People with bachelor's degrees who want a cursory education in applied behavior analysis can enter an ABA certification program. Certificates can be useful for teachers, teacher aides, counselors, psychologists, social workers and others in the educational and behavioral fields who want basic understandings of ABA science and tools. Certificates are primarily enrichment and professional development tools for those who work with populations such as autistic children, dementia patients and the developmentally challenged. Many universities with advanced degree programs in applied behavior analysis also offer certificates. Certificates usually take less than a year of study to complete.
Bachelor degrees in applied behavior analysis aren't as common as graduate degrees -- but they do exist. Those interested in working as an associate-level behavior analyst in school settings or privately for families with autistic children will find this degree useful. Additionally, bachelor-level ABA professionals may work for individuals with disabilities and for companies who want someone with an understanding of ABA for commercial, industrial and organizational purposes. People devoted to a career in an ABA field may also find the bachelor degree a good steppingstone toward a master's or doctorate.
The majority of colleges and universities offering ABA degrees focus on master programs. Although most schools make ABA a part of their psychology programs, a few, such as Sage Graduate Schools in New York, offer a Master of Science in ABA through their schools of education. Sage's program focuses on preparing graduates to work with autistic students and employing behavioral techniques and therapies to enable their successful education. Most schools take a broader perspective, educating equally on adult behavioral issues. However, all aim to produce qualified practitioners and consultants who take on work that brings ABA science into the lives of people who can benefit from it. Master programs usually take two to three years to complete.
ABA is a science with research behind it, and someone has to perpetuate that research. Students and graduates of doctorate programs in ABA drive new findings as practitioners but also by studying, researching and experimenting. Schools such as the Florida Institute of Technology expect their graduates to give back to the field and find new ways to help people with their scientific knowledge. Such programs can be lengthy, spanning more than six years.