Application Information - M.A. in Applied Behavior Analysis

Thank you for your interest in our Master of Arts in Applied Behavior Analysis. We are proud to offer a flexible professional degree program designed to provide the knowledge base for effective and compassionate practice in behavior analysis and to meet the coursework specifications of the Behavior Analysis Certification Board (BACB). Each of the ten 3-hour courses offered in the degree focuses on scientifically grounded and humanely practiced behavioral interventions.

Application Deadlines

Applications are accepted year round. Please note that all application components (application, departmental application form, resume, personal statement, and references' contact information) must be received by the deadline in order to be considered for that semester. The deadlines for each semester are as follows:

Applications for Fall are accepted through June 15th. Fall applications will be reviewed starting in January.

Applications for Spring are accepted through October 15th. Spring applications will be reviewed starting in June.

Applications for Summer are accepted through March 31st. Summer applications will be reviewed starting in September.

Application Procedures

Behavior Analysis Online (BAO) seeks applications from caring individuals who are passionate about Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and the value it brings to people’s lives. Our completely online and asynchronous coursework offers students flexibility and independence in their learning. The application process is competitive, involves a holistic review, and values all relevant experiences of the applicant. However, the coursework is rigorous and students who have experience in behavior analysis or related fields (e.g., special education) are most successful. 

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from accredited college or university
• A 3.0 GPA overall or 3.25 in last 2 years of college
• GRE is not required

Preferred Qualifications

• A 3.5 GPA overall
• At least one year of experience in the field of ABA or related fields (e.g., special education, education, or psychology)
• Strong written communication skills
• Opportunity to receive BCBA supervision

Application Steps (MA in ABA)

For step-by-step instructions on the application process, please visit the Graduate Admissions website. This website includes details on how to submit materials including transcripts, references, and other items.

Click here to go to the Graduate Admissions website.

Additional Information:

Here are the items you will be submitting as part of the application process, along with your transcripts.

Application Form

Please complete this departmental application form (through Qualtrics). Your response will be recorded when you submit the form.

Resume or Curriculum Vitae

Please submit a current resume or Curriculum Vitae. Please ensure that this document is updated to include your most current education and work experiences.

References

If you are applying for Spring 2025: please download this form, complete and sign it, and submit it to your MyUNT portal with the rest of your application documents.

If you are applying for Summer 2025 or after: you will provide this information on the UNT GradCAS application website.

Please provide 2 professional references who can comment on your professional skills and conduct, as it relates to ABA, and your ability to successfully complete graduate-level work. Ideally, you would provide one academic reference and one professional reference (a BCBA is preferred or work supervisor, if possible).

We will contact your references with a recommendation form for them to fill out. Please note that we will not contact references until all application materials have been submitted.

Personal Statement

• Part 1: Please address the following topics in 500-600 words, Arial, Aptos, or Calibri font, with 1-inch margins:
  • Briefly describe your educational and work background, as related to your experience in ABA or related fields. REQUIRED: Be sure to specify how many years you have with relevant professional experiences.
  • Explain why you are interested in behavior analysis and your professional aspirations.
• Part 2: Supervision Plan - in a separate section, 300 words maximum
  • Discuss your specific plan to gain supervised fieldwork hours.
    • For example, do you work in a location where you can receive supervised fieldwork hours?
    • Identify who might be the qualified BCBA supervisor to provide supervision.
  • Describe the settings and types of experiences you are seeking to gain during your supervised fieldwork hours.

Please review the Graduate Admissions website for information on how to submit these documents

If you have any questions, please contact us at BAO@unt.edu.