Keep your paycheck and your clients
99% of students keep working at the agency where they worked before starting, usually as paid RBTs, so the hours you already work count toward your 1,500 fieldwork hours. No moving and no new agency.
USF Online Master of Arts in Applied Behavior Analysis Become a behavior analyst without putting your life on hold.
Graduate in five semesters, fully online, while you keep your job and your RBT hours. Live evening classes and a close-knit cohort mean you study online but never on your own.
- $25,200total tuition, the same rate in every state
- 5 semestersabout 21 months, 42 credits
- Evening classeslive Wed & Thu, 6 p.m. ET
- 86%first-attempt BCBA exam pass rate in 2025, vs. 51% nationally*
Two application deadlines each year: June 1 for Fall entry and October 15 for Spring entry.
Faith Raulerson, MA, BCBA '24
Faith started as an RBT helping children with feeding disorders, then kept that clinic job all through the online program, training at what Dr. Anthony Concepcion called “one of the best clinics in our state.”
Read Faith's story (opens in a new tab)Keep your RBT job. Graduate in five semesters. Never study alone.
Classes after your workday
Live classes meet on Microsoft Teams Wednesday and Thursday, 6 to 8 p.m. Eastern, so you get real discussion with faculty and classmates without missing work. Everything else fits your schedule.
Instructors fully focused on you
Each instructor teaches one course at a time, so they're focused on your cohort instead of juggling several classes. That means more time for feedback and one-on-one help, and most faculty hold office hours into the late evening.
A real community, even online
You move through the program with the same small cohort, and students and faculty form a close-knit community despite the online setting. An academic advisor and a fieldwork advisor support you from application to graduation.
Graduates who pass, and go on to lead.
86%first-attempt BCBA exam pass rate, 2025National: 51% · ABAI-accredited programs: 79%*
100%first-time BCaBA exam pass rate, 2025
1.75 yearsmedian time to degree, every year 2022–2026
*BCBA results for first-time test takers from the BACB's 2025 university pass-rate report (opens in a new tab): 44 first-time candidates from USF's Online M.A.; 51% for all first-time candidates nationally; 79.3% mean program pass rate for ABAI-accredited programs. BCaBA result (11 first-time candidates) from USF's program data (opens in a new tab).
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Kevin Kent, MA, BCBA '23
From receiving ABA services to providing them as a BCBA.
“I am profoundly grateful to my instructors, I really needed you, and you were always there for me.”
Read Kevin's story (opens in a new tab) -
Evan Loadholtz, MA, BCBA '24
Now in medical school, bridging behavior analysis and medicine.
Read Evan's story (opens in a new tab) -
Saira Khan, MA, BCBA '20
Behavior analyst in South Florida serving clients ages 2 to 18.
Meet more alumni (opens in a new tab)
“The online format allowed me to continue working full time while pursuing graduate school, making it possible to apply what I was learning directly to my work with clients.”
Emely Cabrera Falcon, Online MA graduate
“I passed the BCBA exam [weeks after graduation] and my confidence was so high because of the exam preparation [course].”
Anna Brunton, MA, BCBA '24
A distinction shared across USF Applied Behavior Analysis: the 2026 Enduring Programmatic Contributions to Behavior Analysis Award from the Society for the Advancement of Behavior Analysis. Read the announcement (opens in a new tab)
One rate for everyone, wherever you live.
In-state, out-of-state, and international students all pay the same tuition, billed each semester.
$600per credit
$25,200 tuition for 42 credits
- Federal financial aid The program is eligible for federal student aid.
- Employer tuition assistance Many students use their agency's tuition support, and the Post-9/11 GI Bill covers much of the cost.
- No GRE and a one-time $30 application fee. No deposit to accept admission.
- Plan for extras A one-time $35 fee for online graduate students is the only university charge beyond tuition; there are no per-semester fees. Budget about $1,000 for textbooks and exam-prep software. There are no program scholarships or payment plans.
Finish ready to sit for the BCBA exam.
You complete all 1,500 hours of Concentrated Supervised Fieldwork during the program, with a practicum seminar every semester that connects your coursework to your clients. You can become BCaBA eligible after your third semester, and your final semester includes BCBA exam prep.
Show the five-semester planHide the five-semester plan
- Semester 1ABA Basic Principles · Single-Case Experimental Design · Practicum Seminar 1
- Semester 2Ethics in ABA · Functional Assessment · Practicum Seminar 2
- Semester 3Organizational Behavior Management · ABA in Complex Communities · Practicum Seminar 3 BCaBA eligible
- Semester 4Behavior Theory · Experimental Analysis of Behavior · Capstone in ABA 1
- Semester 5Practicum Seminar 4 with BCBA exam prep · Capstone in ABA 2
Fall-start order shown; Spring starts take the same courses in a slightly different order. Official curriculum (opens in a new tab). The coursework meets the BACB's Pathway 2 requirements, including the 2027 standards. Certification and state licensure requirements are set separately and may change.
Are you ready to apply?
Most students are working RBTs or have equivalent experience. Here's what the program looks for.
- A bachelor's degree in any major from a regionally accredited school, ideally with a 3.0 GPA. Lower GPAs are considered.
- Experience in ABA, such as work as an RBT or equivalent experience. New to the field? Start with USF's 40-hour online RBT course (opens in a new tab).
- A BCBA supervisor and an agency, named on the required BCBA Supervisor Support Form when you apply. USF approves your site and supervisor but does not place students.
Three steps to your application.
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Line up your fieldwork
Identify your agency and a BCBA who will supervise you. The BCBA Supervisor Support Form is required with your application; you complete it yourself, and no supervisor signature is needed.
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Gather your documents
Unofficial transcripts, a résumé, three letters of recommendation (BCBA supervisors and professors work well), and a one- to two-page personal statement.
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Apply by the deadline
October 15 for Spring entry (classes start in January) or June 1 for Fall entry (August). Decisions usually arrive one to three weeks after the deadline.
What prospective students ask most.
Can I keep working full time?
Yes. Classes meet Wednesday and Thursday evenings, and 99% of students keep working at the agency where they worked before starting, usually as paid RBTs. Your supervised fieldwork happens at that job.
How much time does the program take each week?
Plan for two live evening classes (Wednesday and Thursday, 6 to 8 p.m. Eastern), coursework on your own schedule, and roughly 17 to 20 hours of supervised fieldwork each week. Each semester requires at least 250 fieldwork hours.
I don't have a BCBA supervisor yet. Can I still apply?
You'll need to identify one first. The BCBA Supervisor Support Form is a required part of the application, so applicants name a BCBA supervisor and an agency when they apply. You complete the form yourself; no supervisor signature is needed to apply. USF approves your site and supervisor but does not place students or assign sites.
What is the cost?
Tuition is $600 per credit, or $25,200 for all 42 credits, the same rate for every student. Payments are made each semester. The program is eligible for federal financial aid, and many students use employer tuition assistance or the Post-9/11 GI Bill. Beyond tuition, the only university charge is a one-time $35 fee for online graduate students; there are no per-semester fees. Budget about $1,000 for textbooks and exam-prep software. There are no program scholarships or payment plans.
Do I need the GRE or a psychology degree?
No. The GRE is not required, and any bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited school qualifies. The program looks for a 3.0 GPA and experience in ABA, such as work as an RBT or equivalent experience. Applicants below a 3.0 can still be considered.
I'm new to ABA. Where do I start?
The program recommends entry-level ABA experience, such as work as an RBT or equivalent experience, before applying. A common path is USF's 40-hour online RBT course, then a job as an RBT at an agency with a BCBA who can supervise your fieldwork.
Can I apply from another state or country?
Yes. Everyone pays the same $600 per credit. International applicants need proof of English proficiency and a course-by-course evaluation of their transcripts; USF's international admissions office (opens in a new tab) explains the steps for graduate applicants. Check your own state's licensure rules for behavior analysts.
Does the program meet BCBA requirements?
The coursework meets the BACB's Pathway 2 requirements, including the 2027 standards, and the program includes the 1,500 hours of supervised fieldwork you need to sit for the BCBA exam. You can also become BCaBA eligible after your third semester. The program is under review for accreditation.
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