ABA Program Information
Program Mission
The mission of the ABA graduate programs at Ouachita Baptist University is to produce compassionate, competent, and committed scientist-practitioners who possess the theoretical, experimental, applied, and professional knowledge, skills, and competencies necessary to design, implement, and evaluate empirically supported behavior-analytic interventions to improve behaviors of social significance. In the context of a Christ-centered learning community, the program promotes Christian service, integrity, and leadership in the community and the profession, and prepares its graduates for lives of meaningful and impactful work as they serve clients, families, individuals, and the larger community.
Program Objectives
The ABA graduate programs’ goals support the mission of Ouachita by producing compassionate, highly competent, and committed behavior analysts who are prepared to think critically and provide empirically supported behavior-analytic interventions to improve behaviors of social significance. In accordance with the established best practices in applied behavior analysis and in order to fulfill its educational purpose, Ouachita’s ABA graduate program is committed to the following program goals and objectives:
- Program Goal 1: Prepare graduates who are competent to practice as entry-level Board Certified Behavior
Analysts (BCBAs®).
- Objective 1: At least 80% of program participants will complete program/degree requirements within 36 months of starting the program.
- Objective 2: At least 80% of program graduates will take the BACB® credentialing exam for the BCBA® credential within 6 (S. in ABA) or 24 (M.A. in ABA) months of program completion.
- Objective 3: At least 80% of program graduates will pass the BACB® credentialing exam within 2 attempts or less.
- Objective 4: At least 80% of graduates who respond to the Student Program Evaluation survey will report that their employer is satisfied with their performance as a BCBA®
- Objective 5: At least 80% of graduates who respond to the Student Program Evaluation Survey will rate that they were adequately prepared for an entry-level BCBA®
- Objective 6: At least 90% of graduates who seek employment will be employed as a BCBA® within 12 (M.S. in ABA) and 24 (M.A. in ABA) months of graduation.
- Program Goal 2: Prepare graduates with knowledge and experiences that promote lifelong learning,
professional goals, and Christian leadership and service.
- Objective 1: At least 50% of graduates who respond to the Student Program Evaluation Survey will report that they have attended at least one local, state, or national ABA conference or professional development event within 1 year of program completion.
- Objective 2: At least 50% of graduates who respond to the Student Program Evaluation Survey will report that they engaged, participated, and/or served in any ABA-related community service or leadership within 1 year of program completion.
- Objective 3: At least 50% of graduates who respond to the Student Program Evaluation Survey will report that they engaged, participated, and/or served in any ABA-related Christian community service or leadership within 5 years of program completion.
Program Policy on Transfer of Credits
Degree-seeking transfer students may be permitted to transfer coursework from another university with an ABAI-approved Verified Course Sequence (VCS). A maximum of nine (9) hours may be transferred. Courses must have been completed within the last five (5) years, must be from the same task list/test content outline (TCO) edition as Ouachita’s ABA programs’, and must have a grade of B or above (i.e., grade points of 3.0 or above) to be eligible to receive transfer credit. Transfer students must have a minimum graduate GPA of 3.000 on a 4.000 scale. In order to be accepted for transfer, a transcript along with course syllabi must be submitted for review to and approved by Ouachita’s ABA Program Director. Credits earned for completing Thesis, Capstone, Research, and/or Practicum will not be accepted for transfer. Transfer students are required to complete the mandatory 3-day in-person residency.
Assessment and Demographic Data
|
2025 |
2024 |
2023 |
|
|
Number of students whose degrees were conferred by the program.
|
15 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Median years until graduation for students whose degrees were conferred by the program. |
22 months |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Number of students enrolled in the program on January 1st of the reporting year. |
40 |
16 |
N/A |
|
Number of students no longer enrolled for any reason other than conferral of degree. |
5 |
12 |
11 |
|
Number of completed applications received. |
62 |
52 |
89 |
|
Number of students admitted during the reporting year. |
27 |
26 |
17 |
|
Number of Core Program Faculty Members. |
3 |
2 |
2 |
|
Number of Associated Program Faculty Members. |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Number of Other Contributors. |
8 |
5 |
1 |
|
Number of first-time candidates sitting for their Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) examination. |
TBD |
8 |
18 |
|
Percentage of first-time candidates passing the BCBA certification examination. |
TBD |
63% |
50% |
|
Number of graduates obtaining a master-level state license as a behavior analyst. |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Number of first-time candidates sitting for their Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA) examination. |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Percentage of first-time candidates passing the BCaBA certification examination. |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Number of graduates obtaining a bachelor-level state license as a behavior analyst. |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Median undergraduate grade point average (GPA) for applicants admitted (report on a 4-point scale). |
3.42 |
3.37 |
N/A |
|
Median graduate grade point average (GPA) for applicants admitted (report on a 4-point scale). |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Median score on N/A (if applicable, enter name of standardized test required for admission).
|
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
NUMBER OF STUDENTS ENTERING THE PROGRAM |
|||||
|
STUDENTS WHO IDENTIFY THEMSELVES AS: |
GENDER |
2025 |
2024 |
2023 |
2022 |
2021 |
|
Asian / Pacific Islander |
M |
0 |
0 |
0 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
F |
0 |
0 |
0 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
Other |
0 |
0 |
0 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
Prefer not to answer |
0 |
0 |
0 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
Black or African / African descent |
M |
0 |
0 |
0 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
F |
7 |
3 |
2 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
Other |
0 |
0 |
0 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
Prefer not to answer |
0 |
0 |
0 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
Indigenous / First Nations (American Indian / Alaska Native) |
M |
0 |
0 |
0 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
F |
1 |
0 |
1 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
Other |
0 |
0 |
0 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
Prefer not to answer |
0 |
0 |
0 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
Latino / Hispanic |
M |
0 |
0 |
0 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
F |
2 |
1 |
1 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
Other |
0 |
0 |
0 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
Prefer not to answer |
0 |
0 |
0 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
White / Caucasian |
M |
2 |
4 |
1 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
F |
26 |
20 |
15 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
Other |
0 |
0 |
0 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
Prefer not to answer |
0 |
0 |
0 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
Multiethnic |
M |
0 |
0 |
0 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
F |
2 |
2 |
0 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
Other |
0 |
0 |
0 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
Prefer not to answer |
0 |
0 |
0 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
None of the Above |
M |
0 |
0 |
0 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
F |
0 |
0 |
0 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
Other |
0 |
0 |
0 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
Prefer not to answer |
0 |
0 |
0 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
Unable or Prefer Not to Answer |
0 |
0 |
0 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
|
NUMBER OF STUDENTS ENTERING THE PROGRAM |
|||||
|
STUDENT DEMOGRAPHICS: |
2025 |
2024 |
2023 |
2022 |
2021 |
|
|
Domestic |
40 |
30 |
20 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
International/Visiting |
0 |
0 |
0 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Demographic categories determined by accrediting body.
Program Handbooks
Standards of Conduct
By enrolling at Ouachita, students are expected to conduct themselves both on and off campus in ways consistent with the university’s identity as a Christ-centered institution of higher education. Clear expectations help the community live in unity, and the university expects students to live and act consistently with these standards. This handbook serves as a guide to those expectations.
