Department Head: Dr. Paige McKerchar, pmckerchar@jsu.edu
MS Program Director: Dr. Makenzie Bayles, mbayles@jsu.edu
The Psychology Department offers courses leading to the Master of Science (MS) degree in Applied Behavior Analysis. Included in the curriculum are a broad range of behaviorally focused courses. The purpose of this degree is to prepare students for careers in the application of behavior analytic techniques to the behavioral habilitation of diverse populations. The Association for Behavior Analysis International has verified the following course sequence as meeting the coursework requirements for eligibility to take the Board Certified Behavior Analyst Examination®:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSY 508 | Personnel Supervision and Management | 3 |
| PSY 511 | Conceptual Foundations of Behavior Analysis | 3 |
| PSY 521 | Functional Assessment | 3 |
| PSY 528 | Applied Behavior Analysis I | 3 |
| PSY 529 | Applied Behavior Analysis II | 3 |
| PSY 530 | Single-Subject Research Methods | 3 |
| PSY 538 | Ethics and Professional Development | 3 |
Applicants will have to meet additional experience requirements to qualify for national certification and state licensure.
Behavioral effects of psychoactive drugs, neurochemical and behavioral mechanisms of drug dependency.
Research techniques, their findings, and applications to problems of motivation; topics from hunger and thirst to human incentive motivation.
Teaches the skills involved in specifying, observing, and changing behavior as well as the standard behavioral laboratory techniques.
Introduction to personnel supervision and management using the principles of behavior analysis. Evaluating professional behavior and leadership skills, and applying concepts, strategies, and tactics to professional experiences.
Issues underlying the acquisition, conceptualization, and understanding of valid knowledge in psychology, including the design, implementation, and interpretation of research.
The strategies and ethics of functional assessment are presented in the larger context of behavioral assessment. Research articles relevant to indirect, descriptive, and experimental functional assessment approaches and assessment-based interventions are reviewed.
Prerequisite(s): "B" or better in PSY 528 and PSY 221 or PSY 504.
Diverse populatons commonly served by applied behavior analysis (e.g., substance abuse, autism, traumatic brain injury) are examined with respect to their prevalence, defining characteristics, etiology, and current research trends. The potential for the use of behavior analysis in underserved populations is also discussed.
Prerequisite(s): "B" or better in PSY 511.
A development of the paradigmatic framework of the experimental analysis of behavior, and an examination of the research and resulting body of knowledge provided by that analytical approach.
Prerequisite(s): Completion of 12 semester hours of core psychology graduate courses including PSY 530 and PSY 534.
The behavior analytic view of child development is compared and contrasted with other systems for understanding development (e.g., Piagetian theory). Students review and critically evaluate current and seminal literature related to several developmental domains (e.g., motor, language, social).
Prerequisite(s): PSY 511.
Analysis of classical conditioning, human causal and contingency learning, and memory paradigms, with a special emphasis on historical and contemporary theoritical accounts of these phenomena.
Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor.
Application of psychological principles in educational settings such as undergraduate courses; responsibilities could include lab assistantship tasks including mentoring of students, presentation of course work, organization of class materials, etc. under the supervision of a faculty member.
Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor.
Application of psychological principles in educational settings such as undergraduate courses; responsibilities could include lab assistantship tasks including mentoring of students, presentation of course work, organization of class materials, etc. under the supervision of a faculty member.
Prerequisite(s): Approval of the instructor.
Practice of behavior analysis in applied settings such as habilitation of individuals with developmental disabilities, modification of behavior in schools, and improvement of organization performance.
Prerequisite(s): Approval of the instructor and psychology graduate committee.
Practice of behavior analysis principles in applied settings such as habilitation of individuals with developmental disabilities, modification of behavior in schools, and improvement of organization performance.
Prerequisite(s): Approval of the instructor and psychology graduate committee.
Practice of behavior analysis principles in applied settings such as habilitation of individuals with developmental disabilities, modification of behavior in schools, and improvement of organization performance.
Prerequisite(s): Approval of instructor and psychology graduate committee.
Students will conduct supervised research projects chosen in coordination with their supervisor.
Prerequisite(s): Approval of the instructor and psychology graduate committee.
Students will conduct supervised research projects chosen in coordination with their supervisor.
Prerequisite(s): Approval of the instructor and psychology graduate committee.
Independent readings will normally include content not offered in regularly scheduled classes.
Prerequisite(s): Approval of the instructor and psychology graduate committee.
Independent readings will normally include content not offered in regularly scheduled classes.
Prerequisite(s): Dean's Approval and Approval of Application for Thesis Option.
See "Thesis Options and Procedures." Grade: Pass/Fail.