NEWS AND EVENTS

Applied Behavior Analysis Grads Rank Third Nationally in Exam Pass Rate

A woman therapist working with child

Congratulations to graduates of the Master of Science Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) program! CSUN’s first time test-takers of the 2018 Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) exam had a 100 percent pass rate.  Their high scores elevate CSUN to third-ranked  internationally out of 165 universities whose graduates took the test.  The national average pass rate is 65 percent.  CSUN also ranked higher than all California State Universities. 

“These high pass rates are very exciting to us because they show that our program is continuing to equip its graduates with the competencies needed to provide top-quality services in their community,” said Tara Fahmie, associate professor in the Psychology Department and academic director of the Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis.

The Behavior Analyst Certification Board Inc. administers the exam, required for the prestigious graduate-level certification as a BCBA.   Students must complete an approved master’s degree program and supervised practical experience, and then pass the BCBA exam, to work as independent practitioners of behavior analysis.

A study by Burning Glass Technologies for the BACB reports a skyrocketing national demand for behavior analysts.  The need for those with BCBA certification went up 1,942% from 2010 to 2018.  California ranked as the top state in need of BCBA practitioners, followed by Massachusetts, Texas, Illinois and Arizona. 

Congratulations to the 16 CSUN students for passing this challenging exam!