Applied Behavior Analysis (Plus One/MS-Online/ MS-Hybrid)

Choice for Supervised Fieldwork

The Northeastern University Applied Behavior Analysis Programs are designed to give students options to allow them to learn and meet their goals wherever they are. Thus, they have the option to complete supervised fieldwork requirements through a Northeastern provided course, or on their own.

Students may enroll in elective practicum courses to gain experience in the field under the supervision of NU faculty. These courses are designed to meet the requirements set forth by the BACB for Concentrated Supervised Fieldwork. Our faculty supervisors bring a rich array of practical experience in public and private settings. Students enrolled in practicum courses meet twice weekly with their assigned faculty supervisors in group and individual formats. Students who meet the stated requirements in all four practicum courses complete 100% of the fieldwork needed to sit for the BCBA examination. Students who are already employed in a behavior analytic role may be eligible to complete their fieldwork in their current professional setting. Other students may gain assistance from NU faculty in identifying practical settings for fieldwork.

Learning Partnership

The ABA programs at Northeastern are excited to partner with organizations in the community providing behavior analytic services to clients in need. The partnerships allow student-employees to practice what they are learning and have a streamlined path to the best option for accruing supervised fieldwork.

Organizations interested in partnering with the Northeastern ABA graduate programs should contact Nicole M. Davis at [email protected].

Professional Portfolio

The Professional Portfolio is the capstone for the Applied Behavior Analysis Programs at Northeastern University. This portfolio documents the student’s behavioral competency in critical clinical skills. These skills include ethical decision-making, assessing behavior, planning for behavior reduction, teaching and training, and professional supervision and consultation skills.

Each student completes projects associated with the above clinical skills, and each project culminates in professional documents to be included in the student’s Professional Portfolio. A faculty member reviews and signs each project in the Professional Portfolio. The faculty member’s signature indicates that the student has achieved the faculty-established standards for the project. Graduates are encouraged to use their Professional Portfolio when applying for employment.

Are all courses provided online?
Yes, all of our courses are provided exclusively in an online format.

Do students have to log in at a certain time each week to participate in online classes, or can students participate on their own schedule?
Our courses are asynchronous. That is, students are not required to log in at a specific time each week to participate. Rather, course materials are made available each week, and students are expected to complete required readings, view lecture materials, and complete assignments and discussion requirements by the end of the week. Some of our courses do include optional synchronous video discussions during select weeks of the semester.

How many students are in each class?
Classes have up to 19 students.

Are there opportunities to interact with other students and with faculty members?
There are many opportunities to interact with other students and with faculty members within our courses. Weekly discussions, projects, presentations, and other assignments allow for students to interact with one another and with the instructor on a weekly basis. Some courses also include collaborative assignments and group-based teaching pedagogies that create the opportunity for interactions.

How do students accrue supervised experience hours required to sit for the BCBA exam?
Students may either achieve their supervised fieldwork hours under the supervision of a BCBA at their place of work, or they may achieve their experience hours under the supervision of an NU faculty member, by taking our elective Intensive Practicum courses. One semester of Intensive Practicum provides students with up to 375 supervised fieldwork hours. (See the BACB Handbook  here)

When do students take the Intensive Practicum courses if they elect to do so?
Students may take the Intensive Practicum courses at any point after their first semester in the program, alongside their other coursework. Alternatively, students may take the Intensive Practicum courses after they have completed their other coursework.

I have completed previous coursework in ABA. Can I transfer those credits to Northeastern’s ABA Program?
In some cases, students may transfer credits from a previous institution, but only if those courses align closely with our own. Students may transfer up to 3 graduate level courses (9 credit hours), provided they received a 3.0 or better in those courses, provided the coursework was completed within the last 5 years, and provided the course did not lead to a terminal degree (e.g., a master’s degree). It is important to note that our program is a verified course sequence (VCS); when students transfer coursework from a previous institution, they are no longer following an approved course sequence. Students who transfer coursework will need to submit evidence of all coursework to the BACB in order to sit for the BCBA exam. It is ultimately up to the BACB to determine if students have completed all of the necessary coursework prior to sitting for the BCBA exam. In order to transfer credits, students must first apply to the program. Once accepted and enrolled, students complete a Petition to Transfer Credits form which must be approved by the Program Director and the Bouve Graduate Office.

Are the GREs required to apply?
We do not require GREs for admission to our programs.

When do students start in the program?
We enroll students in the fall and in the spring. The deadline to apply for the fall is 8/1, and the deadline to apply for the spring is 12/1.

How much does tuition cost?
The cost is a per-credit rate for 30 credits that may change. The current rate can be found here.

Is the tuition rate different for out-of-state students?
Tuition is the same for in-state and out-of-state students.

Is financial aid available?
Students may take advantage of financial aid opportunities. More information about financial aid can be found here.

What do students do after graduation?
Most of our graduates plan to become Board Certified Behavior Analysts after completing our program. Many of our graduates work in schools or private agencies, providing oversight of behavioral and educational programming for individuals with autism and related disabilities. Many of our graduates also work in research or in academia. See our website for a sampling of our alumni and where they work.

Where do I send my admissions documents?
All documents may be included with your application electronically. If you need to mail them: 1. If you are mailing your documents from within the U.S., use this address:

Northeastern University
Bouve College of Health and Sciences
Applicant ID: XXXXXXX (insert your Applicant ID number)
Graduate Application Processing Center
P.O. Box 1434
Portsmouth, NH 03802

2. If you are mailing your documents from outside the U.S., use this address:
Northeastern University
Bouve College of Health Sciences
Applicant ID: XXXXXXX (insert your Applicant ID number)
Graduate Application Documents
360 Huntington Ave.
Boston, MA 02115 USA

Please include your 7-digit Applicant ID with your documents. Northeastern uses the Applicant ID to match your document with your official admissions record. If you have more than one Applicant ID, use the one associated with the College/Degree/Program in which you plan to enroll. Your Applicant ID may have been emailed to you by your graduate college admissions office.

If you do not know your Applicant ID, follow these steps:
1. Login to your application (ApplyYourself) account
2. Click EDIT APPLICATION
Your Applicant ID will appear towards the top of any introductory language or content, and/or can be referenced on the left-hand side of screen menu under the Important Links section. There you will see “Check Your Applicant ID XXXXXXX” (where XXXXXXX will be your 7-digit unique ID).

Who are the ABA program faculty?
Nicole Davis, PhD, BCBA, LABA (Program Director)
[email protected]
Maeve G. Donnelly, PhD, BCBA-D, LABA (Director of Supervision)
[email protected]
Laura Dudley, PhD, BCBA-D, LABA (Associate Clinical Professor)
[email protected]
Andrew Bonner (Program Director Charlotte ABA Programs)
[email protected]
Paula Braga-Kenyon, PhD, BCBA-D
[email protected]
Shawn Kenyon, PhD, BCBA
[email protected]
Mike Dorsey, PhD, LABA, BCBA-D
[email protected]
Amanda Laprime, PhD, BCBA, LABA
[email protected]
Ashley Williams, PhD, BCBA, LABA
[email protected]
Rob Volpe, PhD (Department Chair)
[email protected]