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Get Game Tickets Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Program
The ABA program offers a Master of Science in ABA, a Bachelor of Science in ABA, and a Minor in ABA. Our mission is to graduate behavior analysts who are dedicated to excellence and prepared to serve diverse communities and advance the field of behavior analysis.
The first cohort of students in the Master's in ABA graduated in May 2024. Click here to read the story: New Program Prepares Graduates to Treat Autism and Related Disorders. The first graduates of the Bachelor's in ABA graduated in December 2024. Click here to read the story: Adelante, A&M-SA's University Magazine: Making a Meaningful Impact (pages 10-11)
Read below about admission requirements, degree plans, practicum requirements, and employability. Use the Quicklinks at the bottom of this page to learn more about the ABA program faculty, ABA advisory board, ABA and autism, ABA in schools, ABA in Texas, and ABA external links.
Master of Science in ABA
Fall 2026 admission deadlines:
Priority application deadline: February 1
Final application deadline: March 1
If you are an undergraduate student graduating in May or Summer 2026, you can apply before your degree posts. You may be admitted into the program contingent on your degree posting before starting in the ABA graduate program.
Applicants are encouraged to have their admission file completed as early as possible. All applications, required documents, and letters of recommendation, if applicable, must be submitted by 5:00 PM U.S. Central Time on the day of the deadline. Deadlines are subject to change.
Timing on Admission Decisions: Prospective students who met the priority application deadline can expect to hear back on the admission decision by February 22. Students who applied by the final application deadline can expect to hear back on the admission decision by March 22. Once the cohort is full, prospective students may be put on a waitlist and notified if an opening becomes available.
GRE: Not Required
Preferred: BCaBA ®, RBT®, and/or undergraduate degree in Applied Behavior Analysis or Behavior Analysis
Undergraduate Degree: An undergraduate degree from a specific field is not required. However, preference is given to students with an undergraduate degree in ABA, special education, and psychology. Prospective students who do not have undergraduate coursework in ABA are encouraged to take EDBA 3301 Introduction to ABA before starting the graduate program. In addition, prospective students who do not have degrees in these fields are encouraged to take RBT training before applying or starting the ABA program. This should be discussed in your personal statement. Learn more about how to become an RBT by watching the video below.
ABA Experience: Students are not required to have experience in ABA. However, preference is given to those students who have experience in ABA. Students who do not have experience in ABA are encouraged to observe ABA services and discuss these experiences in their personal statements.
Application Packet:
- Online Application
- Transcript(s) from all universities where a degree was conferred
- Resume
- 1 letter of recommendation
- The letter of recommendation should be from someone who can speak to your abilities and strengths that will allow you to be successful in graduate school.
- A former or current professor, supervisor, or employer may provide a letter of recommendation.
- The letter of recommendation will be submitted through GradCas along with the rest of the application.
- Personal statement. Your personal statement must be at least one full page in 12-point font, double-spaced. Please take care in drafting your letter. Grammar is taken into account to determine your readiness to enter a graduate program. Your personal statement should include the following:
a) reason(s) for wanting to earn a master's degree in ABA
b) reason(s) for wanting to enter the ABA program at A&M-SA specifically versus other schools
c) past and current experience in ABA (coursework and clinical)
d) how the degree will help you attain your professional goals
e) if your GPA is not a 3.0 in the last 60 hours of your undergraduate degree, discuss your plan for maintaining a 3.0 GPA in graduate school (e.g., What will you do differently?; How are your circumstances different now?; What lessons have you learned that will help you be successful in graduate school?)
f) any other relevant information that speaks to your preparedness to enter a graduate program (e.g., having the time to dedicate to your studies; academic, professional, and personal experiences that have prepared you to be successful in a graduate program)
Submit the personal statement through GradCas along with the rest of the application.
How to Apply: Apply for the MS in ABA Program through GradCAS. Click here to apply!
Graduate Expedited Admissions Initiative
A&M-SA graduating seniors and alumni with a GPA of 3.0 or higher qualify for expedited admission. The application fee is waived and you do not need to submit your transcripts or a letter of recommendation. Instead of applying through GradCAS, fill out the Graduate Expedited Admission Application Form and email your Personal Statement to Dr. Berenice de la Cruz at bdelacruz@tamusa.edu.
Graduate Expedited Admissions Information
Graduate Expedited Admission Application Form
Paying for College
For information on paying for college, including Jaguar Promise, click here.
Click here for Information on Applying for Financial Aid.
Click here for a list of Graduate Scholarships.
Click here for information on applying for Other Scholarships.
Texas A&M University-San Antonio is a Military-EmbracingMilitary-Embracing™ university. The Office of Military Affairs assists veterans and military family members with various military education benefits. One in six students are military-connected.
Federal benefits: https://www.tamusa.edu/student-resources/military-affairs/VA-Education-Benefits.html
Hazlewood benefit: https://www.tamusa.edu/student-resources/military-affairs/Hazlewood-SAP-Appeal.html
To get information about your specific benefits contact Military Affairs: (210) 784-1397 and military.va@tamusa.edu.
Bachelor of Science in ABA
Minor in ABA
Practicum Requirements
ABA students are required to complete two practicum courses during their last year of the ABA program, where they implement ABA in clinic, school, in-home, and/or community settings. The ABA Program has established partnerships with ABA therapy companies that provide in-home, community, and clinic-based ABA services. Students benefit from A&M-SA’s Institute for Autism and Related Disorders and Institute for School and Community Partnerships, which have established partnerships with local school districts. A&M-SA's ABA program has over 40 sites with practicum agreements. This is a list of sites with practicum agreements: A&M-SA ABA Practicum Sites.xlsx
Many of our students are able to secure employment as they complete their fieldwork hours. It is up to each practicum site to determine how many students they can take per semester. New practicum sites can be added. Students looking for employment as paraprofessionals in ABA (e.g., RBTs, behavior technicians) can look on Handshake for internship and job opportunities.
Students in the ABA program can participate in varied settings to earn supervised experience hours needed to become BCBAs/BCaBAs. Students can start accruing hours on the first day of taking the first ABA course (e.g., EDBA 5301 for graduate students or EDBA 4301 for undergraduate students).
Employability
A career as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) is the typical outcome for graduates of a master’s degree program in ABA. A career as a Board Certified assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA) is the typical outcome for graduates of a bachelor's degree program in ABA. BCBAs work in a variety of settings: Clinics, schools, homes, and other healthcare facilities. They are responsible for conducting ABA assessments, including functional behavior assessments (FBAs); developing and implementing treatment plans; and making adjustments to those plans as necessary to improve socially significant behavior that positively impacts clients/students. BCaBAs work under the supervision of a BCBA. The MS and BS in ABA programs train students to support neurodiverse individuals in a variety of settings.
Graduates of the ABA program will be qualified to fill the ever-increasing demand for BCBAs and BCaBAs at ABA companies and school systems. The BACB (2023) reports that demand for behavior analysts has increased each year since 2010 throughout the United States. Specifically, from 2021 to 2022, there was a 23% increase. While the demand for Behavior Analysts exists across the nation, Texas is the state with the third-highest demand for BCBAs and the fourth-highest demand for BCaBAs (BACB, 2023). Click here to view the full report.
Many successful and rewarding careers in ABA can be pursued as a behavior analyst with BCBA certification. Some of these careers and other ABA include:
- Supervising Board Certified assistant Behavior Analysts (BCaBA), registered behavior technicians (RBTs), and/or direct-care therapists.
- Serving as a consultant for large corporations that provide services to children with autism.
- Working or consulting with school districts to maximize learning for students and decrease challenging behaviors utilizing ABA.
- Supervising or managing an organization that provides ABA therapy.
- Working as an Insurance Care Advocate for an insurance company that focuses on ABA.
- Engaging in public policy advocacy efforts to improve access to care.
- Assisting special education lawyers.
In San Antonio, there are 17 school districts and over 30 ABA companies that can benefit from hiring behavior analysts.
