Online MA in ABA

• Start a graduation application here.
• All graduate applications to USF must be submitted online
• There is a one time $30 application fee

One transcript from every institution of higher learning attended. This includes any previous graduate school degrees you may have.

Upload the following documents through the online application site.

1. BCBA Supervisor Support Form
   - Completed by applicant not the BCBA supervisor
2. Updated Professional Résumé or CV 
   - What is a Resume or CV?
3. Personal Statement
   

   Advice for Personal statements

   There is no specific format or questions applicants must follow when writing their purpose statement. A general strategy is to write a 1 to 2 page narrative describing your academic and work experiences, why you would like to earn your graduate degree at USF, and your plans for after you earn the degree.

   Here are some additional tips for writing a personal statement:

   - Be honest!
   - Focus on your journey. Try not to reflect on others’ experiences in your statement. It's all about you.
   - Start brainstorming early!  It takes time to write a great personal statement and you may have to write a few drafts before you have a final product. Do not wait until the last minute to start working on drafts
   - Don’t have “too many cooks in the kitchen”! While having others critique your personal statement is important, do not try to get an opinion from everyone. - Narrow it down to 2-3 people that you trust to give you an honest and helpful opinion.
   - Be concise! Most statements are no more than three pages in length.
   - Remember your audience. Your applying to an academic graduate program. What information is most relevant to the program you're applying to?

4. Unofficial Transcripts may be submitted lieu of official transcripts
   - Official transcripts are required within the first semester of the program.
5. Three recommendation letters
   

   Advice for Letters of Recommendation

   Letters of recommendation are an important part of applying to graduate school. 

   Examples of possible recommenders include:

   • Professors
   • Managers/supervisors (BCBAs)
   • Volunteer organization supervisor
   • Student organization advisor
   • Academic advisor
   • Research coordinator (if you were involved with research during undergrad)

   Remember to give your letter writers plenty of time to write your recommendations and provide them a copy of your CV/Resume and any other information that may help them write your letter.

    

Applicants should ask for letters of recommendation from individuals they trust can describe their ability to excel in graduate school and clinical fieldwork. Most commonly these include BCBA supervisors and past professors. 

Admission deadlines are June 1st for Fall admission and October 15th for Spring admission. The admission committee typically completes admission decisions within 7 to 14 days following the deadline. Highly qualified applicants may receive an admission decision prior to the deadline.

Yes, applicants may reapply for the next admission cycle. There is no limit to the number of times applicants may apply.

Applicants are often denied because of our small cohort sizes and competitive applications. This is not an indication of the caliber of any individual applicant, it is simply an indication of the high number of applications we receive.

Yes, you are still encouraged to apply! The admission committee reviews all completed applicants and no singular component of an application will result in an automatic denial. We understand many applicants may have found behavior analysis later in life, did not experience behavior analysis during their undergraduate program, or have attained experiences that can't be quantified in a GPA. We value applicants holistically rather than focusing on any single metric.

Congratulations! You will receive a series of emails from the program chair and practicum coordinator throughout the next several weeks to prepare you for your first semester. This will include course registration, orientation, fieldwork preparation, and more. Please be patient as admissions are likely still being finalized. Please reach out to the program chair or practicum coordinator if you have any questions.

Applicants may request to defer admission or move their application to a future admission cycle. Applicants must request deferral as early as possible in the admission cycle.

Please note that once the application deadline closes we are unable to offer your seat to another qualified applicant. Out of courtesy to the high number of qualified applications we receive; please inform us if you are requesting a deferral at your earliest convenience.