Introduction

Enhance your ability to work with individuals with special learning and behavior needs by earning your post baccalaureate certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis from the University of Colorado Denver. This certificate program prepares professionals to follow best practices for ABA in a variety of settings.

If you already have a master’s degree, earning this certificate will help you to advance or diversify in your field. You’ll build your competencies in psychology and advance your skills in working with individuals with special needs.

The Association for Behavior Analysis International has verified that our course sequence contributes to the requirements for eligibility to take the Board Certified Behavior Analyst® examination. Applicants will need to meet additional requirements before they can be deemed eligible to take the examination. For more information on these requirements, please visit the Behavior Analyst Certification Board®’s website.  

Admissions

Application to the Applied Behavior Analysis Certificate is open to all students holding a graduate degree from an accredited institution.  Program cohorts start every other semester (Summer 2025, Spring 2026 etc.).  

Applied Behavior Analysis Certificate Applicants: Submit a Graduate CPE Non-degree application

Certificate Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
SPED 5450	Introduction to ABA and Terminology	3
SPED 5470	ABA Data	3
SPED 5471	Ethics and Implementation ABA	3
SPED 5480	ABA Advanced Data and Behavioral Plans and Applications	3
SPED 5481	Introduction to Organizational Behavior Management	3
SPED 5490	Autism In Early Intervention	3
SPED 5491	Theory and Philosophy of Behaviorism	3
Total Hours		21

Program Courses

CU Denver’s ABA courses comprise a seven-course sequence of 3-credit hour, fully-online courses, taught by experienced CU Denver BCBA instructors. The Association for Behavior Analysis International has verified that our course sequence contributes to the requirements for eligibility to take the Board Certified Behavior Analyst® examination. Applicants will need to meet additional requirements before they can be deemed eligible to take the examination. For more information on these requirements, please visit the Behavior Analyst Certification Board®’s website

The seven courses (SPED 5450, SPED 5470, SPED 5471, SPED 5480, SPED 5481, SPED 5490, and SPED 5491) are completed in sequence.

Cohorts that begin with the first course (SPED 5450) start every/other semester. 

Courses are fully online, but have a required weekly online meeting.  Course meetings are usually 6pm-8pm (MT), Mondays - Thursdays (exact meeting day depends on the specific course and semester).

Program Requirements 

To complete the Applied Behavior Analysis Certificate, students must complete the appropriate course work as outlined in the table above. All courses require a grade of B- or better to count towards the certificate and a minimum 3.0 GPA is required for certificate transcription.