How Do I Become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst®?

Prepare to spend at least four years in college if you want to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst® (BCBA®) in the United States. You must pass an exam to become certified, but you will not be allowed to take the exam unless you meet certain requirements. A certain amount of study, teaching experience, or years spent as a professional behavior analyst are common examples. You will become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst® once you pass the final exam, but you will need to renew your certification every year.

A behavior analyst’s job is to figure out what factors influence a person’s behavior changes. They are frequently in high demand, and it is frequently hoped that they will be able to assist children who are misbehaving and other people who are in danger. This job title is mostly restricted to the United States. A minimum of 1,500 hours of work experience is required of a Board Certified Behavior Analyst®. Only then will a certification board take your case into consideration.

A bachelor’s degree in behavior analysis or a closely related subject is required to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst®. After that, you’ll need to pursue a master’s degree in this field. After completing these degrees, you must meet additional requirements in order to sit for the certification exam. You can choose to study topics such as behavior change procedures for a minimum of 225 hours. You must also have fieldwork experience that has been supervised someone who has been approved the certification board if you choose this option.

Teaching for a full year in a post-secondary educational institution is another way to meet the exam requirement for becoming a Board Certified Behavior Analyst®. You must teach behavior analysis, write a research paper, and complete the fieldwork experience requirements listed above. Following your master’s degree, you can also have 10 years of professional experience in the field of behavior analysis.

You will be allowed to take the final certification exam if you meet these requirements. The Behavior Analysis Certification Board oversees it, and it contains up to 150 multiple choice questions. You will become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst® if you pass this exam, but you will have to pay a fee to renew your certification every year. To keep your certification after three years, you must complete a certain amount of board-approved continuing education.