Curriculum Requirements
M.A. in Applied Behavioral Science
The online master's program trains highly competent scientist-practitioners in applied behavioral science. The program offers courses on the empirical and conceptual foundations of behavioral science and its research methods but emphasizes coursework and supervised experience in behavioral assessment, analysis, intervention, and evaluation. Its mission is to advance empirically-based solutions to problems of societal importance.
Course Requirements
This degree requires a total of 30 credit hours, including 18 hours of content coursework, 6 hours of electives, 3 hours of research or practicum, and 9-12 thesis hours. Students must also conduct, write and orally defend an empirically based thesis.
Waiving requirements
If you were admitted for the online Master’s degree having taken graduate courses at another university, you are still required to complete all of the ABS coursework and other requirements for the online Master’s degree outlined in Appendix B of the graduate handbook. However, you may request that your prior graduate courses count as fulfilling a portion of the ABS online Master’s degree coursework as long as you earned a grade of A or B (B- is not good enough). For example, you are required to take a research methods course (ABSC 770) for the ABS online master’s degree, but may have already completed a comparable graduate course at another university. If this is the case, then you may petition to waive ABSC 770 by submitting a written request to the Director(s) of Graduate Study. Each request should be accompanied by (a) the course syllabus of the previously completed course (b) the syllabus from the course you are petitioning to waive, (c) documentation of the grade earned in it (e.g., copy of your transcript, which the ABS Graduate Program Coordinator has on file), and (d) a letter of support from your advisor. Here are some important rules you should consider before submitting your request:
• You may not request to waive a course with one you took 6 or more years earlier.
• You may waive up to 3 courses (9 hours).
• Students are required to earn from KU the credit hours required for the master’s degree: 18 hours of content courses plus 3 hrs (minimum) of practicum, 3 hrs (minimum) of thesis credits, and 6 hrs of elective coursework – a total of at least 30 credit hours for the MA.
• All waivers are approved at the discretion of the Graduate Studies Committee.
• You may not submit a petition if you are beyond your first year and you have not submitted an annual progress evaluation in the preceding academic year.