Online MA in ABA

Practicum

The USF Online MA in ABA program requires students to complete BACB fieldwork hours under the supervision of a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). USF follows the Concentrated Supervised Fieldwork Requirements of the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB fieldwork requirements can be found at www.bacb.com/bcba).

Students are required to accrue 1,500 total hours of Concentrated Supervised Fieldwork experience. To graduate in five semesters, students need to accrue about 20 hours per week of supervised experience hours during the duration of the program. This includes restricted and unrestricted activities. Applicants who do not have a fieldwork site may contact Dr. Brianna Laureano for assistance with fieldwork placements. Applicants may change fieldwork sites prior to or during the MA ABA program.

AGENCY & BCBA SUPERVISOR APPROVAL

Applicants are required to secure a fieldwork site and BCBA supervisor before beginning the the Online MA in ABA program.  Once admitted, all agencies and supervisors students plan to work with must be approved by the USF ABA faculty in order to provide supervision.

AGENCY APPROVAL

After notification of admission: Students are recommended to begin the process for USF agency approval as early as possible to minimize delays in accruing fieldwork hours once their first semester begins. To begin the agency approval process:

1. Admitted student contacts Dr. Brianna Laureano (Online MA applicants only) via email and include your agency liaison (e.g.,  an agency liaison is a person who has authority to represent your agency. This may be a BCBA, owner, clinical director, principle, school district liaison, hospital unit director, etc.) to request an agency application. Feel free to ask any additional questions regarding agency approval at this time.
2. Dr. Laureano will provide the student and their agency liaison an application form.
3. Have your agency liaison return the completed form via email to Dr. Laureano
4. The USF faculty will review the application within 7 days.
5. Once an agency has been approved, a MOU (memorandum of understanding) agreement will be sent to your agency for signature.

*If a students agency has been previously approved an agency approval does not have be sought again. You can view an list of already approved agencies here: USF Approved Fieldwork Sites.

SUPERVISOR APPROVAL

After an agency has been approved: Individual BCBAs must request USF approval prior to students accruing fieldwork hours. To begin the approval process:

1. Admitted student contacts Dr. Brianna Laureano (Online MA applicants only) via email and include the supervisor in the email. Request a supervisor application form.
2. Supervisors complete the application form which includes:
   1. Confirmation of at least 1 year experience as a BCBA
   2. Brief training on BACB fieldwork requirements
   3. CV/Resume
3. The faculty will review the supervisor's application within 7 days.
4. Once a supervisor is approved, a MOU (memorandum of understanding) agreement will be sent to your supervisor for signature.

*If a students supervisor has been previously approved they do not to seek approval again unless requested by USF.

Download our Practicum FAQ for additional information on practicum supervision.

USF has partnered with the Behavioral Health Center of Excellence (BHCOE) to expand students’ access to quality training sites for accruing fieldwork experience to attain BACB certification. BHCOE is an international accrediting body that provides agencies meeting specific standards of quality with a certification. Click the image below for a list of USF approved agencies. Those with an asterisk denotes agencies accredited by BHCOE.