Online Master of Arts in Applied Behavioral Science

Applied behavioral scientists and researchers impact our society and culture in a variety of areas, including social work, public health, law enforcement, special and regular education, medicine, and psychology. Practitioners in this field improve how people learn, work and live.

As a pioneering institution in behavioral research and practice, the University of Kansas is an ideal place to further your studies in this field and prepare you for a career of helping others. The KU Department of Applied Behavioral Science offers a Master of Arts in Applied Behavioral Science, with all-online courses designed for busy professionals and students. You’ll receive high-quality education and training on a schedule that fits your needs, and are thoroughly committed to training the next generation of behavior analysts.

Program Requirements

We seek students who have backgrounds in psychology or education, with some clinical experience, who are interested in learning about the science of behavior and the field of behavior analysis. The online master’s program will include educational preparation required by the BACB for BCBA certification. An empirical master’s thesis is required with a defense scheduled on campus in Lawrence.

For more information, visit our Online Master's profile.

Program Format

Three faculty comprise the online program and serve as faculty advisors. This program consists of online classes that incorporate both synchronous and asynchronous delivery. Complete coursework at your own pace and discuss content with fellow students whenever and wherever you want. Campus faculty will also sit on thesis committees for online students.

Unique Practicum Opportunities

The ABSC Online Program partners with high-caliber clinical sites with BCBA supervisors to ensure students receive a high-quality training experience while collecting fieldwork supervision. ABSC Online graduate students practicing at Approved Clinical Practicum Sites under Approved Clinical Supervisors are eligible to accrue group supervision toward their fieldwork hours while enrolled in Clinical Practicum (ABSC 872). This group supervision experience provides graduate students with formal educational opportunities designed to enhance clinical skills. Students benefit from working with fellow students from a variety of clinical agencies that broaden perspectives and deepen understanding of best practices in behavioral science. This group supervision experience is a unique and rare opportunity only for KU online graduate students in this program.

Certification and Licensure Information

KU’s licensure programs strive to maintain accurate and up-to-date information about the educational requirements for licensure in U.S. states and territories. However, regulations are subject to change and varying interpretations. In addition to possible changes in educational requirements, licensure often includes additional requirements, such as specific examinations and additional training or practicum hours. It is highly recommended that students seek guidance from the appropriate licensing agency before beginning an academic program to ensure they know what is needed to obtain the license/certification/registration in the state in which they intend to practice and/or seek licensure.

KU’s Online Master of Arts in Applied Behavioral Science program provides the educational requirements to meet the Behavior Analysis Certification Board® (BACB) requirements for taking the Board Certified Behavior Analyst® (BCBA) Examination. Furthermore, the program meets the educational requirements for licensure in various states. The table below outlines whether the KU Online Master’s program meets or does not meet the educational requirements for licensure in each state and territory in the US. It is important to note that some states do not have licensure to date and thus do not have licensure requirements (this is denoted for a particular state or territory by N/A in the table below).

Online M.A.

State or Territory	Meets Licensure Requirements?
Alabama	YES
Alaska	YES
Arizona	YES
Connecticut	YES
Georgia	YES
Hawaii	YES
Illinois	YES
Indiana	YES
Iowa	YES
Kansas	YES
Kentucky	YES
Louisiana	YES
Maryland	YES
Massachusetts	YES
Michigan	YES
Mississippi	YES
Missouri	YES
Montana	YES
Nebraska	YES
Nevada	YES
New Jersey	YES
New Mexico	YES
New York	YES
North Carolina	YES
North Dakota	YES
Ohio	YES
Oklahoma	YES
Oregon	YES
Pennsylvania	NO for behavior specialist licensure (see below table for behavior analyst licensure)
Rhode Island	YES
South Carolina	YES
South Dakota	YES
Tennessee	YES
Texas	YES
Utah	YES
Vermont	YES
Virginia	YES
Washington	YES
Wisconsin	YES
Wyoming	YES

It is important to note that some states do not have licensure to date and thus do not have licensure requirements (this is denoted for a particular state or territory by N/A in the table below):

State or Territory	Meets Licensure Requirements?
American Samoa	N/A
Arkansas	N/A
California	N/A
Colorado	N/A
Delaware	N/A
District of Columbia	N/A
Federated States of Micronesia	N/A
Florida	N/A
Guam	N/A
Idaho	N/A
Maine	N/A
Minnesota	N/A
New Hampshire	N/A
Northern Mariana Islands	N/A
Pennsylvania	N/A for behavior analyst licensure
Puerto Rico	N/A
Republic of Palau	N/A
Republic of the Marshall Islands	N/A
U.S. Virgin Islands	N/A
West Virginia	N/A
American Samoa	N/A
Arkansas	N/A
California	N/A
Colorado	N/A
Delaware	N/A
District of Columbia	N/A
Federated States of Micronesia	N/A
Florida	N/A
Guam	N/A
Idaho	N/A
Maine	N/A
Minnesota	N/A
New Hampshire	N/A
Northern Mariana Islands	N/A
Pennsylvania	N/A for behavior analyst licensure
Puerto Rico	N/A
Republic of Palau	N/A
Republic of the Marshall Islands	N/A
U.S. Virgin Islands	N/A
West Virginia	N/A

Students need to familiarize themselves with licensure requirements in the state in which they would like to practice. Some states currently do not require licensure, but most do and may have additional licensure laws or requirements. Note also that licensure rules and regulations may change at any time. The process for obtaining a license in the state or states in which an individual may wish to work can be found through the state licensure board. Students should be aware of all such requirements BEFORE beginning the academic program to ensure they can obtain a license in the state or states for which they wish to work. For states in which students seek licensure, we highly recommend that they contact the individual state licensure board.

Provided below is a resource from the Behavior Analyst Certification Board® (BACB), which provides state-specific information about licensure for Applied Behavior Analysts in the states that require it:

BACB Licensure of Behavior Analysts

More Information

For more information on this degree program, please visit the details page and complete the form in the top right corner of that page. Select “MA in Applied Behavioral Science” as your academic interest.