Below we've prepared some Frequently
Asked Questions about our south Florida Masters Degree
program in Behavior Analysis.
Can I get a Masters
degree in behavior analysis at one of the local universities? No.
Local universities offer only limited coursework
in behavior analysis and require students to take
many classes outside the field of behavior analysis.
This does not prepare the student to be a qualified
professional behavior analyst.
What is the role of the
University of Nevada - Reno? The
University of Nevada - Reno (UNR) is one of the world's
leading graduate training programs in Behavior Analysis.
UNR has been a leader in providing off-campus graduate
training in Behavior Analysis and has successfully
completed masters programs in several states. The
first Florida cohort graduated in the fall of
2003.
What is the role of Behavior
Analysis, Inc.? Behavior Analysis,
Inc. (BAI) is one of the premier behavioral consulting
firms in the United States and has long recognized
the need for quality graduate training in south Florida.
Because the local universities have been unable to
meet this need, BAI began contracting with the UNR
to offer a masters program in south Florida to increase
the pool of highly-trained behavior analysts available
in the area. BAI administers the Florida program.
Students contract with BAI to take their classes
and BAI, in turn, contracts with UNR to provide these
classes and training experience.
What
does the program entail?
There are a total of 13 courses. Each 3-credit
course will be delivered over a 16 week period during the
Fall (August - December) and Spring (January - May) semesters. Classes will be scheduled over
2 consecutive days (Saturday and Sunday), twice per month. Twelve credits will be delivered per year
(15 the last year), for a total of 39 credits. Although
this program is meant to be accommodating to full time
working persons, it is expected that students will have
adequate time to devote to program activities.
What
are the practicum requirements? Practicum placements will be made at each student's workplace. There is no
additional hourly requirement to a regular work-week for the completion of
the practicum. However, a special project specifically related to the program
must be identified and approved by UNR faculty in conjunction with the students'
work supervisor. The practicum project in the first year must relate to an individual whereas,
the practicum project for the second year must be a systems/OBM practicum (i.e.
dealing with agency performance management issues/needs). UNR's faculty advisor
or designee will work closely with each work-site supervisor. The person designated
as the site practicum supervisor should be a Board Certified Behavior Analyst This
will entail additional and ongoing communication with UNR staff.
Is the
program accredited?
Yes. The University of Nevada - Reno off
campus masters program is fully accredited and recognized.
Is
the program recognized by the Behavior Analysis Certification
Board? Yes. It is fully recognized
by the Board and the program greatly exceeds the
Board's requirements.
What
are the requirements for continuing in the program? Students must take all scheduled classes when they are offered, maintain a "B" average
in all coursework, and perform satisfactorily in their practicum placements
during the first year of studies, in order to continue in the program. A final
average of "B" is required to graduate the program.
Is a Master's Thesis
required? Students are required to complete a course in Graduate Research but a master's
thesis is not required to graduate. However, advanced students wishing
to further their learning by completing a Master's thesis may do so. The master's
thesis is supervised by a committee of three graduate faculty members, including
one outside of Psychology faculty at UNR. The thesis entails a prospectus meeting
with the committee, followed by a final defense. There are additional costs
related to these activities for students wishing to complete a thesis.
What is the admission
and application process? The program seeks students who are committed to a behavioral orientation in
psychology and who show scholarly potential as applied scientists. The application
process entails applying for admission both to the University of Nevada at
Reno (UNR) and to the Psychology Department at UNR. The application for graduate
school admission to UNR includes (a) two official copies of transcripts (b)
official copies of GRE scores, (c) three letters of recommendation, and (4)
$60 application fee. The application to the psychology department requires
the same information but copies may be unofficial copies. There is no additional
fee for applying to the psychology department.
What are
the GRE score admission requirements? Student applicants must have a minimum total GRE score of 980 to be admitted
into the program. However, students who have a total score lower than 900 may
be provisionally admitted initially, and officially admitted at the end of
the first year - provided they meet the requirements for continuation mentioned
above. GRE scores must have been obtained within the last 4 years.
Will UNR allow
the transfer of graduate credits from other programs? Transfer of credits may be approved on a course-by-course basis up to a maximum
of 9 credits as long as the student can prove that a previous course is equivalent
to UNR's course in content and requirements and provided the student obtained
a "B" or better in the course.
What is the program
start date? The next group of students will begin in
the fall of 2004. Applications must be
made to the university by June 1, 2004.
Is financial aid available? Financial aid
may be available in the form of student loans
though a financial institution. The program does not qualify
for federal financial aid programs, however, it does qualify
for personal student loans.
Where will the
classes be held? Classes will be
held primarily in the Ft. Lauderdale, Florida area. Some
classes may be offered via the internet.
Will there be
a graduation ceremony? A formal graduation is planned at the end of the program. UNR faculty and others
will attend and will give out diplomas and participate in graduation ceremonies.
Depending on how elaborate students want the ceremony to be there may be additional
charges (e.g., for a hall, food and entertainment, etc.). This will be addressed
at a later date. We expect students to deal with this democratically and we
will honor the majority wishes.
What is the cost of the program? The cost per credit is based on UNR's nonresident fees and includes administrative
costs. The cost per credit is $355. The total cost of
tuition for the program is approximately $13,845. This does not include books,
application, registration, and graduation fees or any other associated costs
you may have, such as lodging. This is still a very reasonable cost and is
competitive with other outstanding masters degree program in Behavior Analysis.
What other fees are
involved? A one time registration fee of $150 is due to Behavior Analysis, Inc. at the
time of application. Additionally, Behavior Analysis, Inc. will require a promissory
note requiring the student to guarantee payment of the entire program, even
if he or she fails to complete the entire program. This should not be a problem
for students who are serious about completing the entire masters program.
How do I get an application? Applications may be mailed to you. Call Behavior Analysis, Inc. at 954.577-7790
to have one mailed to you or email us at Customer
Service to request an application.
How do I get more
information? Check out the
Masters Degree Program home
page. If you are interested and would like more
information, please
contact us by phone at (954) 577-7790 or
email
us.
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