COURSE CURRICULUM

The Applied Behavior Analysis program at University of North Texas is nationally recognized for its leadership and innovation in the field of behavior analysis. UNT’s Department of Behavior Analysis was the first stand-alone department of behavior analysis in the United States and also introduced the nation’s first undergraduate degree in the discipline. The department serves as the headquarters for the Texas Association for Behavior Analysis and has earned recognition from the Society for the Advancement of Behavior Analysis for excellence in teaching, service, and research. The program includes an Association for Behavior Analysis International Verified Course Sequence (VCS), providing students with the coursework required for professional certification, although additional requirements must also be completed to qualify for the certification examination. Coursework emphasizes applied behavior analysis literature, behavior management strategies, behavior change techniques, data collection, analysis, and behavior technology. Students are taught by nationally recognized faculty members who actively contribute to the field through published research and presentations at major academic conferences. Graduates are prepared for careers working directly with individuals or supporting experienced behavior analysts in research and clinical settings. Students may pursue credentials such as Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA), leading to opportunities in autism therapy, schools, residential treatment centers, disability support programs, and university research laboratories. Courses in the program include Behavior Principles I and II, where students study reinforcement, extinction, punishment, stimulus control, discrimination, generalization, and conditioning processes as they relate to everyday life and behavioral interventions. Behavior Change Techniques focuses on designing and evaluating interventions such as shaping, imitation training, and differential reinforcement in environments including classrooms and care facilities. Building Skills with Behavior Technology teaches students how to develop intervention plans and evaluate progress for individuals with developmental disabilities while considering ethical and practical concerns. Additional courses such as Behavior Principles and Self-Management help students apply behavior analysis to personal goal achievement, while Organizational Behavior Management explores the use of behavioral principles to improve workplace performance and organizational effectiveness.