Newsletter
Volume 30 | 2007 | Number 2
The Behavior Analysis Graduate Programs at Western Michigan University
By Dr. James E. Carr and Candice M. Jostad
The department of psychology at Western Michigan University offers master’s and doctoral programs in behavior analysis, both of which are accredited by the Association for Behavior Analysis International. The master’s program can provide a terminal master’s degree or serve as a path to the doctoral program. Both programs combine advanced coursework in behavior analysis, supervised practicum opportunities, and mentored research experience to prepare students for careers in behavior analysis. All graduate students take courses in the basic (e.g., Conditioning and Learning), conceptual (e.g., Skinner’s Behaviorism), and applied aspects (e.g., Behavioral Approaches to Treatment) of the discipline and are offered 20 courses in behavior analysis and therapy from which
to choose.
In addition to coursework and practical training, master’s students also complete a research thesis or an empirical application project. Doctoral students must pass a comprehensive examination and conduct a research dissertation. The main specialty areas represented in our programs are developmental disabilities, basic operant research with humans and nonhumans, organizational behavior management, instructional design, behavioral community psychology, behavioral pharmacology, behavioral gerontology, and behavioral medicine. Currently, 12 faculty members mentor approximately 75 students in the two programs.
Program Missions
The master’s program, which most students complete in approximately two years, is designed to prepare students for doctoral study or for employment at the master’s level. The doctoral program, which most students complete in approximately five years (including the master’s degree), is designed to prepare students for employment in research/university settings or in upper-level positions as program directors and consultants.
Training Model
Both programs operate using a mentorship model under which students work closely with a major professor responsible for their program of study. For those students who have clinical and applied interests (e.g., developmental disabilities, behavioral medicine, organizational behavior management), their training follows a scientist-practitioner model. Students are provided with multiple, supervised practicum opportunities in which they can acquire repertoires in the ethical application of behavioral technology and in the empirical evaluation of treatment outcomes. For students whose primary interest is the experimental analysis of behavior, their time is generally spent conducting research with their major professor.
Unique Opportunities for Students
A large and respected behavioral community. One of the most unique aspects of our program is that it is housed within a department that has had a pervasive behavioral orientation since the late 1960s (Michael, 1993). In fact, the Society for the Advancement of Behavior Analysis bestowed its first Enduring Programmatic Contributions in Behavior Analysis award to the department in 1998. In addition to the master’s and doctoral programs in behavior analysis, the psychology department offers a master’s degree in industrial/organizational psychology and a doctoral degree in clinical psychology (APA accredited) —both have a behavioral perspective. In total, the department includes 18 faculty members and approximately 110 graduate students, all of whom have a behavioral orientation. One of the benefits of a consistent departmental worldview is the ease with which students can “cross train” with students and faculty from other programs. For example, it is not uncommon for clinical and behavior analysis students to work together acquiring applied skills, or for students who specialize in developmental disabilities or behavioral medicine to obtain a secondary specialization in organizational behavior management. Students and alumni consistently list the breadth of specialties available to students as one of the most beneficial features of the behavior analysis programs.
Diverse research facilities and practicum sites. The size of our faculty and breadth of their interests have resulted in the development of a large number of research and practicum training sites. We have on-campus research laboratories devoted to behavioral pharmacology and behavioral neuroscience (with nonhumans), the experimental analysis of human behavior, organizational behavior management, transportation safety, behavioral medicine, instructional design, verbal behavior, and developmental disabilities. Our off-campus research and practicum sites include general and special education classrooms in area schools, agencies for persons with disabilities, geriatric programs, and a variety of businesses including Bronson Hospital and Pfizer Pharmaceuticals.
Scholarly productivity. Our faculty and students are consistently engaged in high-quality scholarly activity. The psychology department was recently ranked 5th out of 53 institutions for scholarly productivity in behavior analysis from 1992 to 2001 (Shabani, Carr, Petursdottir, Esch, & Gillett, 2004). In a recent five-year period, there were approximately 200 student co-authorships on faculty publications and approximately 350 student co-authorships on conference presentations. Behavior analysis faculty members hold editorial positions at more than 20 scholarly journals, including Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, The Behavior Analyst, and The Analysis of Verbal Behavior. These positions routinely provide opportunities for advanced graduate students to gain editorial experience by serving as guest reviewers.
Opportunities for certification and licensure. The behavior analysis
programs actively assist students in their preparation for behavior analysis
certification and psychology licensure after graduation. The program’s core
curriculum has been approved by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board
(www.bacb.com), which facilitates later certification
in behavior analysis. A higher percentage of our graduates pass the certification
exam compared to the national average. In addition, the behavior analysis
doctoral curriculum is compatible with national standards for psychology
licensure and our students have been welcomed at APA-accredited internship
programs. Recently, our students have been accepted at behavior-analytic
internship sites such as Kennedy Krieger Institute, Marcus Institute, and
Munroe-Meyer institute.
Student Satisfaction and Placement
Our students report great satisfaction with their training and enjoy high rates of employment in relevant positions following graduation. In recent years, our programs have had a 100% student placement rate.
Contact Information
More information on our programs can be found on our Web site (www.wmich.edu/psychology/BA) and in our entry in the Association for Behavior Analysis International Graduate Training Directory (www.abainternational.org/start). An application packet can be obtained from the program Web site, from our graduate-training secretary (linda.rowen@wmich.edu), or by calling the department at (269) 387-4500.
References
Michael, J. (1993). A brief overview of the history of Western Michigan University’s behavioral programs. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 26, 587-588.
Shabani, D. B., Carr, J. E., Petursdottir, A. I., Esch, B. E., & Gillett, J. N. (2004). Scholarly productivity in behavior analysis: The most prolific authors and institutions from 1992 to 2001. The Behavior Analyst Today, 5, 235-243.