[Top] [Prev] [Next] [Bottom]
Department of Behavior Analysis
Main Office
Chilton Hall, 360
P.O. Box 13438
Denton, TX 76203-6438
(817) 565-2274
The School of Community Service has filed a reorganization plan with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to change the way academic units are named and organized within the school. This change has been made because of the growth of these academic programs and to make it easier for students to find these units in university publications. Proposed changes submitted are reflected in the School of Community Service section of this catalog.
Sigrid S. Glenn, Chair
Graduate Faculty: Ellis, Glenn, Hyten, Smith.
The Department of Behavior Analysis offers a program of general and applied course work leading to the master's degree 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.
University library holdings in behavior analysis are extensive. The Donald L. Whaley Memorial Scholarship is awarded annually to one or more students in behavior analysis. Research and teaching assistantships are available for qualified students. Students in other fields may minor in behavior analysis.
Research
Both laboratory and applied research are conducted at the Department of Behavior Analysis, and scholarly work in the theory and philosophy of a 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 operant behavior.
Current research is in the areas of stimulus equivalence, relations between verbal and physiological measures, choice and rule-governed behavior, work performance of the elderly, functional analysis and treatment of self-injurious behavior, nature and causes of behavioral variability, and parent/child 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). Applicants who have GRE scores below a recommended 1000 may be accepted on the basis of their undergraduate record and demonstrated skills, so long as they meet graduate school GRE requirements (see the "Admission" section of this catalog). Similarly, applicants with an undergraduate GPA less than a recommended 3.0 may qualify for admission on the basis of superior performance in research and application and/or an exceptionally high GRE score. 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 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.
Degree Program
Master of Science in Behavior Analysis
The purpose of the program is to:
Degree Requirements
Students focusing on application will complete 48 semester hours, including 24 hours of core courses and thesis, designated and free elective courses, and 6 hours of practicum/internship. Others will complete 42 semester hours of work in the same categories, but will not have a practicum/internship.
Full- or part-time study is possible, as long as a satisfactory pace is maintained. Ordinarily, students will take a minimum of 6 hours per semester and finish in five to eight semesters.
[Top] [Prev] [Next] [Bottom]