Program Mission & Objectives

The curriculum offers coursework designed to provide strong backgrounds in the experimental and applied analyses of behavior, and in the methodological and conceptual foundations of behavior analysis. It is also designed to train graduates to develop a level of independence in research, teaching, and/or practice, so that they are prepared for leadership roles academic, government, business, and/or human-service settings.

The Doctoral degree program in Behavior Analysis is accredited by the Association for Behavior Analysis International Accreditation Board. 

The overall objective is to train graduates who are recognized regionally, nationally, and internationally as highly effective researchers, educators, and/or practitioners in behavior analysis.  The program is designed to achieve this overall objective by shaping the skills necessary for students to:

1. Understand the foundational principles of behavior analysis and the empirical bases of those principles.
2. Contribute to the knowledge base of behavior analysis by designing and conducting empirical research using established methodologies in behavior analysis.
3. Apply the principles of behavior analysis to analyze and change socially relevant behavior, and to do so within the ethical tenets of behavior analysis.
4. Understand the philosophical foundations of behavior analysis (i.e., radical behaviorism) so that they are able to interpret naturally occurring behavioral phenomena and to approach any situation behavior analytically.
5. Develop the skills necessary to establish an independent research program and/or assume leadership/supervisory roles in academic and/or applied settings.