This graduate certificate will help students partially fulfill the requirements to become Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA). Courses cover both the knowledge of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), and its application with children and adults who have developmental disabilities and challenging behavior. Graduate students will learn how to conduct behavioral assessments and design interventions that make problem behavior unnecessary and preferred behavior easy.
Positive Behavior Support (PBS) is an approach to improving human behavior by making challenging behavior unnecessary and preferred behavior easy and effective. This involves helping people improve the quality of their lives (personal, health, social, family, etc) and replacing challenging behavior with socially acceptable alternative behavior. Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is the science behind PBS, and the courses in the PBS Certificate are an "Approved Course Sequence" by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board.
PBS employs research-validated behavioral practices of teaching and reinforcing behavior for individual children and adults as well as for groups of people (in classrooms, families, schools, etc). Attention is focused on understanding the conditions in the environment that contribute to challenging behavior and modifying those conditions to strengthen desirable behavior. This online Graduate Certificate in Positive Behavior Support prepares students who graduate, have a related master’s degree, obtain the required supervised experience, and pass the BACB national examination, to serve as Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs). Our PBS Certificate graduates help parents, teachers, and others who support people with disabilities and challenging behavior. This program places a high value on inclusion in school and community, on self-determination, and on avoidance of restrictive and coercive strategies.
In addition to University Requirements:
Students must first be accepted into the Graduate Certificate in PBS by applying online. Once accepted they have two options:
Students may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement. Contact your advisor for details.
| Minimum Units for Completion | 18 |
| Additional Admission Requirements | Required |
| Fieldwork Experience/Internship | Required |
Purpose Statement
Positive Behavior Support (PBS) is an approach to improving human behavior by making challenging behavior unnecessary and preferred behavior easy and effective. PBS emphasizes improving the quality of life for individuals with challenging behavior, and replacing challenging behavior with socially acceptable alternative behavior. Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is the science behind the approach, and PBS employs research-validated behavioral practices of teaching and reinforcing behavior for individual children and adults as well as for groups of people. Attention is focused on understanding the conditions in the environment that contribute to challenging behavior, and modifying those conditions to strengthen desirable behavior. The graduate certificate in PBS combines the knowledge and skills of ABA with the attitude and research of PBS. The courses in the PBS Certificate are an “Approved Course Sequence” (ACS) of the Behavior Analyst Certification Board®, and earning the certificate enables students to fulfill one of the requirements to become Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA). Our graduates help parents, teachers, and others who support people with disabilities and challenging behavior, develop interventions that enhance the quality of life for everyone involved, and facilitate meaningful differences in self-determination and daily functioning.
Student Learning Outcomes
Graduates of the PBS certificate program will demonstrate the ability to:
Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.
The NAU graduate online application is required for all programs. Admission to many graduate programs is on a competitive basis, and programs may have higher standards than those established by the Graduate College.
Admission requirements include the following:
Visit the NAU Graduate Admissions website for additional information about graduate school application deadlines, eligibility for study, and admissions policies.
Ready to apply? Begin your application now.
International applicants have additional admission requirements. Please see the International Graduate Admissions Policy.
This certificate may be pursued and completed concurrently with a degree program or as a stand-alone certificate. Under both circumstances, federal financial aid can be used for this certificate.
Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also successfully complete. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.