As of December 31, 2025, the Verified Course Sequence (VCS) designation provided by the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) will sunset. In alignment with this change, the NKU Graduate Program in Autism/Applied Behavior Analysis meets the behavior-analytic coursework requirements for students pursuing BCBA Pathway 2 eligibility under the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB).
Please note that meeting coursework requirements alone does not qualify a candidate to sit for the BCBA examination. Applicants must also complete supervised fieldwork hours and submit all required documentation to the BACB.
2027 BACB Course Requirements for Pathway 2 Institutions
Per the BACB, institutions offering Pathway 2 must include the following courses aligned with the 2027 requirements:
The Autism/Applied Behavior Analysis program at NKU provides all required content hours across seven courses (21 credit hours), delivered fully online in an accelerated seven-week format.
Degree Option |
Required ABA Core Credits |
Additional Coursework |
Total Credits Required |
Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) in Autism/ABA |
21 credits |
15 professional & research core credits |
36 credits |
Master’s Degree in Autism/ABA |
21 credits |
15 professional & research core credits |
36 credits |
Master’s Degree (if Individual Competence coursework required) * |
21 credits |
15 professional & research core credits + 6 Individual Competence credits |
42ÌýÌýÌý credits |
*ÌýIf a master’s candidate does not have prior undergraduate coursework in teaching literacy or an introduction to special education, they will be required to take an additional 6 credits in Individual Competence coursework to cover those concepts.
Important Note:
The BACB Handbook and all certification-related resources are updated regularly on the BACB website. Candidates are responsible and strongly encouraged to review the handbook and stay informed of any policy or requirement changes.
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As of the 2024 BACB Annual Report, NKU has the highest BCBA examination pass rate in the state of Kentucky, with an 88% first-time pass rate, compared to the national first-time pass rate of 54%.
According to the 36th Annual Report to Congress on the
Implementation of IDEA (2014), Kentucky has seen a 71.7 percent increase in the
number of students ages 6-21 with autism served in public schools special
education programs between the years 2008 and 2012. This program is designed to
provide individuals with the expertise to work with these children.
Additionally, obtaining a Board Certified Behavior Analyst
(BCBA) credential will allow individuals to work not only in schools, but also
in institutions, community agencies or even as independent practitioners;
working with individuals with autism, developmental disabilities and behavioral
problems.
Dr. Mehmet Sulu, Ph.D., BCBA
Pathway 2 NKU Program Contact
859-572-7974
sulum1@nku.edu
