Certification Pathways, VCSs, & Accreditation: A Student's Guide

Navigating the pathways to Behavior Analyst Certification can be complex. This blog aims to clarify the certification process and help students understand their options.

Introduction

There are currently two* primary pathways to BACB certification eligibility at the BCBA level. Pathway 1 involves completing an ABAI or APBA-accredited master's program. Pathway 2 involves completing a master's degree from an accredited institution and specific graduate-level coursework in behavior analysis (21 credits at the BCBA level). Both pathways require fieldwork and passing the BCBA exam to achieve certification. This blog explains the two paths, the differences between verified course sequences and accredited programs, and what students need to know for their certification journey.

Pathway 2: Behavior-Analytic Coursework and VCSs

Because the vast majority of students enter the field via a VCS, we will begin with Pathway 2. This option allows for specific behavior-analytic coursework to be completed in combination with or after obtaining a master’s degree in any field of study.  Many students receive this coursework via a Verified Course Sequence (VCS).  At the time of this blog's writing, there are 687 VCSs in the United States.

In early 2000, the BACB began reviewing university course sequences and comparing the included content against BACB coursework standards for certification. Standards include a course-hours requirement in each content area and a specification of how content hours can be structured within and across courses. For example, the 2022 standards require 45 hours of ethics taught in one or more freestanding courses.

BCBA Pathway 2 Coursework Content Requirements

BACB 2024. BCBA Handbook, p.9. retrieved on 6/24/24 from https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/BCBAHandbook_240426-a.pdf

Programs whose course sequences met the coursework standards by matching the required content allocation hours were then identified as Verified Course Sequences (VCS). The VCS designation allows programs to identify as including a VCS, providing clarity to students when evaluating programs. It offers reassurance to students that the coursework in their current or prospective program does, in fact, meet BACB coursework standards for Pathway 2.

"A Verified Course Sequence (VCS) is a set of courses that has been verified by ABAI as meeting specific coursework requirements, content hours, and faculty." 
-ABAI Website retrieved 6/20/24

In 2014, the BACB began publishing exam pass-rate data for VCSs. Though not the only determining factor of a program's quality, first-time pass rates are an important indicator for students about whether a program will likely prepare them for the certification exam. In 2022, BACB pass rates were published for nearly 200 VCS programs.

The BACB maintained oversight of VCSs until January 1, 2019, when administrative oversight was transferred to ABAI. This shift did not significantly affect students.

VCS System Sunsetting

In 2023, ABAI announced they would end the VCS system on December 31, 2025. However, this sunsetting is only for the administrative oversight of programs. This change only means that programs can no longer clearly and easily tell students that their sequences meet Pathway 2 coursework requirements. This change has no impact on the existence of certification Pathway 2. Beginning in 2026, verification will occur through a coursework attestation from the student’s university to demonstrate that the coursework standards have been met. Students may continue to meet BACB eligibility requirements by completing coursework specified in the BACB Pathway 2 coursework standards until December 31, 2031.

Important Point:
The VCS system ends Dec 31, 2025, but Pathway 2 remains active through 2031.

Pathway 1: ABAI or APBA-Accredited Degree

The verification process ensures that programs contain specific content that meets BACB coursework standards but does not evaluate other aspects of the program. Program accreditation is the process by which an accrediting body reviews a program’s courses, administration, resources, and more to determine whether the program meets the standards set by that organization. Two accrediting organizations are recognized by BACB Pathway 1: ABAI accreditation and APBA accreditation.

Accreditation by ABAI or APBA requires a program to submit to a review of many aspects of the program beyond meeting BACB coursework standards.  “Accreditation is a peer-review process guided by standards in which a program completes a comprehensive review of the overall coursework, faculty, research, curriculum, experiential learning, and outcome measures of the overall program” (ABAI, 2024).

As of December 2023 (data), there are 26 universities with accredited master’s programs and 40 accredited programs at all levels. Nineteen programs qualified to have their BACB pass-rate data reported in 2022. Published pass rates for these programs ranged from 33%-100%.

Online Education, Verification and Accreditation

Though ABAI has been accrediting programs since 1993, accreditation has only recently become available for online programs in behavior analysis. Before 2022, accreditation was only available to on-campus and hybrid programs. Thus, few online programs have pursued accreditation at this time. Given the proliferation of distance programs in recent years, the introduction of accreditation by APBA as a second accrediting option, and the requirement that programs transition from verification to accreditation by 2032, an increase in accredited programs will likely be seen over the next 6 to 8 years.

Concluding Points

The various pathways and their specific requirements can be overwhelming, especially with the upcoming changes. This blog was designed to provide clarity and enhance understanding. Keep these key points in mind:

• There are currently two primary pathways to certification exam eligibility, and both remain viable through the end of 2031. Eligibility pathways change on January 1, 2032.

• Pathway 1 requires attending an accredited master’s for the BCBA level.

• Pathway 2 requires specific behavior-analytic coursework, typically achieved via a university VCS in combination with or after obtaining a degree within or outside of the field of behavior analysis.

• There are currently few accredited programs and many programs that offer eligible coursework (often via a VCS), with comparable certification exam pass rates.

• Both accredited programs and those that offer specific coursework that meets BACB requirements allow students to achieve exam eligibility.

• The VCS system sunsets on December 31, 2025. After this time, programs will be unable to identify as containing a VCS, but Pathway 2 remains active through the end of 2031.

References

https://www.bacb.com/bcba/

https://www.abainternational.org/vcs.aspx

https://www.abainternational.org/welcome.aspx

https://www.apbahome.net/

https://accreditation.abainternational.org/welcome.aspx

https://www.bacb.com/university-pass-rates/

https://www.apbahome.net/page/Accreditationstandards

https://accreditation.abainternational.org/about.aspx

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/BACB_March2022_Newsletter-230224-a.pdf

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/BCBAHandbook_240426-a.pdf

https://www.abainternational.org/vcs/bacb/news-and-updates.aspx

https://www.abainternational.org/higher-education/verified-course-sequence.aspx

*There are currently four pathways to certification. However, two of these are the most used and, thus, the focus of this blog. See the BACB Handbook for more information on certification and certification pathways.