UWF to offer new behavior analysis degree

The University of West Florida is launching a Master of Science in Behavior Analysis beginning in Fall 2024, pending approval from the Florida Board of Governors. The UWF Board of Trustees approved the program at a meeting held on May 16.

The proposed graduate degree program consists of 39 credit hours with optional credit hours up to 45 that will be offered online and housed in the Department of Health Sciences and Administration within the Usha Kundu, MD College of Health.

“UWF’s commitment to expand academic programming to align with local and regional workforce needs is reflected in this new program,” said Dr. Jaromy Kuhl, UWF provost. “The coursework taught by talented and experienced faculty, and the hands-on experience students will receive will set them apart, ready to make an impact in the applied behavior analysis field.”

The fully online master’s degree program will prepare graduates for a career in applied behavior analysis by offering curriculum and degree requirements for national and international examinations to become board-certified behavior analysts, qualified behavior analysts and international behavior analysts. The curriculum is aligned with the accreditation standards set forth by the Association for Behavior Analysis International and includes a thesis and supervised practical application experience. The program has plans to apply for ABAI accreditation.

The addition of the master’s program complements the existing Health Sciences, B.S. – Behavior Analysis specialization, offering students an opportunity to elevate their experience and expertise following undergraduate study. Both programs benefit from close partnership with the UWF Center for Behavior Analysis, where fieldwork provides hands-on experience and positions students for job opportunities following graduation.

“The Usha Kundu, MD College of Health is excited for the launch of this new program,” said Dr. David Bellar, dean of the Usha Kundu, MD College of Health. “It is aligned to a critical area of need for our local and regional community and is responsive to the changes in the discipline. The program will provide rigorous foundational coursework and solid clinical skills for students who will go out into the community to provide much-needed services.”

The addition of the masters program complements the existing Bachelors of Health Sciences specialization in Behavior Analysis, offering students an opportunity to elevate their experience and expertise following undergraduate study. Both programs benefit from close partnership with the UWF Center for Behavior Analysis, where field work provides hands-on experience which can result in job opportunities following graduation.

The field of applied behavior analysis is growing rapidly with annual job postings for Board Certified Behavior Analyst positions in the U.S. above 46,000 in 2021. In Florida, demand for BCBAs increased 32% between 2021 and 2022 with an annual salary range of $75,000 to $125,000.

For more information about the Usha Kundu, MD College of Health, visit uwf.edu/ukcoh.