University of Saint Joseph - ABA Degree Programs

Applied Behavior Analysis Programs at the University of Saint Joseph

The University of Saint Joseph appears in our ranking of the 10 Best ABA Master’s Degree Programs.

Applied behavior analysis programs train and prepare students for working with those diagnosed with autism and other disorders on the spectrum. The top program offered by the University of Saint Joseph is a Master of Science (MS) in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). Though the program features three years of work, the third year includes practicums and two capstone classes. Students can expect to take classes such as Foundations of Behavior Analysis, Research Methods in the Behavioral Sciences, Experimental Analysis of Behavior, Professional and Ethical Issues and Organizational Behavior Management and Consultation.

A graduate certificate in applied behavior analysis is also available from the University of Saint Joseph. Students only need to take six classes but will need to meet with an advisor to identify their needs and which courses they should take. They will take two classes on interventions to learn how to stage an intervention in a school setting or to handle the behaviors of a client. The program also features Foundations of Behavior Analysis and courses on assessing the needs of clients.

Through the university’s online division, students can enroll in a Master of Special Education program and pick an ABA concentration. The program includes two electives, seven ABA classes, and four core courses. Their concentration courses help students pass the Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) exam to get an ABA license. The seven classes in the ABA concentration include Behavior Assessment, Concepts and Principles of Behavior Analysis, Ethics and Professionalism in Behavior Analysis, Behavior Change Procedures and Science and Philosophy of Behavior Analysis. Students who need more fieldwork and professional experience can do internships as some of their electives.

The University of Saint Joseph has a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Special Education that can provide students with the skills needed to work with those who have autism and related disorders in a school setting. Near the end of the program, majors will take a seminar that functions as a capstone. This allows them to work in small groups and learn from others as they do a final paper. Special education majors must take Literature for Children, Foundations of Education, Teaching Students with Mild Disabilities, Teaching Students with Significant Disabilities and Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports among other classes.

Those with a bachelor’s degree can enroll in the university’s Master of Arts (MA) in Special Education. It includes nine electives and 12 credits of required classes such as Research in Special Education, Behavioral Interventions, Assistive Technology for Access to the Curriculum Special Education and Instructional Planning and Interventions in Special Education: Writing and Study Skills. The university also offers an MA in School Counseling program that includes some ABA courses.

About the University of Saint Joseph

The University of Saint Joseph is a private university known as USJ in West Hartford, Connecticut. Established by the Religious Sisters of Mercy it Connecticut, the university has an affiliation with the Roman Catholic Church. Up until 2016, USJ was a women’s college. After an extensive review of its policies and the needs of students in the region, the university became coeducational and allowed men to enter most of its programs at the beginning of 2018. USJ now has an enrollment of more than 2,400 students, but most of its student body are still young women attending college for the first time.

University of Saint Joseph Accreditation Details

USJ has regional accreditation from the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (CIHE) of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). This is the main or primary accreditation held by the university that allows students to seek financial aid opportunities through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The USJ education programs have accreditation from the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) also.

University of Saint Joseph Application Requirements

Students applying to the undergraduate programs at USJ cannot start as education majors. They need to first apply to the university, which requires an application, a 250-word essay, an application fee and a letter of recommendation from a counselor or teacher. Though USJ has an online application, it also accepts the Common Application, both of which have a space for the essay. USJ students can submit a standardized test score too but this is not required. Once they reach their sophomore years and have a GPA of 2.7 or higher, they can apply to the special education program. The university asks that they submit a score from the Praxis Core exam, an essay, an education plan and two letters of recommendation. Only those who pass an interview with a faculty member and meet these requirements can declare a major in special education.

USJ has a priority application deadline of April first, which lets students qualify for assistantships and scholarships. Students can only start in the fall because they will follow a set curriculum and course sequence in the ABA program. The university asks for a personal statement or essay that addresses their reasons for studying ABA and the elements and skills they have that will help them in the field. Students need to write 300 words on each topic. USJ also requires two professional letters of recommendation, college transcripts, immunization records, a completed application, and application fee. The certificate program has the same application and admissions requirements. Students applying to the MA in Special Education program need to apply, two official transcripts that show they had a GPA of 2.5 or higher, two letters of recommendation, a study plan/schedule, and their immunization records.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Part-time undergrads at USJ pay $903 per credit hour, which includes fees and the base tuition rate. Full-time undergrads pay $37,361 each year and can take 12 or more credits in both the fall and spring semesters. Graduate students pay $693 per credit hour in a traditional degree program and $720 per credit hour in an online program. These students need to pay a comprehensive fee of $1,366 per year and a health insurance fee of $3,204. USJ offers health insurance waivers for grad students who already have coverage. Students who use the FAFSA qualify for loans, scholarships, grants, work-study and other awards that help them pay for the ABA programs available at the University of Saint Joseph.