Skip to main content

Applied Behavior Analysis Concentration

The Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) concentration, available to current students in John Carroll’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling master’s programs. Applied behavior analysis is the science behind human behavior change. As a student in the program, you will receive in-depth training and work toward license eligibility. The three-course concentration prepares you for supporting clients in taking actionable steps towards meeting their goals and learning new skills. 

For more information on the Applied Behavior Analysis concentration, please contact Dr. Maria Helton (mhelton@jcu.edu), Applied Behavior Analysis Program Director.

45-Year Tradition of Educating Counseling Students

Your courses are taught by practicing counselors from the greater Cleveland area, allowing you to build your network and learn directly from professionals in the field. Take advantage of our established connections at agencies and private practices, and pursue coveted internship placements and jobs.

Applied behavior analysis is the science behind human behavior change. Behavior analysts work with clients on supporting socially significant (e.g., important to them) behavior change. 

School Counseling

Often in the school setting, school counselors are brought into various situations that involve creating plans for students engaging in challenging behaviors. These courses will provide you with foundational knowledge regarding the different principles of behaviors, how to assess the behavior to identify key elements that will be helpful in developing a plan, and successful components of a comprehensive plan. This foundational knowledge will allow you to support the educational team through the process in creating a plan that will lead to the desired behavior change and maximize student success.

Clinical Mental Health Counseling

When working with individuals in a one on one or group setting, often individuals need support in changing their behavior in a meaningful way to result in desired outcomes or meet their goals. This can be challenging for many individuals due to various behavioral principles at play. These courses will provide you with the foundational knowledge to help identify which behavioral principles are barriers to success and then help your clients work through those barriers and contact reinforcement which can lead to meeting goals and increasing success. 

Any student enrolled in the master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling or School Counseling may pursue this concentration; there is no formal admissions process and the courses in the concentration count as elective courses.

The courses in the Applied Behavior Analysis concentration include:

  • PS 5112 – Concepts & Principles in Behavior Analysis
  • PS 5121 – ABA 1: Analysis & Assessment
  • PS 5411 – ABA 2: Behavior Change Techniques & Intervention Planning