School of Behavior Analysis

Associate Dean José Martinez-Diaz, Ph.D., BCBA-D, Head

Degree Programs

Applied Behavior Analysis, M.S.
Applied Behavior Analysis and Organizational Behavior Management, M.S.
Behavior Analysis, Ph.D.
Organizational Behavior Management, M.S.
Professional Behavior Analysis, M.A.

Graduate Certificate Programs

Applied Behavior Analysis Assistant Certificate
Applied Behavior Analysis Certificate

Professors
José Martinez-Diaz, Ph.D., BCBA-D, professional/legal issues, practitioner training/supervision, management/administration, instructional technology, conceptual/philosophical issues, verbal behavior, behavioral treatment, antecedent strategies, in-home behavioral programs for children, teaching language to children with autism and related disabilities, radical behaviorism.

Frank M. Webbe, Ph.D., dementia, sports applications of behavior analysis.

David A. Wilder, Ph.D., BCBA-D, assessment and treatment of problem behavior, skill acquisition, organizational behavior management.

Associate Professors
Ivy Chong, Ph.D., BCBA-D, analysis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders.

Mark T. Harvey, Ph.D., BCBA-D, developmental disabilities, psychopathology, self-injurious behavior, behavior analysis in educational settings.

Michael E. Kelley, Ph.D., BCBA-D, early intervention for autism, translational research, severe behavior problems, pediatric feeding disorders.

Christopher Podlesnik, Ph.D., models of behavioral persistence and relapse, improving and developing behavioral treatments for problem behavior.

Assistant Professors
Christina Alligood, Ph.D., BCBA-D, training, enrichment, animal learning.

Elbert Q. Blakely, Ph.D., BCBA-D, autism, verbal behavior, rule-governed behavior, self management, treatment of severe self-injurious and aggressive behaviors, database design, behavioral pharmacology.

Adam Brewer, Ph.D., BCBA-D, site director, Woodruff, South Carolina.

Marilin Colon, Ph.D., BCBA-D, site director, Sacramento, California.

Nicole Gravina, Ph.D., behavior-based safety, organizational behavior management.

A. Celeste Harvey, Ph.D., BCBA-D, developmental disabilities, psychopathology, self-injurious behavior, intensive early behavioral intervention in autism and other developmental disabilities; behavior analysis in educational settings, applied behavior analysis.

Yaneris Leon, Ph.D., BCBA-D, site director, Miami, Florida.

Lina M. Lillis, Ph.D., BCBA-D, site director, San Diego, California.

Bryon Neff, Ph.D., BCBA-D,

Catherine Nicholson, Ph.D., BCBA-D, early intensive behavioral intervention, skill acquisition procedures.

Joshua K. Pritchard, Ph.D., BCBA-D, philosophy of science, radical behaviorism, experimental analysis of behavior, mainstream applications of behavior analysis, relational frame theory.

Tom Szabo, Ph.D., BCBA-D, site director, Los Angeles, California.

Byron Wine, Ph.D., BCBA-D, site director, Richmond, Virginia.

Adjunct Faculty
D. Lee, Ph.D.; R.D. Nelson, Pharm.D., M. Trahan, Ph.D.

Mission Statement

The mission of the School of Behavior Analysis is to enhance the human condition through behavioral education, research, scholarship and service delivery by facilitating and reinforcing member actions that lead to these outcomes; and enhance the quality of life through outreach and dissemination of behavior scientists and services, based on the following beliefs and values:

A behaviorally based educational approach will maximize student potential by inducing high standards of academic behavior and a strong knowledge base from which they can grow professionally.
As is the discipline of behavior analysis, each program within the school is accountable not only to its students and faculty, but also the local community and the global community at large. The school is committed to excellence both in how to educate and mentor students and the product of their and the faculty’s work.
As the first school of behavior analysis, there is a unique opportunity to model how future schools and departments of behavior analysis should be created and managed. Through a time-tested training model and diverse faculty, the school has built a world-renowned reputation for both excellence in research and clinical realms. It is the continued aim of the school to advance the science of behavior analysis in an effort to provide a comprehensive science of behavior that will allow society to increase quality of life and reduce human suffering.

The School of Behavior Analysis has three programs accredited by the Association for Behavior Analysis International and all of the core course sequence are also approved by The Behavior Analyst Certification Board Inc.^® (BACB^®). The BACB is the only credentialing organization for professionals within the discipline. This approval meets coursework requirements for eligibility to take the BCBA^® examination. Additionally, the BACB has approved the Intensive Practical Training in Behavior Analysis (BEH 5251 ) as meeting the intensive practicum requirements for the experiential component of the BCBA examination application when taken for a total of nine credit hours over the course of three terms. Florida Tech’s degree programs in ABA and the dual program (ABA and OBM) provide students with the requirements to take the BCBA examination immediately on graduation.

Graduate Certificate Programs

The two behavior analysis graduate certificate programs are an option for those who want to develop professionally and become certified without getting another degree, or want to become a Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst in the process of obtaining a Master of Arts in Professional Behavior Analysis from Florida Tech.

The professional development courses are offered online. They are not synchronous with the Florida Tech semester system; course sequences begin every three months. Check www.fit.edu/bst/ for current offerings.

Both course sequences are pre-approved by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) to meet all instructional requirements for BACB certification. The graduate-level certificate courses may be taken for professional development nontransferable credit to meet certification requirements, or to meet graduation requirements for the master’s program in professional behavior analysis at Florida Tech. With advisement from the school, the courses may be taken for credit to use toward a degree in another university (check with degree program administrator to determine if certificate courses may be applied to the degree program and any related costs).

It is recommended students choose the first option unless they are certain they can apply the credits toward a degree program in which they are already enrolled. Any of these courses taken before admission to the Florida Tech degree program in professional behavior analysis may be transferred in with a grade of B or better provided the student completes the degree within seven years from the time the course was taken. Completion of the ABA certificate program does not constitute completion of a graduate degree.

It is strongly recommended prospective students check the board’s website at www.BACB.com for information about certification requirements.