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Main Office
Chilton Hall, Room 360

Mailing address:
1155 Union Circle #310919
Denton, TX 76203-5017
940-565-2274
Fax: 940-565-2467

Web site: www.pacs.unt.edu/behavior-analysis/

Student Advising Office
Chilton Hall, Room 360E
940-565-3318

Richard G. Smith, Chair

Faculty 

The Department of Behavior Analysis offers a program of general and applied course work leading to the following degree:

• Master of Science with a major in behavior analysis 

This program prepares students to apply behavioral principles to solve performance problems in work, home, institutional and educational settings. Graduates may work in human service or business settings, or they may go on to doctoral training in one of a number of fields.

The department offers a graduate academic certificate in applied behavior analysis .

University library holdings in behavior analysis are extensive. Departmental Scholarships are awarded annually to one or more students in behavior analysis. Research and teaching assistantships are available for qualified students, as are opportunities for paid work in behavior analysis.

The Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) (550 W. Centre Ave., Portage, MI 49024-5364; 269-492-9310, mail@abainternational.org) has conferred accreditation on the University of North Texas Master of Science with a major in behavior analysis program.

Research

Both laboratory and applied research are conducted at the Department of Behavior Analysis, and scholarly work in the theory and philosophy of the science of behavior is ongoing. Applied research in a variety of field settings is supervised by faculty.

Departmental laboratories accommodate multiple ongoing experiments in human and non-human operant behavior.

Current research is in the areas of functional analysis and treatment of severe behavior disorders, behavioral pharmacology, nature and causes of behavioral variability, organization of behavior in human repertoires in home and in school, treatment of children with autism, functional assessments and behavioral interventions in classrooms, stimulus control, and neuro-operant relations.

Admission Requirements

Admission to the master’s program in behavior analysis is based on combined information from several sources: GRE scores; undergraduate GPA and, where applicable, GPA in post-baccalaureate courses; letters of recommendation; demonstrated skills and serious interest in behavior analysis (as evidenced by previous course work/grades, completed research and/or applied projects in behavior analysis undertaken at the undergraduate level or in work settings under the supervision of a behavior analyst); and a personal statement (letter) as to the applicant’s goals and interests in behavior analytic research and practice. The departmental admissions committee considers every applicant on an individual basis in an attempt to ensure that a student who is accepted to the program will be capable of completing the rigorous curriculum.

Prerequisites

Although no specific undergraduate major is required, an appropriate background is desirable. Students must have a minimum of 6 semester credit hours in behavior analysis, including a course in behavioral principles, before beginning course work toward the master’s degree. After the first term/semester of course work, and on a continuing basis, students are advised regarding ways in which they can best achieve the level of expertise required to master the subject matter included in the curriculum.

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