Do you have an innate passion to help children with special needs? You might want to consider becoming an Applied Behavior Analytic (ABA) therapist. It is an interesting and rewarding profession with huge demand. However, before you become an ABA therapist, you must go through some practical training and fieldwork. Once you complete school, you can work with a client under the guidance and supervision of a licensed therapist. Let’s shine some light into the education requirements for ABA therapy training. What must you have to become an ABA therapist? Well, here are the most important requirements:
1. A Bachelor’s Degree
If you don’t have a bachelor’s degree but want a place in the field of ABA therapy, better sign up for college classes as soon as yesterday. Most employers prefer special education, psychology, and related fields. This is because these majors entail courses on emotional and mental disorders. Other majors to consider include social work and sociology. Apart from knowledge gained in class, bachelor’s degree programs help students gain experience during internships and overall, equip them with good communication skills. A high school diploma can be accepted in place of a bachelor’s degree by certain employers.
2. A Master’s Degree
You can also enroll for a behavioral analysis graduate program in a college or university offering such a program. This usually takes two years to finish and requires you to develop a thesis. Typically, you will need to look for a topic related to the ABA field, do research and write your thesis based on it. Some programs have a practicum requirement for one more year. It is an intense ABA therapy training but one which will hone your therapy skills effectively.
3. Practicum
Speaking of practicum, this path is ideal for students who want to work in a state where therapists must have a practicing license. This license doesn’t come easy. To get it, you must complete a total of 1,000 — 1,500 hours of controlled clinical work. This means being under the watchful eye of a licensed therapist throughout the entire period of practicum. Most institutions have structured their programs in such a way that students finish their classes first, their thesis second and their practicum last. This way, they can focus on their practicum without any compromise. That said, other institutions ask their students to carry out some field work each year prior to doing a practicum.
ABA therapists have a huge responsibility in treating developmental disorders. This is the precise reason why they must have the necessary education to fit the profile.
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