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Behavior Analysis Doctoral Program Handbook

This handbook determines performance standards for students admitted Fall 2024. Curriculum stated in the University catalog supersede anything listed in this handbook.

Please note: This represents the program handbook for the current academic year (2024-2025) only. For an archived version of a previous year's handbook, please contact Ramona Houmanfar at ramonah@unr.edu.

Table of contents

 

Department of Psychology

The Department of Psychology is made up of three doctoral degree programs, including an APA accredited Clinical Program, the Cognitive and Brain Sciences program and the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) accredited Behavior Analysis Program. The Cognitive and Brain Sciences program and Behavior Analysis Program also offer Master’s degrees. An additional number of students are enrolled in Satellite Master’s degree programs in Behavior Analysis in the United States and elsewhere. The Master’s degree programs in Behavior Analysis are also accredited by ABAI.

 

Behavior Analysis Master's Program

Behavior analysis is a sub-division of the discipline of psychology, distinguished by a unique philosophical, theoretical and methodological orientation. The philosophical orientation is one of naturalistic monism. Historical and contextually-situated behavior-environment relations constitute its subject matter. Its method is experimental, with aims of description, prediction and control of its subject matter. It has also a distinctive, widely applicable and effective technology.

 

Mission statement

The mission of the Behavior Analysis Program at the 推荐杏吧原创 is to strengthen behavior analysis as a scientific discipline and as a professional occupation.

 

Program goals

The Behavior Analysis Program is committed to academic and financial success. It is the top priority and thus the first goal:

Goal 1: To assure the success of the Behavior Analysis Program.

Some of the means by which this goal may be accomplished include engendering support for the program from the university, securing additional faculty positions and graduate assistantships, providing service to the University through committee work and supplying outreach to the community.

Strengthening the discipline and profession of behavior analysis entails operating in such a manner as to demonstrate continuous improvement in the program’s effectiveness in achieving success. Hence, the second goal:

Goal 2: To demonstrate continuous improvement in program outcomes indicative of the accomplishment of its mission.

The means by which we may accomplish this goal is to articulate, implement, monitor, evaluate and modify our practices based on continuously collected data. The program operates in accordance with an ongoing Program Evaluation System for this purpose.  

To accomplish these first two goals, it is necessary to enlist the participation of all program members and to do so in such a way as to foster enthusiasm and collegiality. Hence, the third goal:

Goal 3: To engage all program participants in a genuine partnership, dedicated to the achievement of the program’s mission.

Some of the means by which this goal is accomplished includes involving all program members in program governance, operating in accordance with open-book financial management practices, and working toward improved program evaluation outcomes.

 

Program objectives

Our objective for the program is to provide comprehensive training in behavior analysis, out of which more specialized basic, applied and theoretical interests in behavior analysis may be developed.  A balance of basic, conceptual and applied training is sought. More specifically, the objectives of the Behavior Analysis Program are:

    1. To preserve the accumulated knowledge of behavior science by imparting it to others.
    2. To develop the science of behavior through the production of new knowledge.
    3. To contribute to the betterment of society by the application of this knowledge.
    4. To assure the viability of the profession through participation in its governance.
 

Administration and management

Program director

The Behavior Analysis Program is administered by a program director, currently Dr. Ramona Houmanfar, who reports to the chair of the psychology department and serves as a member of the department’s executive committee. The program director provides leadership to the program in the accomplishment of its mission and objectives.

Behavior Analysis training committee

The Behavior Analysis Training Committee (BATC) is the policy and decision-making body for the Behavior Analysis Program.  The BATC is chaired by the program director, and is composed of all behavior analysis faculty plus two elected student representatives, one from each degree program. The financial officer is an ex-officio member of the BATC. The operations of the Behavior Analysis Program are managed by way of a number of standing and ad hoc committees, including Admissions, Marketing, Courses and Curriculum, and Program Quality Assurance among others, as needed.

Administrative assistant

The financial operations of the program are managed by the administrative assistant, who reports to the program director (Ramona Houmanfar). This person manages the BA office, and provides assistance associated with management of academic operations such as graduate admissions process, and acts in an advisory capacity to the BATC.

 

Faculty

The Behavior Analysis faculty presently consists of four core members, including: Bethany Contreras, Ramona Houmanfar, Matthew Lewon, Matthew Locey and incoming faculty members: Anna Ingeborg Petursdottir and Jonathan Schulz. Linda Hayes, Steven Hayes, Patrick Ghezzi and Larry Williams serve as emeritus faculty.

The Behavior Analysis Program is program-based, meaning that the faculty members are available to advise the students in their respective labs on matters related to their education and training. Faculty serve as models in this regard for scholarship, professionalism, citizenship and stewards of our science and its institutions.

 

Students

We seek students who are committed to a behavioral orientation in psychology and who show research and scholarly potential as teachers, scientists and practitioners. We value both ability and accomplishment in our selection process and in our continuing support for our students. We work closely together, and it is thereby important to us that students fit in well with the group, both intellectually and interpersonally. 

Students are expected to function independently, to take the initiative in developing research plans, and to assume responsibility for the direction and specific goals of their learning experiences. Students are expected to be able to schedule and manage their time effectively. The first two years of the program are much more structured than any later ones, as students are expected to complete most of the required courses during these years. It is important that classes and exams be completed on schedule, making it necessary for students to take required classes when they are offered. Students are expected to devote themselves to their studies full time, including summers throughout their tenure in the program.

We also believe students learn a great deal from each other. Consequently, we seek a heterogeneous student population, of younger and older students, both male and female, with racial and cultural diversity. 

Preparation for graduate study

It is expected that graduate students enrolling in the program have solid backgrounds in psychology. If a deficiency is noted, students are required to eliminate the deficiency, either by taking courses or through other suitable means. In any case, students should indicate in a written proposal to the BATC how they plan to meet a particular deficiency. The program consists of course work, research and practical training. These activities are described in detail in this handbook.

 

Didactic courses

The didactic curriculum includes 48 credits. The total credits required are a minimum of 86 credits.

 

Practical training

Aim and purpose

The purpose of the practica is to provide practical training to graduate students under the supervision of faculty members. These experiences are of different sorts and are arranged in part to support students’ career interests and in part to broaden their interests.

Placements and procedures

The doctoral curriculum includes 6 credits of practical training which is normally completed during the first two years of study. Practicum experiences may involve clinical, educational or organizational services, program development, research and/or teaching. Placements are arranged and assigned by the student’s advisor(s) in consultation with the BATC.

Three credits of practicum are equivalent to 150 hours of work, or 10 hours per week for 15 weeks. Students are required to log their time and activities and to make these data available to their practicum supervisors on a weekly basis. Practicum supervisors are responsible for specifying student's responsibilities, signing their logs, and for guiding, monitoring and evaluating students’ performance. If the student does not log 150 hours by the end of the semester, they will receive a grade of “Incomplete” and will be required to finish the remaining hours during the subsequent semester.

 

Comprehensive examinations

The present policy with respect to comprehensive examinations applies to all students admitted to the doctoral program in 2005 or later.

Aim and purpose

The comprehensive examinations are aimed at broadening students’ knowledge of the science of behavior. All scientific disciplines are comprised of three main sub-divisions, namely investigation, interpretation and application, which are unified by and operate upon a common philosophical foundation. In the science of behavior, these sub-divisions are recognized as the experimental analysis of behavior, the conceptual analysis of behavior (i.e., behavior theory and philosophy), and applied behavior analysis.

The bounds of these three sub-divisions are not fixed and some overlap among them is almost always the case. Nonetheless, scholarly works in the sciences are partitioned into categories defined by these sub-divisions, as observed in conference program areas and the contents of scientific journals, for example; and it is assumed that scholarly work in the science of behavior, including comprehensive exams and dissertations, may be similarly partitioned.

Hence, the aim of the comprehensive examinations is achieved by requiring students to demonstrate competence in at least one area that is not duplicative of the topics of their theses, and dissertations or of the sub-divisions into which their dissertations are appropriately partitioned.

In short, by way of the two comprehensive exams, thesis and dissertation requirements combined, students must demonstrate competence in at least two topical areas (e.g., response variability and substitute stimulation), and within at least two sub-divisions of the field (e.g., the experimental analysis of behavior and applied behavior analysis).

Topics and sub-divisions

The comprehensive exam in a given sub-division of the field should reflect the relevant curriculum in that sub-division. This is to say, a comprehensive exam in the theory/philosophy area should reflect materials covered in such courses as Radical Behaviorism, Behavior Analysis of Language and Cognition, History of Psychology, Relational Frame Theory and Seminar in Psychological Philosophy. This includes the emphasis on conceptual developments and applications in the course on Behavioral Systems Analysis. Similarly, a comprehensive in the basic / experimental area should reflect materials covered in such courses as Principles or Behavior, Research Methods and the Experimental Analysis of Behavior; while those in the applied area should pertain to materials covered in such courses as Behavior Assessment, Behavioral Interventions, Behavior Management & Consultation.

These curricular specifications should be viewed as general guidelines however as it is possible that materials covered in the theory/philosophy area may give rise to applied questions, while basic questions may arise from the materials covered in the applied curriculum, and so on. In such cases, it is the student’s responsibility, in consultation with his/her advisor, to defend the proposal as being representative of comprehensive knowledge in the relevant sub-division of the field. This is normally achieved by articulating the aim of the comprehensive in keeping with the characteristics of the relevant sub-division, and including a bibliography reflective of materials pertinent to that sub-division.

Demonstration of competence

Comprehensive knowledge is demonstrated in one or the other of the following outcomes: a) two first authored publications; or b) one first authored publication and one grant proposal.

It is assumed that students will collaborate with Behavior Analysis faculty members in the preparation of their comprehensives. A student may not complete a comprehensive exam prior to the completion of the master’s degree. Students may not schedule prospectus meetings for their dissertations until the first of their comprehensives has been completed and the second has been proposed (or assured). Students may not schedule dissertation defenses until their second comprehensive has been completed.

Comprehensive exam: Doctoral paper

Comprehensive knowledge can be demonstrated by way of a first authored publication in a peer reviewed journal. The published paper must be the product of work completed under the supervision and co-authorship of a member of the BA faculty during the student’s tenure at the University.  

The publication may constitute a literature review/critique with a philosophical/ theoretical/historical focus, or it may be an empirical study. The published paper may also be a product of a master’s thesis completed under the supervision of a member of the BA faculty during the student’s tenure at the University.

Students are not required to submit a proposal for the published paper to the BATC for approval as the evaluation of the paper is made by the editorial board of a recognized, peer-reviewed, behavioral journal (a representative list of acceptable journals is shown below). The student must be the first author on a manuscript accepted for publication in one or the other of these outlets as a condition for passing this comprehensive requirement. A manuscript “accepted with revision” will not meet this requirement until the revisions are made and the manuscript is in press.

Upon achieving this outcome, its achievement is made known to the BATC by the submission of a cover sheet (see Appendix A), coupled with a copy of the article. If the manuscript is in press at the time of this review, a letter of acceptance from the editor of the publication outlet must be attached.

The faculty reserves the right to deny passage of this comprehensive in the event that the manuscript shows inadequate topical or divisional differentiation from the other comprehensive and/or dissertation, is of insufficient scholarship, is unacceptably brief, and/or is published in an outlet of insufficient quality or inadequate peer review. The following journals are among the outlets suitable for the publication of doctoral papers:

  • The Behavior Analyst                        
  • Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis
  • Behavior and Philosophy
  • Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior
  • The Psychological Record
  • Journal of Organizational Behavior Management
  • Behavioral Interventions
  • Behavior and Social Issues

Comprehensive exam: Grant proposal or doctoral paper

This comprehensive exam can be completed by either the submission of a grant proposal or publication of a second doctoral paper. The aforementioned guidelines associated with the first authored publication apply to the second paper. An additional alternative associated with this doctoral paper is a first authored publication of a book chapter.  

Grant proposal

The aim of the grant proposal as a comprehensive is to assure that doctoral alumni of the program are capable of preparing a competitive grant proposal. The objective of the grant proposal is equivalent in scholarly effort to successfully writing a paper for publication. The grant proposal must be the product of work completed under the supervision of a member of the BA faculty during the student’s tenure at the University. The BA faculty supervising the doctoral student’s grant comp must be directly involved in the grant application process in some capacity; e.g., as the PI, Co-I, key personnel, consultant to the grant project, etc.

To complete this comp, the student works with a member of the BA faculty to identify a suitable request for proposals from a reputable funding source. The faculty member who is overseeing the grant writing process will present the selected source and associated proposal to the BATC, along with a description of the general plan for the student’s involvement in the grant writing process. Once the BATC has approved the plan, the student may commence the project under the guidance of the supervising faculty.

To be considered appropriate for the grant comp, the proposal must be subject to adequate peer review. Examples of appropriate funding sources include federal or state institutes/divisions and private foundations. Funding sources may also include competitive fellowship and awards at the University. Proposals requesting funding in amounts less than $20,000 are unlikely to be approved. A grant proposal completed as a comp must be submitted to the funding source, but it is not required that the grant be successfully funded. Moreover, it is not required that the student write the entirety of the grant application independently; however, the student must demonstrate substantial independent contributions to the grant application (this will be part of the evaluation of the comp). Students are encouraged to take advantage of departmental and University course offerings and trainings associated with grant writing.

To evaluate the student’s grant comp, two readers will be named by the BATC to evaluate the final product. The student will submit the completed grant application (i.e., the PDF printout that the Office of Sponsored Projects provides for every grant submission) with a cover sheet that outlines the student’s contributions to the grant application. The students will then present the grant to both readers. Student presentation should provide a thorough overview of the background and significance that supports the grant application narrative, and should provide a thorough overview of the components of the grant application as a whole, while also highlighting the areas of the grant application to which they contributed. The supervising BA faculty member may require the student to include additional content in the presentation as needed, such that material provides sufficient context and detail for the readers to adequately evaluate the student’s grant writing.

Following the presentation meeting, the readers will deliver one of three evaluations: “pass”, “pass with revisions”, or “fail”.  A “pass” means that no further work to complete the grant comp is required. In the case of a “pass with revisions”, the required revisions will be specified in writing by the readers, and these revisions must be made before the comp requirement may be fulfilled. “Fail” means that the grant application will not meet the requirements for the grant comp; the student may then choose to submit a new grant application or submit a second peer reviewed paper or peer reviewed chapter to meet the requirements for their second comp. 

 

Academic advisement

When students enter the program, they are assigned to one of the core behavior analysis faculty who serves as their academic advisor for the first semester of study or until such time as a research advisor is arranged. Student and advisor should work out a tentative program of study, including the transfer of previous graduate courses. The academic advisor also serves as the liaison between the student and the BATC, and source of support for counseling, tutoring, or other assistance.

Research lab selection

First year students are required to attend the lab of their appointed advisor during their first semester to align with the research enterprise of the program. During this time, first year students are also encouraged to visit other research labs in the Behavior Analysis Program for the purpose of familiarizing themselves with faculty research interests and advisement styles.  By the beginning of their second semester, each graduate student should, with the permission of faculty member involved, settle into what is to be their primary research lab. 

Academic advisement

Each student in the program has an academic advisor whose primary responsibility is to assist the student in completing their degree requirements. This includes facilitating the student’s research, promoting the student’s professional development and preparing the student for employment as a behavior analyst. The advisor also serves as the liaison between the student and the BATC. If at any time a student needs counseling, tutoring or other assistance, the advisor is the person to help him/her make the appropriate arrangements. The advisor is also responsible for initiating disciplinary procedures in the case of a student’s ethical or academic misconduct.

It also is the responsibility of a faculty member to provide appropriate guidance and oversight with respect to each of their student’s course and other credit registration completions each semester, including approval of grant-in–aid or other program tuition payment agreements. Such payment arrangements must be completed within the time-lines specified by the graduate school each semester.

Lab participation

Research experience is accomplished through participation in the advisors’ research lab. All faculty members hold weekly lab meetings and students are expected to participate in laboratory experiences in connection with these labs throughout their entire training. Regular attendance at lab meetings is mandatory.

While students participate in their advisor’s ’s lab as their primary lab placement, they may also request opportunities to participate in a secondary lab. Written approval of the student’s advisor and the secondary lab supervisor is required for participation in a secondary lab. Secondary lab participation may be granted under the following conditions:

  1. the student has begun their second year in the program
  2. the student is showing satisfactory progress at meeting program milestones
  3. the student’s area of interest can be fostered by participation in two labs
  4. the student is a productive member of their primary lab
  5. the student agrees to develop at least one project in the secondary lab

Students completing practica as research assistants for particular faculty members are expected to participate in those faculty member’s labs, in either a primary or secondary capacity, as part of their practicum duties. Students working under the supervision of a faculty member in their stipend placement may be required to attend their supervising faculty’s labs.

 

Master's thesis

Exemptions

Students entering the doctoral program with master’s degrees in hand are required to complete a master’s thesis if any of the following conditions applies: 1) the student’s thesis has not been approved for transfer to the degree requirements for a doctoral degree; or 2) the student earned a master’s degree from a program that did not include a thesis.

When either of these conditions applies, the student will be required to complete a pre-doctoral research project under the supervision of their advisor. The pre-doctoral research project is described in detail below.

Thesis process

The master’s thesis is conducted under the supervision of a member of the BA faculty, who serves as the thesis committee chair. In addition to the chair, the thesis committee includes two additional faculty members, one of whom is a member of the BA faculty. The other is a member of the faculty of another University department.

The thesis is usually completed during the student’s second year in the doctoral program, typically preceded by pilot research. The student works with his/her advisor to develop a research proposal. Upon completion of the proposal to the satisfaction of the advisor, the proposal is distributed to the other members of the student’s committee and a date for a prospectus meeting is established. At this meeting, the student makes a presentation on the proposed research, followed by a question and answer period, after which the student is excused while the committee makes its evaluation. Three outcomes are possible: 1) Pass: The prospectus is approved as is or with minor modifications; Conditional Pass: The prospectus is approved with more extensive revisions which must be summarized in an amendment to the proposal; or 3) Fail: The prospectus must be revised in accord with the committee’s recommendations, after which a second meeting must be held.

Thesis research must be approved by the Institutional Review Board at the 推荐杏吧原创 prior to participant recruitment and data collection, and this approval is contingent upon a committee-approved thesis prospectus. While desirable, a Master’s thesis need not make an original contribution to the science of behavior or its applications. However, it is the responsibility of the student and their advisor to conduct the study as approved by the Thesis Committee at the time of the proposal meeting.

Upon completion of the thesis to the satisfaction of the advisor, it is distributed to the committee members and a date for the defense is established. The defense is conducted similarly to the proposal meeting, and has the same three possible outcomes.

Thesis proposal meetings and defenses may not be scheduled in the anticipated absence of a member of the Thesis Committee. Students must provide manuscripts to committee members no less than two weeks prior to the scheduled meetings.

Students do not automatically receive a Master's degree upon completing master’s curriculum and thesis requirement. They must apply for graduation and submit the necessary documents to the Graduate School.

Students are encouraged to present their theses at a professional meeting or conference, and to submit their work for publication.

 

Pre-doctoral research project

The pre-doctoral research project is the prescribed alternative to the master’s thesis for some students who are entering the doctoral program with master’s degrees from other institutions. Specifically, students who did not do a master’s thesis as a component of their master’s degree requirements or whose master’s thesis was not approved for transfer by the BATC will be required to do a pre-doctoral research project instead of a thesis.

The pre-doctoral research project is an original piece of research conducted at the University under the supervision of a member of the BA faculty. Once the study is completed, a manuscript describing it is distributed to two readers for evaluation, and the date for a meeting to discuss the project is established. The reader must be a member of the BA faculty. Students must provide the manuscript to readers no less than two weeks prior to the scheduled evaluation meeting.

The reader may recommend one of 3 outcomes: 1) Pass: the research project is approved as is (with only very minor additions or corrections); 2) Conditional Pass: the research project is approved conditional upon extensive modifications being made and re-evaluated; 3) Fail: the research project is not approved, whereupon another project must be conducted and evaluated.

 

Doctoral dissertation

The doctoral dissertation is supervised by a faculty member in the Behavior Analysis Program, who serves as chair of the student’s dissertation committee. This committee must consist of at least five graduate faculty members. In addition to the advisor as chair, this committee is composed of two or more members from the major department, one or more from departments in related fields, and at least one member of the graduate faculty from outside the student’s major department or program who is the Graduate School Representative. All degree advisory committee members must be members of the University graduate faculty.

The dissertation is usually completed during the student’s final year in the doctoral program, typically preceded by pilot research. The student works with his/her advisor to develop a research proposal. Upon completion of the proposal to the satisfaction of the advisor, the proposal is distributed to the other members of the student’s committee and a date for a prospectus meeting is established. At this meeting, the student makes a presentation on the proposed research, followed by a question and answer period, after which the student is excused while the committee makes its evaluation. Three outcomes are possible: 1) Pass: The prospectus is approved as is or with minor modifications; 2) Conditional Pass: The prospectus is approved with more extensive revisions which must be summarized in an amendment to the proposal; or 3) Fail: The prospectus must be revised in accord with the committee’s recommendations, after which a second meeting must be held.

Dissertation research must be approved by the Institutional Review Board at the 推荐杏吧原创, prior to data collection, and this approval is contingent upon a committee-approved thesis prospectus. It is the responsibility of the student and the advisor to conduct the study as approved by the Dissertation Committee at the time of the prospectus meeting. A significant, original contribution to the science of behavior or its applications is required for the dissertation. 

Upon completion of the dissertation to the satisfaction of the advisor, it is distributed to the committee members and a date for the defense is established. The dissertation defense is open to the public, and it is the student’s obligation to post a department-wide notice of the defense two weeks prior to its occurrence. The defense is conducted similarly to the prospectus meeting, and has the same three possible outcomes. Furthermore, students are encouraged to present their dissertations at professional meetings and to submit them for publication. 

Prospectus meetings and defenses may not be scheduled in the anticipated absence of a member of the Dissertation Committee. Students must provide manuscripts to committee members no less than two weeks prior to the scheduled meetings.

Dissertation prospectus meetings may not be scheduled prior to the completion and formal approval (see Appendices C-1 & C2) of at least one comprehensive exam. A dissertation defense may not be scheduled until the student’s final comprehensive exam has been completed and formally approved (see Appendices C-1 & C-2) by their faculty advisor and the director of the program. Moreover, the approval associated with each dissertation defense should be announced at the Behavior Analysis training committee meeting (immediately prior to or after the defense).

 

Transfer of credits

Students may request to substitute graduate credits taken at other institutions, or as Graduate Specials at the University, for credits required for the doctoral degree. The maximum number of transfer credits allowed by the Graduate School is 24 semester credit hours. Students must have earned a grade of B or better to transfer credits. A grade of B- does not satisfy this requirement. Graduate credits taken by students pursuing a master’s degree at the University are eligible for transfer to the requirements for the doctoral degree.

Students wishing to propose credit transfers must submit a proposal along with the relevant documentation to the BATC by the end of the first semester of their graduate training at the University. Once credit transfers are approved by the BATC, a transfer of credit form must be filed by the student with the Graduate School.

Didactic course transfers

The BATC approves courses for transfer on a course-by-course basis, wherein transfer approval depends on the substitutability of the graduate course to be transferred for a specific course included in the doctoral curriculum.  Students wishing to transfer courses must prepare a proposal to this effect for consideration by the BATC. The proposal must include the University course to be substituted, the transfer course syllabus (including reading lists/textbooks), and the grade earned in the course. The student must have earned a grade of “B” or better to transfer the course (a grade of “B-“ does not satisfy this requirement.)

Practical training transfers

Practical training credits accumulated at other institutions or throughout the master's training in behavior analysis at the University will not be approved for transfer.

Research transfers

A master’s thesis completed at another university may be transferred to the requirements for the doctoral degree, subject to BATC approval. Approval will be granted if the thesis is comparable in topic, method and level as those typical of master’s students in the University’s program. In the event that a transfer of thesis is denied, the student will be required to conduct a pre-doctoral research project under the supervision of a faculty member in the BA Program, the details of which are described above. Thesis credits taken by students toward a master’s degree completion at another institution are not eligible for transfer toward the doctoral degree requirements at the University.

 

Professional development

Board Certification for Behavior Analysts (BCBA)

The Program’s curriculum is approved by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) as meeting the training requirements necessary to sit for the examinations for certification at the BCBA and BCaBA levels. Students for whom this professional credential has immediate or longer-term professional significance are expected to have completed the requirements necessary to sit for the BCBA exam within three years of their admission to the program. These requirements include completion of all necessary courses, a completed thesis, an awarded degree and the proper number of hours of supervision. (Students are referred to the BACB web site for complete information regarding Board Certification.)

Those faculty who are BCBA and who opt to supervise students in their lab do so in strict accordance to the guidelines of the BACB. A student’s responsibility in this regard includes making the relevant forms available to the faculty member supervising their applied experience and making sure they are current, complete and accurate.

Supervision for board certification purposes may be available in the community at large. Any arrangements of this sort must first be discussed with student’s advisor, who must approve of the arrangement in consultation with the BATC.

Professional service

Professional development also occurs by way of participation in service activities for relevant professional societies, such as volunteering to serve on committees, task forces, conference organizing committees, newsletter staff, etc. Numerous opportunities of these sorts are available to students by way of faculty involvement in professional societies, special interest groups and committees. Service to the psychology department and the Behavior Analysis Program, especially in roles as student representatives, is also especially valuable.

Financial literacy

Students are expected to develop financial literacy with respect to the Behavior Analysis Program and its various projects, and to demonstrate this competence in their professional placement activities and in Behavior Analysis Program meetings.

Teaching

Students may gain teaching experience in the form of undergraduate field experience supervision, summer and occasional regular semester teaching of undergraduate courses, and by participating in workshop series and certificate programs offered by the Behavior Analysis faculty. Teaching undergraduate courses is normally restricted to students who have completed a master's degree or its equivalent. These opportunities are competitive and are afforded on the basis of student's interests, qualifications, and scholarly productivity. Applications for summer teaching are solicited during the spring semester of each year.

Intellectual development

Students are expected to take advantage of opportunities for intellectual development available to them. Opportunities of this sort include departmental colloquia, conferences, and receptions for visiting scholars. Students are also expected to present their research and scholarly work at professional meetings or conferences, and to take advantage of these opportunities to become acquainted with the professional community. Travel funds are available through the Graduate Student Association and the psychology department.

 

Performance evaluation

Students’ academic and professional performances are evaluated at the beginning of each year according to the Program Evaluation System. Students are evaluated in the following five areas:  (1) academic performance, (2) program citizenship, (3) research and scholarly activities, (4) professional performance, and (5) professional development. These evaluations result in a permanent product that is signed by both the student and the student’s advisor. Students must provide their advisor at that time of their annual evaluation with a current vita, an (unofficial) academic transcript and a formal Plan of Study. 

All students from their second year forward must provide the following materials to the BATC by the latter part or September of each year: 1) an updated Program of Study (available from the Graduate School website); 2) a current CV; and 3) a current transcript.

Satisfactory progress

Maintaining a full course of study, achieving at least a "B" grade in all behavior analysis core courses, satisfactory performance in program-sponsored employment and a sterling record of ethical conduct constitute satisfactory progress. Unsatisfactory performance in graduate courses may result in students' dismissal from the Behavior Analysis Program. Please review the Graduate School’s Academic Standing and Dismissal Policy.

If a student has demonstrated misconduct of an ethical sort, continuation in the program may be denied, or graduation delayed, until the BATC is satisfied that the student will be able to function in the future in a responsible and ethical manner.

The doctoral degree is ordinarily achieved in six years (post Bachelor degree), although particular types of research and unforeseen difficulties may result in a longer time to completion. Doctoral students entering the program with a bachelor’s degree will be notified regarding their academic progress (in relation to the programmatic timeline) at the beginning of their sixth year. Doctoral students entering the program with a master’s degree will be notified at the beginning of their fifth year regarding their academic progress (in relation to the programmatic timeline). Please review Appendix A for details.

Misconduct

If a student has demonstrated misconduct of an academic or ethical sort, continuation in the program may be denied, or graduation delayed, until the BATC is satisfied that the student will be able to function in the future in a responsible and ethical manner. Please review Appendix D for details.

If a student performs work in the mental health field, for example, they need to be aware that there are restrictions on their activities and the manner in which they represent themselves to the community. Bear in mind that one cannot be recognized or presented as a Psychologist or as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst without the proper credentials. 

 

Financial operations

The Behavior Analysis Program operates in part on a self-capitalization plan. This means that the program is partially funded by the entrepreneurial efforts of the faculty and graduate students. Most of the resources for the program, including student support, staff support, equipment and operations expenses are generated through these efforts. The success and vitality of the program depends on the effectiveness of these efforts.

Financial management

To enable faculty and graduate students to participate in these efforts, the Behavior Analysis Program operates on a financial management plan. This means that all faculty and students are informed as to the financial status of the program on a regular basis. Graduate students are encouraged to participate in financial analysis, planning and intervention. These are important skills to develop as a graduate student, as financial literacy is becoming increasingly important for professionals in our field.

 

Program evaluation

In order for the Behavior Analysis Program to show continuous improvement in the accomplishment of its mission, we need to know how well we are doing on critical outcome measures. For this purpose, we maintain and review Key “Dashboard” measures (those required for ABAI program accreditation and others) concerning overall student milestones, research and scholarly productivity and program financial operations.

Student funding

Students admitted to the doctoral program may receive guarantees of support from individual faculty members for a certain number of years, as indicated in their letters of acceptance to the program. This funding is available to students employed by the Behavior Analysis Program or to those assigned by the BATC to positions managed by the Program, according to conditions specified by the BATC. A Terms of Employment form plus several other student employment documents must be signed by the student each year in order to secure this funding. Funding is contingent upon the availability of resources and satisfactory performance in the Program. Financial support beyond that specified in the student’s acceptance letter is not guaranteed.

Domestic students are expected to have established residency in Nevada by the beginning of their second year in the program. Failure to establish Nevada residency will result in the University requiring tuition to be paid at the out-of-state rate. Such rates are not covered by any funding offered by the Behavior Analysis Program. It is the responsibility of the student to pay the difference between the in-state and out-of-state rates. International students are exempt from the Nevada State residency requirement.

Funding guarantees offered by the Behavior Analysis Faculty do not include paying tuition and fees at the out-of-state rate. It will be the responsibility of the student to pay the difference between the in-state and out-of-state tuition and fees. If a student is on a graduate assistantship of any kind, that automatically puts them at in-state-tuition rates (whether you’re domestic or international or have established residency or note).

Before taking (or creating) a paid position in the community, a student must first gain the approval of their advisor and then must submit a written notice to the BATC regarding their plans, including how taking a paid position will effect earning their degree in a timely manner. Students contemplating taking a paid position in the community should know, first, that working in the community for an individual or agency which competes directly with the programs and projects in Behavior Analysis Program is discouraged, and second, that there are legal restrictions and regulations governing their activities and the manner in which they represent themselves to the community.

Financially supported domestic students must disclose other sources of employment and receive permission from the BATC before taking a paid position in the community, as this circumstance may have implications for further funding and tuition and fee waivers from the Behavior Analysis Program, and academic progress. Also, students supported financially by the program may not compete directly with actual revenue-generating activities of the Behavior Analysis Program. 

Tuition and fees

Students admitted to the Doctoral Program may be given tuition and fee waivers for up to 19 credits of required course work per academic year, for a given number of years, depending on their advisor’s capacity to support them. Tuition and fee waivers are applicable only to courses contributing to the doctoral degree. The program requires a total of 86 credits.

 

Appendices

Appendix A: Policy regarding course time limits

The Graduate School requirements regarding graduation time limits specify that course work for doctoral degrees must be completed within eight years preceding the granting of the degree. Course work for a master’s degree must be completed within six years preceding the granting of the degree. 

Time limits ordinarily start once a student begins taking courses relevant to their graduate degree. This is not the only point at which the time limit begins, however. It also applies to courses completed as a graduate special, to courses completed in a previous graduate program, and to courses transferred from another institution. (Credits from a previously completed master’s degree approved to apply to the doctoral degree are exempt from time limits.)

The consequences for exceeding the time limit are that the course(s) in question may no longer be eligible to be counted towards the degree.

The Behavior Analysis Program (the Program) must abide by the Graduate School policy. The policy gives the Program some latitude, however, in recommending to the Graduate School a temporary exception to course time limits on a case-by-case basis. Since the vast majority of students complete their degree requirements well before the course time limit takes effect, exercising this latitude should rarely occur. In other words, timely progress toward graduation is the rule, and students are strongly advised to follow it without exception.

Re-registering for the course(s)

A student may elect to re-register for the course(s) that exceeds the time limit. The effect of this is that the old course(s) will be replaced by the new course(s). A grade of “B” or better must be earned in the new course(s). The preference is to have the student take the course(s) at the University. Other arrangements may be acceptable, including re-registering through the University’s off-campus program or registering at another institution that offers the same course(s).

Appendix B: Student Representative to the BATC

Eligibility

Doctoral representative: The student must be entering his or her 2nd-5th year in the program, and be in good academic standing.

Masters’ representative: The student must be entering his or her 2nd or 3rd year in the program, and be in good academic standing.

Term

The term is one year, beginning in the fall semester and continuing through the summer. Students may not serve more than two consecutive terms.

Conditions

As a rule, students are excluded from discussions and decisions concerning personnel matters. Exceptions to the rule will be approved by the BATC on a case-by-case basis.

Evaluation

Students will be evaluated by the BA program director at the end of their term.

Duties

  1. Attend scheduled BATC meetings and convey relevant information to students
  2. Upon request, generate the BATC meeting minutes
  3. Canvas student opinion and raise student issues at BATC
  4. Attend scheduled BAP meetings
  5. Chair student meeting prior to BAP, and raise student issues during BAP
  6. Record student attendance at BAP and submit to BA office
  7. Conduct nominations and elections for new student representatives
  8. Collect “good news” items from students for BAP
  9. Organize and chair pre-faculty-student retreat, and assist faculty and staff with faculty-student retreat
  10. Organize student social events for visiting scholars
  11. Upon request, collect and maintain updated electronic copies of all graduate students’ (Ph.D. & M. A.) CVs. All CVs should be stored in an on-line folder (i.e., drop box) and be accessible to all BA faculty and graduate students.
  12. Other duties as assigned by BATC to foster the continuous improvement of the BA Program.

Appendix C: Comprehensive doctoral paper and grant proposal

Doctoral paper (C-1)

Your submission for the doctoral paper must include the following (ask Program Director Ramona Houmanfar for a paper copy of the form to fill out):

  • Student's name, dated
  • Advisor's name and signature, date approved
  • Director's signature, date approved
  • Paper type circled (T&P, EAB or ABA)
  • Title of paper, authorship and publication outlet

Grant proposal (C-2)

Your submission for the grant proposal must include the following (ask Program Director Ramona Houmanfar for a paper copy of the form to fill out):

  • Student's name, date submitted
  • Advisor's name and signature, date approved
  • Reader's name and signature, date approved
  • Director's signature, date approved
  • Grant type circled (T&P, EAB or ABA)
  • Title of paper, funding source and amount requested

Appendix D: Policies regarding disciplinary actions

Disciplinary actions taken by the Behavior Analysis (BA) Program faculty members with respect to students may pertain to such issues as:

  1. Failure to remain in good standing. The BA program does not accept any grade lower than a “B”.
  2. Unsatisfactory academic progress (e.g., failing classes, carrying less than a full
    load of credits, inadequate progress toward completion of degree, poor lab
    attendance, etc.)
  3. Unsatisfactory performance in a professional placement (e.g., flagrant disrespect
    for authority, inappropriate interactions with clients, failing to show up for work,
    failing to attend supervision meetings, etc.)
  4. Academic violations listed out in the University Administrative Manual 6,502

Please review the Graduate School’s Academic Standing and Dismissal Policy for full policy details.

Disciplinary actions

Actions may include reassignment of professional placement, reassignment of advisor, loss of funding, dismissal from the BA Program or other such actions as deemed reasonable and appropriate given the offense. All materials pertinent to disciplinary action (supervisor's claim, student's response, etc.) shall be placed in the student's personnel file. These materials shall be purged from the file only if the claim is found unwarranted and no disciplinary action is thereby taken.

Proposals to initiate disciplinary actions

Proposals to initiate disciplinary procedures against a student shall be brought to the BA Program faculty members by the student's supervisor (i.e., the student's advisor or professional placement supervisor), or by another member of the program who has witnessed actions that potentially warrant discipline. The disciplinary action proposed, along with the reasons for it, shall be presented to the BA faculty members in writing. Normally, such proposals shall be presented within two weeks of the alleged offense. Initial consideration of the claim shall be made by the faculty members in the Behavior Analysis Program in the absence of the student.

Student's response to the claim

Some proposals to initiate disciplinary action may not result in action by the BA Program faculty members. Should the BA Program faculty members elect to discipline the student, however, the student shall be notified in writing. The claim against the student shall be forwarded to the student within two weeks of the BA Program faculty’s decision. The student shall be given the opportunity to prepare a statement concerning the allegations made in the claim, and to forward this statement to the BA Program faculty within two weeks of notification.

Hearing of arguments

At the first available opportunity, a hearing shall be scheduled to consider the case, at which the student shall be present. Following the hearing, at the first available opportunity, the BA Program faculty members shall meet to determine whether or not the proposed disciplinary action, some other action or no action is warranted. The decision of the BA Program faculty shall be made known to the student within 24 hours of this meeting, and the Graduate School is notified. Upon receiving the notification, the Graduate School will conduct further review of the case and appeal process.

Appendix E: Policy regarding student complaints and requests for reconsideration

Students are advised to seek solutions to problems they are encountering first with their advisor, who serves as the student's advocate to the Behavior Analysis Program faculty. If the student's problem is such that the advisor cannot be approached for solution, the student is advised to discuss the problem with the program director. In the event that neither of these attempts is successful in solving the problem, such complaints and requests for reconsideration of decisions shall be presented to the Behavior Analysis (BA) faculty in writing for resolution.

Complaints and requests pertinent to individual students

Should such actions pertain to an individual student, the student shall submit a signed  a letter to the BATC explaining their case. The student should also indicate whether or not they wish student representatives to have access to these materials.

Complaints and requests pertinent to more than one student

Should such actions pertain to more than one student, the students involved may submit a signed letter to the BATC explaining their case. Students preparing such documents shall indicate whether or not they wish student representatives to have access to these materials. Alternatively, complaints may be presented to the BATC by the students' representatives.

Consideration by the BATC

Prior to consideration of these materials, the individual(s) named in the complaint shall be given access to them, and shall have an opportunity to prepare a response. Thereafter, complaints or requests for reconsideration, along with faculty members' responses, shall be considered by the BATC at the first available opportunity, with or without student representatives present, as indicated in students' materials. Upon consideration of the materials and the faculty member's response, the BATC shall meet in the absence of student representatives to consider solutions to the problem. The outcome of this discussion shall be made known to the students involved, or to the student representatives, in writing, within two weeks of the complaint.

Response to consideration

If students are satisfied with the BATC's response to the complaint, no further action shall be required. If students are not satisfied with the response, further action may be initiated by individual or multiple students, in accordance with University grievance procedures.

Appendix F: Course grades and their consequences

Good standing

To be counted toward a graduate degree, each graduate course must be completed with a grade of “B” or better. Moreover, to remain in good standing in the program, students are required to maintain a 3.0 “B” grade point average in both the core and specialization coursework.

Probation/dismissal

If the graduate grade-point total is 2.31-2.99 the student will be placed on probation and must then raise the cumulative graduate GPA to 3.0 by the end of the following semester or the student will be dismissed from graduate standing. If the student’s GPA is 2.3 or less the student is dismissed from graduate standing, or if the student’s GPA remains below 3.0 of two (2) consecutive semesters, the student is dismissed from graduate standing.

A student may register for and begin a course only two times. A student who has registered for the same course twice and has withdrawn, or received a grade less than a “B”, is ineligible for progression, and will be dismissed from the Behavior Analysis Program. The student is ineligible for readmission unless approved by the Behavior Analysis training committee, and the Dean of Graduate School.

If a student fails (receives less than a “B”) and/or has withdrawn from a combination of two or more courses, they will be dismissed from their program of study. The student is ineligible for readmission unless approved by the Behavior Analysis training committee, and the Dean of Graduate School.

The following will apply to those whose academic records demonstrate less than a “B” and/or has withdrawal from a course or combination of two or more courses in the Behavior Analysis Program at the University:

  • If a student fails (receives less than a “B”) and/or withdraws from one course, they will be dismissed from their program of study. The student is ineligible for readmission unless approved by the Behavior Analysis Training Committee, and the Dean of Graduate School.