Special Education Advanced Studies: Applied Behavior Analysis Program
(Program on moratorium—no longer accepting students)
The MSU Billings MSSED Advanced Studies ABA Emphasis Degree program is Accredited
by the Association for Behavior Analysis International Accreditation Board.There are only 20 other institutions worldwide who have accredited Master's degrees by the Association for Behavior Analysis International, and now we are the 21st university to join the list.
Offered fully online to provide flexibility at a distance.
Our ABA program has an ABAI Verified Course Sequence, our Practicum is approved by the BACB, and the College of Education is CAEP accredited.
Affordable tuition from a state university and the WICHE program offers discounted tuition to students from Western Member States and Territories.
Our students have a high rate of employment or job promotions after graduation.
Coursework and Internships prepare you to take the Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) Exam.
According to career outcomes surveys for MSU Billings Special Education Advanced master’s graduates, 96% are employed in their field within 9 months of graduation, and recent graduates report an average salary of $68,000.
(Program on moratorium—no longer accepting students)
| Transcripts (all graduate and undergraduate) | Yes |
| Standardized Exam (e.g. GRE) | Waived if GPA 3.0+ |
| Admission Essay/Letter of Interest | Yes |
| Resume/Vita | Yes |
| Letters of Reference | Two |
| Background Check | Yes |
**The priority application deadline for the fall cohort is the second Monday in April, please apply early as this program may go into wait-list status.**
The BCBA (non-degree track) is designed for students who already have a master’s or
doctoral degree and plan to become BCBA certified.
BCBA Certificate Plan of Study
More information on Board Certification in Applied Behavior Analysis (BCBA)
Careers: What can you do with a degree in ABA?
Is the study of Applied Behavior Analysis right for me?
Quality of Life:
If you're interested in helping people achieve a well-balanced lifestyle to the maximum
extent possible, then ABA is for you.
Science and Art:
If you want to learn how to use techniques grounded in behavioral principles such
as positive reinforcement and precision teaching, ABA is for you.
Montana State University Billings provides a University experience characterized by:
The mission of the SPED/ABA program at Montana State University Billings is congruent with the College of Education, which is dedicated to:
Objectives for the MSUB SPED Graduate Advanced Studies ABA program are to:
My goal was to pursue a master's degree in ABA from an accredited university. I discovered the MSUB-ABA program, which is both accredited and completely online, enabling me to balance my full-time work and studies simultaneously.
During my time at MSUB, the curriculum covered various topics such as working with vulnerable populations like children with autism and delving into the complexities of ethical codes. The valuable skills I gained through the program have aided me in becoming a more empathetic behavior analyst and a better supervisor for both my clients and supervisees.
After completing my studies at MSUB, I was equipped with the necessary tools and support to apply to doctoral programs and I am now in a PhD ABA program. I highly recommend this program to future applicants looking to become BCBAs. This program was great at allowing me to balance work and academics. The faculty were incredibly helpful and motivated for the individual success of their students. The professors I learned from were very helpful when I needed extra support and readily met with me via Zoom.
When looking at graduate programs for applied behavior analysis, MSUB stood out because it offered completely online classes without set meeting times. This was very important to me, since I worked full time at an ABA clinic and needed a program that was flexible. I’ve passed the BCBA and LBA exams and began working as a BCBA at a private clinic. I believe that this program, specifically the thesis portion, fully prepared me for the BCBA exam and my career as a BCBA. Having the opportunity to pick a thesis topic that I was passionate about allowed me to apply all the ABA knowledge I had learned in a functional, meaningful way. I have recommended this program to all the RBTs at my company that show an interest in becoming a BCBA.
Montana State University has been identified as having one of the best online ABA degree programs in our recent ranking. The ranking considered student-to-faculty ratio, tuition, and BCaBA exam pass rate.
Assistant Professor
Assistant Professor