If you are a teacher who is interested in becoming a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), you...
How many supervision hours do I need to become a BCBA?
Becoming a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) is a rigorous process that requires a bachelor's degree, coursework in behavior analysis, experience working in a behavior-analytic setting, and the successful completion of a comprehensive exam. One of the most important requirements for becoming a BCBA is completing 2,000 hours of supervised fieldwork.
In this blog post, we will discuss the fieldwork requirements for becoming a BCBA, including the different types of fieldwork that can be completed, the settings in which fieldwork can be completed, and the supervision requirements. We will also provide a link to the fieldwork standards on the BACB website.
If you are interested in becoming a BCBA, I encourage you to read this blog post to learn more about the fieldwork requirements.
- Supervised Fieldwork: You must complete 2,000 hours of supervised fieldwork in a variety of settings, with a variety of clients, and under the supervision of a qualified BCBA.
- The fieldwork must be completed within a 5-year period.
- At least 60% of the fieldwork hours must be spent engaged in unrestricted activities, such as conducting assessments, developing and implementing behavior-analytic interventions, and conducting research.
- At least 50% of the fieldwork hours must be supervised individually by a qualified BCBA.
- Concentrated Supervised Fieldwork: You may also complete 1,500 hours of concentrated supervised fieldwork in a single setting, with a single client, and under the supervision of a qualified BCBA.
- The concentrated fieldwork must be completed within a 12-month period.
- At least 60% of the fieldwork hours must be spent engaged in unrestricted activities.
- At least 10% of the fieldwork hours must be supervised individually by a qualified BCBA.
Link to the fieldwork standards on the BACB website: https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/BCBAHandbook_230623-a.pdf
In addition to the fieldwork requirements, you must also meet the following eligibility requirements to become a BCBA:
- Education: You must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution with a major in behavior analysis or a related field.
- Coursework: You must have completed at least 45 semester hours of behavior-analytic coursework, including the following:
- Introduction to Behavior Analysis
- Applied Behavior Analysis
- Assessment and Intervention in Behavior Analysis
- Research Methods in Behavior Analysis
- Ethics: You must agree to abide by the BACB Code of Ethics.
- Experience: You must have at least 1,000 hours of experience working in a behavior-analytic setting.
- Examination: You must pass the BCBA exam.
If you meet all of the eligibility requirements, you can apply to become a BCBA. The BACB will review your application and determine if you are qualified to be certified. If you are approved, you will be issued a BCBA certificate.
The fieldwork requirements to become a BCBA are rigorous, but they are essential for ensuring that BCBAs are competent and ethical practitioners. The fieldwork experience provides BCBAs with the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in a variety of settings, with a variety of clients, and under the supervision of experienced professionals. This experience helps BCBAs develop the skills and knowledge they need to provide high-quality behavior-analytic services.