BCBA Program Option

NOTE: The summer class option for the BCBA program will be EDU692 Measurement and Experimental Evaluation of Behavioral Interventions (3)

This class is scheduled for Mondays and Thursdays the weeks of July 14, 21, 28 and August 18 and 25. It will be at the Melmark New England School in North Andover, MA. Class will run from 4p.m. till 8 p.m.

Students must take EDU691 Introduction to Applied Behavior Analysis in Special Education first and EDU694 Behavior Change Procedures and System Supports last.  

COMBINED MASTER OF ARTS IN SPECIAL EDUCATION AND BEHAVIORAL ANALYSIS
The Master's Degree program in Special Education and Behavior Analysis at Gordon College is a unique advanced-level teacher preparation program focused on the application of behavioral principles in addressing the needs of exceptional learners. The Gordon College program offers students three options relative to the study of Special Education and Behavior Analysis. These are:

• The Combined Master of Arts in Special Education and Behavior Analysis

• The Behavior Analysis Program Option

• The Special Education Licensure Option

I. Combined Master of Arts in Special Education and Behavior Analysis          
The Combined Master of Arts in Special Education and Behavior Analysis is designed to offer students aspiring to become both Licensed Special Education Teachers and Board Certified Behavior Analysts, the ability to complete the requirements for both in this combined Master's program. The combined program is 42 credit hours, and designed to be completed in two years. The Gordon program is approved by the Massachusetts Department of Education with approval pending by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. Completion of the program leads to institutional endorsement for  Massachusetts licensure as teacher of students with moderate disabilities (prek-8 or 5-12) and meets the prerequisite coursework and experience standards of the Behavior Analysis Certification Board for the Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) credential.

II. Behavior Analysis Program Option
Individuals who hold a Master's or above degree in Special Education, Psychology, or a related field and who are seeking certification by the Behavior Analysis Certification Board (http://www.bacb.com) as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), may enroll in a Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) approved five-course sequence in preparation for the certification examination. Additionally, students holding a bachelor's degree in Special Education, Psychology or a related field and who are seeking certification by the BACB as a Board Certified Associate Behavior Analyst (BCABA) may also apply to enroll in this course sequence. Such individuals may apply as a special student to complete the five-course sequence of classes to be eligible to sit for the BCBA certification examination.

Behavior Analysis Program Option courses are 3-credit-hour courses, but are scheduled for 45 contact hours each in order to meet the BACB requirement for a total of 225 classroom contact hours. Students are responsible for independently securing the supervision required by the BACB to sit for their certification examination, but must gain consent for their individual supervisor and must coordinate this process through their faculty advisor, including providing the required documentation for all supervision sessions. Support in securing such supervision is available through the Gordon College Department of Graduate Studies in Special education.

NOTE: Transfer credits from appropriately accredited university programs will be considered on an individual student basis.

BCBA Courses (for full course descriptions, download the BCBA Brochure to the right or see listing below). All BCBA certification courses are offered annually.

EDU691 Introduction to Applied Behavior Analysis in Special Education
EDU692 Measurement and Experimental Evaluation of Behavioral Intervention
EDU693 Behavioral Assessment
EDU694 Behavior Change Procedures and System Supports
EDU695 Education Law and Ethical Issues in Behavior Analysis

III. Special Education Licensure Option          
An individual holding a Master's Degree in Special Education or a related field and is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), may similarly apply as a special student to complete the traditional special education course sequence to qualify for Massachusetts licensure as a teacher of students with moderate disabilities (prek-8 or 5-12) examination. Courses of study to meet the Massachusetts Licensure requirements will be developed on an individual student basis.

Special Education Licensure Courses (for full course descriptions, download the BCBA Brochure to the right or see listing below)

NOTE: Transfer credits from appropriately accredited university programs will be considered on an individual student basis.

ED614 Technology for Students with and without Moderate Disabilities
ED621 Math in Interactive Classroom
ED622 Integrating Content in Classroom: English, History and Science
ED633 Principles of Reading and Literacy
ED634 Language Acquisition, Learning Disabilities and ESL
ED665 Meeting Needs of Exceptional Students in Regular Classrooms
ED667 Educational Assessment of Students with Moderate Disabilities
ED682 Advanced Theory and Practice in Teaching Students with Moderate Disabilities
ED691 Introduction to Applied Behavior Analysis in Special Education

TUITION AND FEES
$425 per credit hour
$50 general administration fee per semester
$50 one-time application fee (due at the time of matriculation)

MASTER'S DEGREE FACULTY OF INSTRUCTION
Malcolm L. Patterson, Ed.D.
Stella M. Pierce, Ed.D.
Barbara Mathieu, Ed.D.
U. Mary Murray, M.S.Ed.

BCBA FACULTY
Christine Almeida, M.S.Ed., Ed.S., BCBA
Daniel Almeida, M.A., BCBA
Michael F. Dorsey, Ph.D., BCBA
Joseph N. Riccardi, Psy.D., ABPP, BCBA
Derek Reed, M.S., BCBA
John V. Stokes, M.S.Ed., BCBA

CONTACT INFORMATION
Karla Pingeton
Graduate Education
t: 978.867.4582
f: 978.867.4737
e: karla.pingetongordon.edu

We are building and will maintain a directory of resource links to behavioral companies, organizations, programs, consultants, and other web sites that share a behavior analytic orientation. Inclusion in the resource links will not imply any endorsement by Gordon College of an organization, individual, or set of opinions or conclusions. We encourage your comments and/or recommendations to this list.

Course Descriptions 

ED614 Technology for Students with and without Moderate Disabilities (3)
Assists in using computer technology for students with special needs in general or specific settings. Provides overview of appropriate adaptive software as well as tools to evaluate and use computer technology for individualizing instruction.

ED621 Math in Interactive Classroom (3)
Provides prek-8 classroom teachers with development of mathematical concepts in curriculum through use of manipulatives.Includes use of calculators and ideas for alternative assessment.

ED622 Integrating Content in Classroom: English, History and Science (6)
Explores teaching theory and practices relevant for effective instruction in literature, language and the arts, history and science for childhood educators.

ED633 Principles of Reading and Literacy (3) 
Explores teaching theories, methods, strategies and materials for teaching literacy and independent learning skills for students.

ED634 Language Acquisition, Learning Disabilities and ESL (3)
Provides fundamentals and methodologies of assessing and instructing English language learners toward improved literacy. Preconditions and methodology needed for ESL students to succeed is explored as well as linguistics theory and equity issues related to second language acquisition. Current issues in ESL literacy education analyzed and critiqued. Prerequisite ED633.

ED665 Meeting Needs of Exceptional Students in Regular Classrooms (3)
Focuses on meeting needs of exceptional students using knowledge of exceptionalities, diagnostic evaluations, curricular modifications and inclusive methods of instruction to meet needs of all students in classroom.

ED667 Educational Assessment of Students with Moderate Disabilities (3) 
Focuses on application of varied teaching strategies, assessment of individuals with mild to moderate disabilities. Emphasis given to social responsibility and culture fairness in decision-making process.

ED682 Advanced Theory and Practice in Teaching Students with Moderate Disabilities (3)
Prepares teachers of students with moderate disabilities to be competent, effective and reflective decision makers in identifying and choosing instructional content and methodology.  Approach integrates language and literacy, scientific and mathematical thinking, creativity and art, motor skills and social understanding. Prerequisite ED667.

ED691 Introduction to Applied Behavior Analysis in Special Education (3)
Introduces paradigms of behavioral assessment focusing on identification of hypotheses about behavior and the testing of  hypotheses to identify functional relationships between independent and dependent variables and the planning of effective interventions.

ED692 Measurement and Experimental Evaluation of Behavioral Inteventions (3)
Provides  introduction to  science of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) including clarification of commonly used terms and teaching procedures. Primary emphasis on  introduction to behavioral teaching procedures and interventions. Specific references  made to application of procedures in classroom environments serving learners with special educational needs.

ED693 Behavioral Assessment (3)
Explores strategies to establish, strengthen or weaken target behaviors using research-based methodologies. Five categories of teaching methods reviewed: 1. curriculum modifications; 2. antecedent control procedures; 3. shaping and chaining procedures; 4. differential reinforcement procedures; and 5. punishment procedures.

ED694 Behavior Change Procedures and System Supports (3)
Students work individually on applied project including identification of hypothesis, developing and implementing intervention, and using data to assess effectiveness of intervention. Students share data in class and write assessment report.

ED695 Education Law and Ethical Issues in Behavioral Assessment (3)
Designed to provide overview of  Code of Ethics published by American Psychological Association (APA) and Florida Association of Behavior Analysis. Ethical issues outlined in Behavior Analyst Certification Board's Task list reviewed. Students become familiar with Massachusetts Department of Education's regulations on special educational services as well as associated case law.