M.S in ABA prior to Ph.D in School or Clinical Ph.D

[dustind89]

Greetings fellow student doctors.

I'm at a bit of a crossroads career-wise and I'm hoping that a few of you out there can shed light on a couple grey areas. I'm on the fence about pursing a career in either Clinical Psychology or in Behavior Analysis and I'm wondering if anyone out there has gotten their M.S. in ABA and then gone on to pursue a degree in Clinical or School Psychology? If so, how was the transition and did your program have you complete the five year Ph.D program or did your M.S. in ABA count towards the Ph.D.

Suggestions and comments outside the above questions are always appreciated as well!

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[T Brown]

I completed a ABA respecialization for my master in psychology and now I'm getting my PsyD in Clinical Forensic Psychology. The ABA work/training and Clinical Psychology are not interchangeable. My credits from my ABA program did not transfer into my PsyD, but credits from my MA in Psychology were accepted. With ABA you have to love the work. I did not, but found ways to incorporate the education and training into my clinical practice. Good Luck

 

[ClinicalABA]

The main advantage of doing the ABA degree first (assuming it makes you eligible for the BCBA certification) is that you will have a highly marketable credential (with starting salaries similar to doctoral level psychologists in many areas) that you can use to "subsidize" your psych training- or as a backup if the psych thing doesn't work out. With new insurance mandates in many states to cover autism services, as well as increasing rates of ASD diagnoses, the demand for BCBAs is much larger than the supply in many areas.

The advantage of doing it the other way around (e.g. masters/PhD in psych first) is that it can cut down on the overall amount of coursework. Much (most?) of your ABA masters coursework won't count towards your psych degree (ABA has really become a distinct discipline, rather than a branch of psychology). You'll take the required 6 courses for the BCBA certification, plus others required for the masters- often education/special education courses). However, if you have an existing masters or higher degree in a related field (psych still counts), you can be eligible for the BCBA credential by taking only the 6 course sequence (for definitive and ever changing requirements, consult the BACB.com website, rather than rely on the word of some random guy on a web forum).

To correct an item from a post above- a BCBA-D (doctoral level BCBA) does not really confer any benefits, as a credential, above a BCBA, but rather represents a different degree of training and scholarship. It does not allow you teach. I have a BCBA-D and teach in ABA graduate programs. It is my PhD that allows me to teach at the professor level (plus experience, knowing the right people, and being in the right place at the right time). There are occasionally masters level instructors as well.

The combo psych licensure/BCBA credential can be desirable and open up many options for you (or the agency you work for). In my current position, I split my time between being a "psychologist" and doing diagnostic evals with kids under 3 displaying potential autism spectrum disorder (billing insurance and other payers under my psych license) and being a "behavior analyst" and designing and supervising home-based ABA programs, parent training, etc. (billing insurance and other payors under my BCBA credential). It's a great combo of credentials, allowing for an interesting and varied job where I get to do a lot of things.

 

[LookitsKaitlyn]

The main advantage of doing the ABA degree first (assuming it makes you eligible for the BCBA certification) is that you will have a highly marketable credential (with starting salaries similar to doctoral level psychologists in many areas) that you can use to "subsidize" your psych training- or as a backup if the psych thing doesn't work out. With new insurance mandates in many states to cover autism services, as well as increasing rates of ASD diagnoses, the demand for BCBAs is much larger than the supply in many areas.

The advantage of doing it the other way around (e.g. masters/PhD in psych first) is that it can cut down on the overall amount of coursework. Much (most?) of your ABA masters coursework won't count towards your psych degree (ABA has really become a distinct discipline, rather than a branch of psychology). You'll take the required 6 courses for the BCBA certification, plus others required for the masters- often education/special education courses). However, if you have an existing masters or higher degree in a related field (psych still counts), you can be eligible for the BCBA credential by taking only the 6 course sequence (for definitive and ever changing requirements, consult the BACB.com website, rather than rely on the word of some random guy on a web forum).

To correct an item from a post above- a BCBA-D (doctoral level BCBA) does not really confer any benefits, as a credential, above a BCBA, but rather represents a different degree of training and scholarship. It does not allow you teach. I have a BCBA-D and teach in ABA graduate programs. It is my PhD that allows me to teach at the professor level (plus experience, knowing the right people, and being in the right place at the right time). There are occasionally masters level instructors as well.

The combo psych licensure/BCBA credential can be desirable and open up many options for you (or the agency you work for). In my current position, I split my time between being a "psychologist" and doing diagnostic evals with kids under 3 displaying potential autism spectrum disorder (billing insurance and other payers under my psych license) and being a "behavior analyst" and designing and supervising home-based ABA programs, parent training, etc. (billing insurance and other payors under my BCBA credential). It's a great combo of credentials, allowing for an interesting and varied job where I get to do a lot of things.

What you described as your current position is what I have come to discover, through experience and research, is my dream job. I was just wondering if you would be willing to tell me more about how you got to your job, what school(s) did you attend in which order for which degrees, where it is you work, and what your job title is.

You see, I have been struggling to find the "right" path to that career and I will soon be applying to graduate programs. Any information would be greatly appreciated!!!

 

[ClinicalABA]

I took an unusual route. Undergrad degree in sociology. Worked during and after undergrad as behavioral technician/ clinician in a brain injury rehab center, then in a a specialty geriatric pychiatric facility, working 3 years between undergrad and grad. Did my Ph.D. in clinical psych from a boulder model program based at a State University in the Northeast. Rather general/eclectic bent to the program, though I focused on behavioral gerontology. Practica in behavior analysis (gero and kids). APA internship (though didn't go through APPIC match!) in behavioral consultation and adult outpatient psych. Post doc hours as Clinical Director in special ed school for kids with ASD. Followed with hospital based position focused on community consult and smattering of clinic based stuff (first experience with ASD diagnoses). Various other ABA and admin positions (private special Ed schools, then adult residential. Actually laid off from adult services gig (contracts didn't require psychologist, so when they ran out of money due to financial mismanagement, my position was one of many cut, with a MA level BCBA now doing the work I did). Fortuitously, law requiring insurance to pay for ABA for ASD passed around that time, so there were a lot of new options for ABA clinical and admin work. Currently I work for a private human service agency that provides early intervention and insurance funded ABA services. We have affiliated diagnostic clinics, where I spend most of my time, augmenting with ABA services (billed under my BCBA). My position is "Psychologist", with a fancier job title.

I didn't do any formal BCBA graduate training. Got my certification through "option 3", requiring an acceptable doctorate degree, 10 years post doctorate work in ABA, and passing the exam. Not sure my degree would still qualify, as they are graduately phasing in more stringent requirements. The other psychologists I work with who do what I do all seemed to come from programs (PhD and psyd) where they focused on autism and/or pediatric neuropsych, with internships focused on ASD and assessment. On of them also has a BCBA, with requirements met through a program affiliated with my agency.