
You can also browse the VCS Directory here to find coursework that has been verified to meet the BACB’s coursework requirements via Pathway 2. You can filter your search by BACB certification level and mode of instruction to find the program that best fits your needs.
When selecting a training program, it is worthwhile to consider several factors:
- Are you looking for a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral training program?
- What is your preferred mode of instruction: on-campus, online, or a hybrid of both?
- Would you like to study domestically or abroad?
- What area of emphasis interests you?
- Are you seeking a program that offers financial aid and/or funding?
- Do you wish to work with a certain faculty member?
How do I find a program that offers a broader scope of study (e.g., counseling, special education, or experimental)?
Please see the annual reports of ABAI-accredited programs to see what areas of practical training and research training opportunities they offer (and the links to their websites). You can also email the program coordinator who oversees the program.