In this certificate program, you'll learn the basics of applied behaviour analysis (ABA) and how to use it in real-life situations. You'll explore how people learn new skills, replace unhelpful behaviours, understand why behaviours happen, create effective behaviour intervention plans, and manage behaviour change programs in an ethical way.

You will be able to apply the skills you learn in this certificate program across various settings to address a wide range of behaviours, including:

• Encouraging skill development and reducing behaviours of concern across a variety of contexts or diagnoses
• Improving classroom behaviour and enhancing learning outcomes
• Supporting behaviour change in home and residential settings
• Common parenting challenges
• Training and supervising staff in human services settings

This certificate program is the first of its kind in Atlantic Canada that provides all the required coursework to apply for the Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst® (BCaBA®) examination and the International Behavior Analyst® (IBA®) examination.

BCaBA® Certification

This program meets the coursework requirements for students to apply to write the BCaBA® exam. Previously, the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) verified course sequences that met the Behavior Analyst Certification Board® (BACB®) requirements. While this process is being phased out, program directors will attest that students who complete this certificate have met the coursework requirements to apply for the BCaBA® exam. However, this option is only available for students applying to write the BCaBA® exam before Dec. 31, 2026. Additional requirements must also be met before being eligible to write the exam.

IBA® Certification

The University of New Brunswick is an approved content provider with the International Behavior Analysis Organization® (IBAO®). This means our certificate program meets all coursework requirements for students who wish to apply for the IBA® exam. Additional requirements must also be met before being eligible to write the exam.

This certification opens doors to in-demand career opportunities in behaviour analysis worldwide.

• Undergraduates studying psychology or a related human services field (e.g. education, kinesiology)
• Individuals who have a Bachelor’s degree and want to enrich their skillsets in behaviour assessment and intervention
• Those seeking to understand complex behaviours in a variety of settings and populations
• Support service workers (e.g. judicial, social work, law, teaching) looking to add to their current expertise by understanding and using applied behaviour analysis

All applicants must:

• Meet UNB admission requirements
• Provide a resume that outlines academic and relevant work/volunteer experience
• Submit a statement of interest outlining:
  • Whether you want to complete the program online or on-campus
  • Your goals and objectives in pursuing training in Applied Behaviour Analysis, including professional or career goals
  • Any relevant experience or interests related to applied behaviour analysis or any helping profession
• Have two letters of recommendation:
  • Academic referee: a professional individual who is aware of the applicant's scholastic ability within a post-secondary setting
  • Supervisor referee: an individual who has supervised the applicant in a clinical or applied setting
• Have completed, or be in the process of completing, a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, or a related field
• Have completed 6 credit hours of Introductory Psychology with a grade of at least a B within the previous seven years
• Have a minimum of a B average in all coursework

• Online program: Applications are reviewed as they are received.
• On-campus: March 31 for admission for the fall semester.

Successful completion of all courses and practical experience is required to receive the certificate. Coursework can be completed in as little as two years if you enrol in the program full-time, or up to five years for part-time learners.

• PSYC 2203 (3 CH) - Foundations of Developmental Psychology
• PSYC 2515 (3 CH) - Foundations of Learning
• PSYC 3125 (3 CH) - Single-Case Research Methods (coming this summer)
• PSYC 3515 (3 CH) - Introduction to Applied Behaviour Analysis
• PSYC 3525 (3 CH) - Topics in Behaviour Analysis: Ethical Considerations (online only)
• PSYC 3565 (3 CH) – Clinical Behaviour Change (coming this summer)
• PSYC 3575 (3 CH) - Organizational Behaviour Management (coming this fall)
• PSYC 4515 (3 CH) - Advanced Applied Behaviour Analysis (online only)

Students are required to earn at least 6 credit hours of practical experience. An additional optional 12 credit hours of practical experience are available to students.

To meet the diverse needs of students, the program provides two separate routes for accruing practical experience:

Practicum or Internship:

• Designed for campus-based students
• An intensive placement at approved local agencies
• Individualized supervision with aBCBA supervisor approved by the C-ABA Program Director
• Courses:
  • PSYC 4525 - Applied Behaviour Analysis Practicum I (6 CH)
  • PSYC 4535 - Applied Behaviour Analysis Practicum II (6 CH)
  • PSYC 4565 - Applied Behaviour Analysis Practicum III (6 CH)
  • ARTS 3000 - Faculty of Arts Internship (6 CH)
  • ARTS 4000 - Advanced Arts Internship (6 CH)

Supervised Independent Fieldwork:

• Designed for students studying online
• Fieldwork site and BCBA supervisors to be approved by the C-ABA Program Director
• Prior Learning Assessment (up to 18 CH)

Upon successful completion, you will:

• Understand the causes of behaviour and the theory behind ABA
• Be able to work with diverse populations and settings including neurotypical populations, those with intellectual or developmental disabilities, those on the autism spectrum, education systems, management and training of those in the human services workforce, and parents
• Know how to use a variety of assessment tools, create and implement individualized treatment protocols, and evaluate the effectiveness of behaviour analytic interventions
• Become a professional Bachelor's-level behaviour analyst who can evaluate your practice from legal, human rights, and ethical standpoints

The ABA Certificate Program provides students with highly specialized education and applied knowledge in conducting behavioural assessments and developing and implementing behaviour change programs.

As a student, you gain a solid understanding of the theory and principles underlying ABA, and training in the application of behavioural principles in diverse settings and situations.

The Certificate Program provides the coursework requirements needed to sit for the IBA® exam and for the BCaBA^® exam through Dec.31, 2026.

Those who want to sit for the BCaBA^® or IBA ® exams will also need a bachelor’s degree and will need to accrue the required experience hours in addition to the coursework provided by this program.

To apply to become certified through the BACB®, students must have a Bachelor's degree, complete the required coursework, and accrue 1300 hours of supervised practice with 65 hours of supervision. To apply become certified through the IBAO®, students must have a Bachelor's or Master's degree, complete the required coursework, accrue 1000 hours of supervised practice with 50 hours of supervision, candidate projects (if applying with a bachelors degree), and 12 hours of continuing education. Both the BACB® and IBAO® require students to successfully pass a certification exam to become certified through their organizations.

Some students may not desire to become certified through the BACB^® or IBAO®. In these cases, students would request a certificate of completion for the ABA Certificate program from the UNB Registrar's Office. Students desiring to become certified may also request a certificate of completion for the ABA certificate program from the UNB Registrar's Office.

These processes are summarized in this figure:

Learn more about additional BCaBA exam requirements and IBA requirements.

The on-campus program begins each fall.

The application deadline for students who want to enrol in the on-campus program is March 31.

Online program applications are reviewed as they are received.

Students may submit their referee's letter in their application. If referees would prefer to send the letters separately, they can email the letter to admissions@unb.ca.

The program recognizes that students may not have a clinical supervisor or academic that they can ask for a letter. In these cases, we ask students to find someone who can clearly attest to the students ability to learn new content and skills as a student (as would be the case for the academic letter) or their ability to work with others in a professional manner and their skills as an employee (as would be the case for the supervisor letter).

The BACB® publishes pass-rate information annually.

Pass-rate data are not published for programs with fewer than six first-time candidates in a single year or for sequences within their first four years of operation.

UNB is committed to protecting the personal information of all individuals and any information being collected is under the authority provided for in the New Brunswick Right to Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

For more information consult:

UNB Policy for the Protection of Personal Information and Privacy and the University Secretariat
University of New Brunswick
PO Box 4400
Fredericton, NB, E3B 5A3
(506) 453-4613