Behavior Analysis (Ph.D)
Salve Regina University's Ph.D. in Behavior Analysis provides students the coursework, research mentorship, and supervised clinical work necessary to help them establish a well-rounded behavior analytic repertoire. Students who complete the program will meet the qualifications to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst- Doctoral (BCBA-D), the highest credential in behavior analysis. Individuals with a BCBA-D credential will be competitive for advanced clinical, research, and teaching positions.
Salve's Ph.D. in Behavior Analysis program requires the completion of 26 total courses (78 credits). Fourteen of those courses (42 of those credits) are required as prerequisites that have to be completed as part of a master's degree in behavior analysis, which must be completed prior to starting the program. The 14 courses (42 credits) completed as part of a master's in behavior analysis program must align with Salve's M.S. in Behavior Analysis Program requirements and be obtained from an ABAI-accredited program. The 12 Ph.D. program-specific courses (36 credits) consist of five core courses, two electives, three experiential courses, and two semesters of dissertation research. In addition to the 12 Ph.D. courses (36 credits), students are required to complete a preliminary examination prior to beginning their dissertation courses.
Ph.D. Completion and Degree Conferral will occur once all program requirements have been met and the final dissertation manuscript is successfully submitted and accepted for publication via the ProQuest UMI/ETD website. The anticipated time to complete the Ph.D. program is three to four years if the student already meets all of the master's degree prerequisites when they enter the program.
Course Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses (15 Credits) | ||
| PSY-630 | Advanced Research Methods | 3 |
| PSY-631 | Consultation | 3 |
| PSY-636 | Experimental Analysis of Behavior II | 3 |
| PSY-640 | Current & Professional Issues Behavior Analysis | 3 |
| PSY-642 | Behavior Analysis & Societal Issues | 3 |
| Electives Courses (6 Credits) | ||
| PSY-613 | Educational Psychology | 3 |
| PSY-621 | Health Psychology | 3 |
| PSY-623 | Autism Spectrum and Other Developmental Disabilities | 3 |
| PSY-625 | Mental Health Constructs | 3 |
| PSY-633 | Organizational Behavior Management | 3 |
| PSY-651 | Critical Thinking and Decision Making in Psychology | 3 |
| PSY-680 | Individual Research | 3 |
| PSY-699 | Special Topics | 3 |
| Experiential Learning Courses (9 Credits) | ||
| PSY-672 | Practicum IV | 3 |
| PSY-673 | Practicum V | 1-3 |
| PSY-675 | Behavior Analysis: College Teaching | 1-3 |
| Dissertation (6 Credits) | ||
| PSY-690 | Dissertation Research and Writing I | 1-3 |
| PSY-691 | Dissertation Research and Writing II | 1-3 |
Recommended Course Sequence
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| PSY-642 | Behavior Analysis & Societal Issues | 3 |
| Credits | 3 | |
| Spring | ||
| PSY-630 | Advanced Research Methods | 3 |
| PSY-675 | Behavior Analysis: College Teaching | 1-3 |
| Credits | 4-6 | |
| Summer | ||
| PSY-631 | Consultation | 3 |
| PSY-672 | Practicum IV | 3 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| PSY-636 | Experimental Analysis of Behavior II | 3 |
| PSY-673 | Practicum V | 1-3 |
| Credits | 4-6 | |
| Spring | ||
| PSY-640 | Current & Professional Issues Behavior Analysis | 3 |
| PSY Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Summer | ||
| PSY Elective | 3 | |
| Preliminary Examination | ||
| Credits | 3 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| PSY-690 | Dissertation Research and Writing I | 3 |
| Credits | 3 | |
| Spring | ||
| PSY-691 | Dissertation Research and Writing II | 1-3 |
| Credits | 1-3 | |
| Total Credits | 30-36 | |