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BCBA Pathway 2 Coursework Sequence at UBC
The Autism and Developmental Disabilities concentration in Special Education offers graduate coursework for students interested in pursuing eligibility for Board Certified Behavior Analyst® certification. Students complete this coursework as part of the M.Ed. or M.A. program in Special Education, with a focus on behaviour analysis, positive behaviour support, autism, developmental disabilities, and complex behaviour support needs across the lifespan.
Students pursuing BCBA certification eligibility complete a sequence of behaviour analytic coursework within a full-time M.Ed. or M.A. program cohort. This coursework is designed to support students in developing the conceptual, ethical, assessment, intervention, supervision, and research skills needed for behaviour analytic practice. BCBA-eligible coursework cannot be taken as a standalone course sequence.
Our program meets the behavior-analytic coursework requirements for those pursuing the BCBA Pathway 2 eligibility route.
What Makes UBC’s BCBA-Eligible Coursework Unique?
UBC’s BCBA-eligible coursework is embedded within graduate programs in Special Education, allowing students to develop behaviour analytic knowledge and skills within a broader educational, developmental, and interdisciplinary context. The program prepares students to think critically, make data-informed decisions, collaborate meaningfully with others, and design supports that promote dignity, agency, inclusion, and quality of life across the lifespan and across a range of professional settings.
Program highlights include:
- Graduate-level coursework in behaviour analysis, positive behaviour support, autism, developmental disabilities, assessment, intervention, ethics, supervision, and research.
- A focus on compassionate, ethical, inclusive, and socially meaningful behaviour analytic practice.
- Preparation for supporting autistic individuals, individuals with developmental disabilities, and individuals with behaviour support needs across educational, family, community, and interdisciplinary contexts.
- Opportunities to engage with research, critical inquiry, and evidence-informed practice.
- A supportive professional learning community that emphasizes mentorship, reflective practice, meaningful feedback, and lifelong professional growth.
- An on-campus cohort model that helps students build meaningful relationships with peers, faculty, and the broader behaviour analytic community while engaging in collaborative, practice-focused learning.
Program outcomes include:
- All students in our M.Ed. BCBA-eligible coursework pathway over the last 5 years have graduated within two years.
- Strong first-time BCBA examination pass rates, with annual pass rates for first-time BCBA certification exam test takers ranging from 88% to 100% since 2019.
*Over the past five years, the program has received an average of 57 applications per year and accepted an average of 9 students per year.
Program Information
Our Mission
The mission of the Autism and Developmental Disabilities concentration is to prepare compassionate and ethical behaviour analysis practitioners who promote dignity, agency, inclusion, and quality of life for autistic individuals, individuals with developmental disabilities, and people with behaviour support needs across the lifespan. Through rigorous coursework, mentorship, collaboration, and engagement with research, the concentration fosters critical thinking, data-informed decision making, and evidence-based, socially meaningful practice. This work is carried out with attention to equity, diversity, inclusion, decolonization, and contributions to improved services, systems, and quality of life.
Program Objectives
Objective 1: Behaviour Analysis Training
To provide comprehensive training in behaviour analysis that prepares practitioners to use critical thinking and data-informed decision making to address complex support needs and contribute to a more inclusive, compassionate, and equitable society.
Objective 2: Compassionate, Ethical, and Inclusive Practice
To develop compassionate and ethical behaviour analysis practitioners who promote dignity, agency, inclusion, meaningful participation, and quality of life for autistic individuals, individuals with developmental disabilities, and individuals with behaviour support needs across the lifespan.
Objective 3: Collaborative Partnerships and Lived Voices
To prepare practitioners to collaborate authentically with individuals, families, communities, and professionals, by centering lived voices, engaging in shared decision-making, and developing contextually responsive, socially meaningful supports.
Objective 4: Professional Growth and Community
To cultivate a supportive professional community that fosters effective supervision, mentorship, reflective practice, and lifelong learning.
Objective 5: Research and Knowledge Advancement
To advance knowledge in behaviour analysis and special education through research, critical inquiry, diverse methodologies, and evidence-based practices that contribute to innovation, improve services and systems, and create meaningful real-world impact.
Our BACB Pathway 2 eligible course sequence is offered on the UBC Point Grey campus only; there is no distance-only option.
Our BACB Pathway 2 eligible course sequence is designated as a full-time M.Ed. or M.A. program. Full-time status requires students to enroll in two courses per term, over a two-year period. Students pursuing BCBA certification must also complete supervised fieldwork hours in addition to their graduate coursework and should be prepared to manage the workload associated with both rigorous academic study and practice-based experience.
Courses in the BACB Pathway 2 coursework sequence are generally scheduled from 4:30-7:30 pm, two evenings per week. The specific course days may change each term.
*Please note that some elective courses may require on-campus attendance during the summer intensive period, which is typically scheduled five days per week for three weeks in July and/or August.
The Table below outlines the required BACB Pathway 2 eligible courses and the typical course sequence at UBC:
| Term | Course |
| Year 1, September | EPSE 572: Applications of Behaviour Analysis |
| Year 1, September | EPSE 574: Principles of Behaviour Analysis |
| Year 1, January | EPSE 549: Seminar in Autism |
| Year 1, January | EPSE 575: Seminar in Instructional Methods for Persons with Significant Learning Challenges |
| Year 1, Summer | SPED Electives (TBD) |
| Year 2, September | EPSE 576: Assessment and Positive Behaviour Support in School and Community Settings |
| Year 2, September | EPSE 593: Design and Analysis of Research with Small Samples and Single Subjects |
| Year 2, January | EPSE 577: Seminar in Assessment and Positive Behavior Support in School and Community Settings |
| Year 2, January | EPSE 578: Ethics for Behaviour Analysts |
| Year 2, May-June | EPSE 579: Supervision and Management for Behaviour Analysts |
| Year 2, July-August | EPSE 590: Graduating Seminar (M.Ed. Students Only) |
| Year 2, July-August | EPSE 599: Thesis (M.A. Students only) |
| Year 3 | EPSE 599: Thesis (M.A. Students only |
BCBA Pathway 2 Coursework Sequence Coordinator
Faculty Members
For information about the M.Ed and M.A programs in Special Education, including tuition and fees, please visit the following websites:
M.Ed.: https://www.grad.ubc.ca/prospective-students/graduate-degree-programs/master-of-education-special-education
M.A.: https://www.grad.ubc.ca/prospective-students/graduate-degree-programs/master-of-arts-special-education
Students interested in completing BCBA-eligible coursework at UBC must apply to the Autism and Developmental Disabilities concentration in the M.Ed. or M.A. program in Special Education. BCBA-eligible coursework cannot be taken as a standalone course sequence, and must be taken as part of a full-time M.Ed. or M.A. program cohort.
Prospective students should complete the application process for admission to a UBC graduate program in special education. Admission to UBC graduate programs is competitive, and only a limited number of students are admitted each year.
UBC’s Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies requires a minimum GPA of 76% or higher in upper-level undergraduate coursework, as well as three reference letters from individuals who can comment favourably on the applicant’s academic and professional potential. For applicants seeking the BCBA® credential, at least one reference should be academic in nature, such as from a previous post-secondary instructor, and at least one should be from a supervisor who is familiar with the applicant’s work in a relevant setting. When possible, this supervisor should be a BCBA®. Reference letters from parents of children with whom the applicant has worked or from colleagues are not accepted.
Applicants should also provide evidence of at least two years of full-time, paid experience working with autistic individuals, individuals with developmental disabilities, and/or individuals with behaviour support needs in settings such as schools, early intervention programs, group homes, or community-based programs. Applicants who have completed this work under the supervision of a BCBA® are typically more competitive.
Meeting the minimum admission requirements does not guarantee admission, as the program receives more qualified applicants than it is able to accommodate each year.
The application deadline for graduate admissions is December 1 annually, and admitted students begin their programs the following September.
For information about BCBA® education and training requirements, please visit the BACB® website.
If you have any outstanding questions about the BACB® Pathway 2 Eligible Course Sequence at UBC, please contact the program coordinator, Dr. Sarah Pastrana.