ABA
Women
Master of Professional Studies in Applied Behavior Analysis
Program Overview
An emerging and highly popular track in the field of behavior modification, ABA is devoted to understanding and improving human behavior and quality of life. This is accomplished through the application of scientific methodology to real-world problems and solutions.
The Manhattanville University 36-credit Master’s of Professional Studies in ABA is designed to train the student in the emerging field of ABA and certify the student as an LBA (Licensed Behavior Analyst) and BCBA (Board Certified Behavior Analyst), all at the graduate level.
ABA has applications in business and industry; autism, and intellectual disabilities; education at all levels; treatment of psychiatric disorders and family relationships; geriatrics; general and specialty medicine; and numerous other areas. Its primary application, however, is in the treatment of autism, and job opportunities in the field are at an all-time high.
Students who successfully complete the MPS or Advanced Certificate in ABA are eligible to sit for the BCBA exam and certify as both a BCBA and a NYS LBA.
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Prerequisites
Conferred Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited institution
Admission
Undergraduate Transcript (minimum 3.3 GPA)
Resume
Essay
Two Letters of Recommendation
Personal Photograph
Non-refundable Application Fee
Courses
Possible Career Paths
Faculty & Instructors
Ahuva Black
MSEd, BCBA LBA
Ahuva Gersten-Brafman
MS, BCBA, LBA
Dina Billig
MSEd, LBA, BCBA
Elena Zaklis
MA BCBA LBA
Raizy Izrailev
MSEd, BCBA, LBA
Shira Englard
MSEd, BCBA
Tuition & Financial Aid
The cost for this degree is $22,950.
**Graduates of Sara Schenirer’s Sara Schenirer’s BA in Psychology - ABA Track save $1,825 off this total. This reduces tuition to just $21,125!
At the graduate level, financial aid is available in the form of loans that can cover the full cost of the degree. Additionally, students will receive compensation from the supervising agency for their fieldwork hours.
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) can be completed online at this link. Manhattanville’s FAFSA school code is 002760. Be sure to complete the correct year’s application.
Additionally, there are a number of scholarships open to Jewish graduate students for which we encourage you to apply:
Rose Biller Scholarship Fund – The Rose Biller Scholarship Fund is open to Jewish residents of NYC’s five boroughs, Westchester, and Long Island with financial need. It provides scholarships to Jewish men and women with significant economic need attending undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools.
Helen B and Lewis E Goldstein Scholarship Fund – The Helen B and Lewis E Goldstein Scholarship Fund is open to Jewish full-time students enrolled in an accredited undergraduate or graduate school in the United States.
Samuel Lemberg Scholarship Loan Fund – The Samuel Lemberg Scholarship Loan Fund provides interest-free loans to aid Jewish undergraduate and graduate college students who exhibit exceptional academic achievement and face financial difficulties pursuing a higher education. These loans must be repaid within ten years of graduation or termination of studies.
To get more information on these scholarships, please reach out to each organization directly. Please check scholarship websites for availability and deadlines. Most scholarships are not available every semester.
Please note: The listed tuition costs are accurate as of the time of writing, but are not guaranteed. Please ask our advisor for updated pricing.
FAQs
What is Applied Behavior Analysis?
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is the process of systematically applying interventions based upon the principles of learning theory to improve socially significant behaviors to a meaningful degree. The practice is used extensively in education, healthcare, and business management. It is particularly prominent in the treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), for which it is considered a scientifically valid therapy.
What is a Master of Professional Studies in Applied Behavior Analysis?
The Manhattanville University Master of Professional Studies in Applied Behavior Analysis is a 36-credit graduate program ideal for an individual who wishes to pursue a career in the field of ABA. Graduates will be eligible to apply for Licensure through NYS and take the BCBA Exam for certification from the BACB. This Master’s degree in ABA was specifically developed in response to the increasing demand for professionals who are trained to design, implement, and supervise behavior analytic programs for individuals with autism and related disorders, and for a variety of other students with and without disabilities. The aim of the ABA graduate program is to prepare students as scientist-practitioners who can use behavior analysis to solve problems of human importance.
Which career options does an MPS in Applied Behavior Analysis offer?
Among the career options available are: Behavior Analyst, Applied Behavior Analysis Therapist, Behavior Consultant, Behavior Therapist, Clinical Supervisor, Behavior Interventionist, and more.
Behavior Analysts (BCBA) made U.S. News and World Report’s Top 100 Best Jobs of 2017, and full-time practitioners in NYS earn an average of $125,000 annually.
Which university have you partnered with to offer this degree?
We are proud to have partnered with Manhattanville University, a highly-ranked, private, liberal arts college offering undergraduate and graduate degrees, located in the village of Harrison, NY. All degree programs offered at Manhattanville University are authorized and approved by the New York State Education Department. The college is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, and it has received accreditation for its teaching programs through the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).
Is this program approved for licensure and certification?
There are two credentials that professionals in the field of ABA seek to acquire:
• Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) – Required to practice nationally
• New York State Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA) – Required to practice in NY/NJ
The Master of Professional Studies in ABA from Manhattanville University is approved by New York State for licensure as an LBA, and by the Behavior Analysis Certification Board as a BCBA.
The program will help guide students through the requirements and processes for national certification and for New York State licensure.
If I don’t plan to work in NYS, is this degree ideal for me?
This degree will allow you to work as a BCBA anywhere in the country, since it’s a national certification. The field of ABA is lucrative throughout the country and many new ABA agencies open on a constant basis.
How long will it take to earn the degree?
This accelerated degree can be completed in five semesters.
What are the fieldwork requirements, and will they be satisfied through coursework?
As stated above, there are two credentials that you can earn– BCBA (BACB) and LBA (NYS).
To apply for BCBA certification, students must complete 1,500-2,000 hours of supervised fieldwork. Students may fulfill their fieldwork requirements during the course of the program. Students who reside in NY need to be supervised by an LBA in order to earn NY certification.
Students who complete the required fieldwork hours will be eligible to apply for licensure and take the licensing exams following graduation.
What are the fieldwork requirements, and will they be satisfied through coursework?
As stated above, there are two credentials that you can earn– BCBA (BACB) and LBA (NYS).
To apply for BCBA certification, students must complete 1,500-2,000 hours of supervised fieldwork. Students may fulfill their fieldwork requirements during the course of the program. Students who reside in NY need to be supervised by an LBA in order to earn NY certification.
Students who complete the required fieldwork hours will be eligible to apply for licensure and take the licensing exams following graduation.
There is so much going around about the changes in the NYS LBA. Can you explain what I need to do to earn my LBA?
A law was recently passed in NYS which absolves students of the additional LBA fieldwork requirements. This means that the process of achieving one’s LBA has become significantly more simple. There are 3 steps to earning one's BCBA (national certification):
1. Coursework (the actual classes)
2. Fieldwork (1500-2000 hours of supervised fieldwork)
3. Passing the BCBA exam
Upon completion of these 3 steps, one can apply for their BCBA. After the student receives their BCBA, they can then send that to NYS and receive their NYS LBA with no additional requirements necessary.
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Questions & Guidance
Bonni Herman
Women's Student Advisor