Course Code : ABA 526

Course Description :

Provides an introduction to behavior analysis and the learning principles on which ABA is founded. Everyday behavior and how it changes is explained by learning principles derived from an analysis of scientific research. Students learn procedures that derive from behavioral principles and practice implementing those procedures in computer simulations. Principles and procedures in the course curriculum include reinforcement, extinction, differential reinforcement, punishment, stimulus control, issues of discrimination and generalization, shaping, fading, prompting, concept formation, stimulus equivalence, respondent learning, conditioned reinforcement, schedules of reinforcement, and behavioral definitions.

Credit : 3

Course Code : ABA 534

Course Description :

This course will provide an overview of applications of research methodology involving direct observation and single-subject designs. This class will consist of a systematic investigation into the major research methods and related issues relevant to identifying functional relationships among environmental and behavioral variables in behavior analysis. The course content is primarily geared to cover the following major content areas: Measurement, Data Displays, and Interpretation; Experimental Design. Specific topics will include independent and dependent variables, various research designs (including withdrawals, reversals, alternating-treatments, multi-element, changing-criterion, and multiple-baseline designs), considerations in using various designs, identifying dimensions of behavior (e.g., rate, duration, latency, or inter-response times), operational definitions, measurement procedures, inter-observer agreement, reliability and validity, Standard Celeration Charts, and making treatment decisions using data displayed in various formats.

Course Code : ABA 537

Course Description :

This course is designed to provide an introduction to applying the basic principles of behavior to address issues of social significance. The purposes of this class are to review defining characteristics of applied behavior analysis and define basic principles of behavior (reinforcement, punishment, extinction, motivating operations, discrimination/generalization) through an applied lens. Thereafter, students will identify how these principles can be used in the development of applied interventions to establish or strengthen behaviors (e.g., prompting, shaping, chaining, differential reinforcement), decrease behavior (e.g., extinction, punishment), promote generalization and maintenance, and design/employ other applied technologies (e.g., token economies, group contingencies, behavioral contracts). A discussion of basic verbal operants and diversity, equity, and inclusion will also be included.

Course Code : ABA 556

Course Description :

This course, which is a continuation and expansion on the principles learned in ABA 537 Intro to ABA, will examine strategies to promote generalization of learned skills, prompting strategies, teaching self-management, group-oriented contingencies, shaping techniques, behavior chains, motivational systems, and other topics. This course includes a 12-hour field component requirement.

Prerequisites :

ABA 537

Course Code : ABA 561

Course Description :

This course prepares students for the ethical and professional practice of applied behavior analysis. Students will learn about the foundations of professional and ethical behavior needed to insure a high quality of practice in behavior analysis. Included will be discussions of evaluating behavior change, collaborating with other professionals, relationships with clients and colleagues, professional representation of oneself and the field of behavior analysis, dissemination of professional values, the Behavior Analyst Certification Board Guidelines for Responsible Conduct. The course content will be addressed through course readings, lectures, classroom discussion, audio-visual presentations, and role playing.

Course Code : ABA 573

Course Description :

Effective writing is an important skill to communicate the findings of a scientific discipline to other professionals and to the mainstream population. Course content will include the function of the written word, the logic of scientific vs. popular writing, APA Style, writing article summaries, writing a Literature review, developing thesis and dissertation proposals, the publication process, writing critiques, writing effective PowerPoint presentations, writing for popular media sources, the basics of grant writing, and developing the curriculum vitae. In this course, students will learn to analyze critically their own written products as well as those of colleagues and student peers. Students will write regularly, both in-class and on their own time, across a number of assignments, for practice and review.

Course Code : ABA 615

Course Description :

This course will provide an overview of functional behavior assessment and function-based interventions for application in a wide range of settings. The purposes of this course are to: (a) provide students with a background in the seminal research in the area of functional assessment, (b) teach students to distinguish between the various types of functional assessment (i.e., indirect, descriptive, and experimental approaches), (c) teach students to identify the strengths and weaknesses of different functional assessment approaches, (d) familiarize students with methodological and procedural variations of experimental functional analysis, (e) teach students to critically evaluate functional assessment/treatment literature, and (f) to prepare students to conduct functional behavior assessments.

Prerequisites :

ABA 526, ABA 534, ABA 537 and ABA 556

Course Code : ABA 624

Course Description :

This advanced course will provide an overview of contemporary research and practice in the field of OBM, also referred to as Perofrmance Management. OBM is seen by some as a behaviorally based area of specialization within the broad field of Industrial-Organizational Psychology.OBM is most closely aligned with the area of organizational behavior and personnel/ human resource management. When ABA is applied to organizational problems such as training, afety, productivity, and quality deficits, the collective set of procedures is term "OBM". The purpose of this course is to introduce students to practice and research in OBM and provide students with the skills needed to apply the fundamental principles of ABA to a variety of performance problems in organizational settings.

Prerequisites :

ABA 534 and ABA 537

Course Code : ABA 655

Course Description :

This course will provide an overview of contemporary research and practice in organizational behavior management, including exposure to behavioral systems analysis, performance management, and behavior-based safety. The purposes of this class are to increase understanding and application of behavioral science in business, with a specific emphasis on human-service organizations. Specific topics and activities will include: organizational and systems level analysis, identifying and measuring pinpoints, assessing performance problems, linking assessment to intervention, identifying interventions, social validity, rule-governed behavior, and supervision and mentorship.

Prerequisites :

ABA 526

Course Code : ABA 800

Course Description :

Students will gain practical experience in the design, implementation, and evaluation of behavioral programs with individuals with autism spectrum disorder and related disabilities. All students will work in the Caldwell University Center for Autism and Applied Behavior Analysis (CAABA), complete an orientation, follow all CAABA policies and procedures, and will be supervised by Caldwell University faculty. This practical experience fulfills the field requirements of the Behavior Analyst Certification Board.

Credit : 3

Course Code : ABA 801

Course Description :

Following ABA 800, students will gain additional practical experience in the design, implementation, and evaluation of behavioral programs with individuals with autism spectrum disorder and related disabilities. All students will work in the Caldwell University Center for Autism and Applied Behavior Analysis (CAABA), complete an orientation, follow all CAABA policies and procedures, and will be supervised by Caldwell University faculty. This practical experience fulfills the field requirements of the Behavior Analyst Certification Board.

Credit : 3

Prerequisites :

ABA 800

Course Code : ABA 510

Course Description :

Focuses on the application of a systematic and empirical approach to the study of psychology. Topics will include: scientific method, pseudoscience, types of experimental research, variable definition, validity threats, control strategies, experimental design, ethical issues, how to present research, statistical application, and additional material. Students engage in discussion, conduct relevant empirical research, and write research reports in the American Psychological Association ABA 811 Research Practicum in ABA II (3) This course will provide additional research experience to students who have already taken ABA 809 Research Practicum in ABA I. Students can register for 1 – 3 credits per semester with a maximum of 3 credits of the research practicum in applied behavior analysis counting towards graduation. Students will be expected to devote 10 hours per week per credit towards the research practicum. Some of those hours may be spent collecting and analyzing the data, conducting literature searches, and writing a manuscript based on the data. It is assumed that most research practica will be supervised by the student’s dissertation advisor but the student and dissertation advisor may agree that another faculty member is best qualified to supervise the research. Students will be expected to meet frequently with their practicum supervisor during the semester and will be expected to complete a research paper written in APA-style by the end of the semester. The research paper should be generalization, shaping, fading, prompting, concept formation, stimulus equivalence, respondent learning, conditioned reinforcement, schedules of reinforcement, and behavioral definitions.

Credit : 3

Course Code : ABA 553

Course Description :

This course is an extension of ABA 534 where the application of behavioral principles to socially significant behaviors is explored. In this course, we will cover advanced basic and applied behavior analytic content as it relates to stimulus control, simple and conditional discrimination, prompt and prompt fading strategies, motivating operations, generalization, maintenance, simple and compound schedules of reinforcement, chaining procedures, differential reinforcement, extinction, antecedent-based interventions, positive and negative punishment including ethical consideration for its use. Throughout the course, students will have the opportunities to develop a skill acquisition program based upon best practices, review and critique current research, present an empirical peer-reviewed article, and conduct and write a brief literature review.

Prerequisites :

ABA 534

Course Code : ABA 572

Course Description :

Designed to familiarize students with skill acquisition services delivered to individuals with ASD and other developmental disabilities. Through a behavior-analytic lens, students are exposed to best practices in assessing and teaching language, social, and adaptive skills. Students learn procedures derived from behavioral principles and research to promote acquisition and practice designing, implementing, and problem solving those procedures via assigned projects.

Prerequisites :

ED556, ABA556, ED537, ABA537

Course Code : ABA 600

Course Description :

This course frames the basic concepts and research findings in infant, child, and adolescent development from a behavior analytic viewpoint. Topics include theory in science, critical analyses of concepts and research methods in developmental psychology, motor development, memory, imitation, perception, thinking, reasoning, concept formation, language, and social development.

Prerequisites :

PS 526, PS 537

Course Code : ABA 601

Course Description :

Description & Necessity: The course is designed to teach the student about behaviorally based therapeutic approaches and techniques that have been empirically supported with children. Course content will focus on the theoretical conceptualization of clinical problems and the conceptual rationale for selecting and implementing behavior therapy techniques. Students will also become familiar with specific protocols for implementing several practical intervention skills.

Prerequisites :

ABA 526, ABA 534, ABA 537, ABA 556

Course Code : ABA 603

Course Description :

This course focuses on identifying and meeting the unique needs of adults with autism spectrum disorders and the families and professionals who support them. Transition strategies from school to adult life will be addressed. Components of effective teaching, employment, volunteer, and residential programs will be identified as well as access to community services. Instructional strategies for the acquisition, maintenance, and generalization of skills and addressing challenging behaviors will be reviewed. Funding and legal aspects of adult services will be discussed. A brief historical perspective of services and civil rights for NJ adults with autism spectrum disorders will be reviewed.

Prerequisites :

ABA 526, ABA 534, ABA 537, ABA 556

Course Code : ABA 604

Course Description :

This course is designed to examine a variety of behavior analytic methodologies to develop advanced language and social skills for individuals with autism. Students in this course will learn how to use and evaluate the available literature on teaching skills such as conversation, friendship, language concepts, cooperative play, conflict management, and self regulation among others.

Prerequisites :

ABA 534, ABA 537, ABA 556, ABA 572.

Course Code : ABA 605

Course Description :

This course is designed to examine play assessments and interventions for children with autism. Play skills are often a target for treatment for these individuals because a deficit in this area is one of the diagnostic criteria for autism. Play skills allow children with autism to engage in appropriate independent behavior and have meaningful interactions with other children. Behavior analysts who serve children with autism must be prepared to assess and develop effective interventions for teaching play skills. Students in this course will learn about definitions of play, the concept of automatic reinforcement, the development of play in typically developing children, as well as methods of assessing and teaching play skills. Finally, students will critically evaluate the literature on interventions designed to teach play and develop research protocols that could be used to contribute to this literature.
 

Prerequisites :

ABA534, ABA537

Course Code : ABA 616

Course Description :

One of the hallmarks of applied behavior analysis is its focus on the identification of goals and the development of educational interventions specifically tailored for individual learners. This course will focus on identifying educational goals, developing individualized curriculum and motivational systems, assessing treatment effectiveness, and making decisions about transitioning.

Prerequisites :

ABA 526, ABA 534, ABA 537 and ABA 556

Course Code : ABA 618

Course Description :

This course is designed to examine the assessment and treatment of stereotypic behavior, which is commonly observed in individuals with autism and their developmental disorders. Stereotypy is often a target for treatment for these individuals because of its stigma and inverse relationship with appropriate behavior (e.g., play, conversation). Behavior analysts who serve individuals with disabilities must be prepared to conduct careful analyses and treatment evaluations for stereotypical behavior. The major objectives of the class include discussion in etiological theories of stereotypy, methods of assessing maintaining consequences of stereotypy, evaluation of the literature on interventions designed to decrease stereotypy, and development of protocols to evaluate treatments for stereotypy.

Prerequisites :

ABA 526, ABA 534, ABA 537 and ABA 556

Course Code : ABA 619

Course Description :

Difficulties with feeding have been found to occur in up to 80% of children with disabilities and up to 74% of children diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorders. This course introduces students to the field of pediatric feeding disorders, examining the etiologies of feeding disorders, assessment techniques, treatment procedures, caregiver training, and issues related to generalization and maintenance.

Prerequisites :

ABA 526, ABA 534, ABA 537 and ABA 556

Course Code : ABA 627

Course Description :

This elective course will investigate the variables that affect how individuals learn to respond differently in the presence of different situations in their surroundings along with how various types of stimulus classes (i.e., concepts or categories) control behavior. Included will be a discussion of the research literature concerning stimulus generalization and discrimination, stimulus fading, stimulus dimensions & features (relevant and irrelevant), intra-, extra-, and inter-dimensional training, stimulus classes & concept learning (e.g., perceptual concepts, equivalence classes, relational frames), transfer of control, prompting strategies, multiple exemplar teaching, and others. Students will also learn about the crucial aspects of programming for generalization in applied settings as well as teaching conceptual behavior.

Prerequisites :

ABA526, ABA534, ABA537, ABA556

Course Code : CPS 627

Course Description :

Provides an overview of psychopharmacological interventions, including discussions of drug action and interaction, tolerance, side effects, dependency and withdrawal. Emphasis is placed upon medications commonly prescribed for the treatment of various forms of mental illness. The course will also include an examination of the counselor’s role in educating clients about pharmacological issues

Credit : 3

Course Code : ABA 631

Course Description :

Explores topics related to theories of reinforcement, establishment of conditioned reinforcers and motivation systems, the role of motivating operations and discriminative stimuli in reinforcement, maintenance of reinforcement effects, and phenomena and procedures relevant to the effectiveness of reinforcers. Basic research on choice and preference will be translated to applied issues, and students will explore the research literature on preference and reinforcers assessements.

Prerequisites :

ABA537, ABA556, ABA534, ABA526

Course Code : ABA 640

Course Description :

Provides the student with an overview of the research literature in the area of self-management in behavior analysis. We will review self-management theory, practice, and research findings. Students will actively (a) review relevant literature, b) present and discuss topics in class, and (c) conduct, write and present projects describing your procedures and findings.

Prerequisites :

ABA534, ABA537, ABA556, ABA526

Course Code : ABA 645

Course Description :

Students will learn to identify and understand various types of pervasive developmental disorders and cognitive impairments, the etiology of these disorders, and their prevalence in the general population. Students will also acquire an understanding of current special education policies and procedures, examine various assessment strategies used to identify children with developmental disabilities, and determine appropriate educational strategies.

Course Code : ABA 646

Course Description :

Introduces students to a behavior analytic approach to language and to the interaction between speakers and listeners. The course will cover types of elementary verbal behavior. Students will learn to recognize examples of these concepts as they occur in everyday life. Research articles that report on teaching verbal behavior to learners will be analyzed.

Prerequisites :

ABA526, ABA537, ABA534, ABA556

Course Code : ABA 698

Course Description :

Spring 2022: This course will review empirically supported assessment and instructional strategies for diverse learners. Topics will include reviewing Direction Instruction, Curriculum-based measures, Precision teaching among others. By the course end, students will be able to articulate and apply the process of linking assessment to intervention. Additionally, students will be expected to complete a case study where they link assessment to an intervention.

Fall 2021: This course is designed to address diversity in the field of applied behavior analysis (ABA) and our larger communities. Topics covered in this course may include privilege, intersectionality, systematic oppression, and cross-cultural professional and clinical considerations in ABA. Over the course of the semester, we will seek to examine these issues from a behaviorist perspective. We will consider the impact of power and privilege on our own lives, the lives of our clients, and the lives of other people in our communities as well as how we can take action to reduce inequality and promote justice. 

Summer 2021:This course provides a basic introduction to using the Python programming language for tasks related to practice or research in behavior analysis. The course is broken into two components. In the first two-thirds of the class, students will use Python to build either a practice-related task (e.g., match-to-sample, intraverbals) or research-related task (e.g., discounting, resurgence), deploy the task online, and collect pilot data. In the second half, students will use Python to conduct basic analytic tasks, visualize the data, and publish the findings of their experiment in an online Git repository. Throughout, students will learn best practices for programming and code documentation.

Course Code : ABA 809

Course Description :

This course will provide additional research experience to students interested in conducting doctoral level research under the supervision of a faculty member. Students can register for 1-3 credits per semester with a maximum of 3 credits of the research practicum in applied behavior analysis counting towards graduation. Students will be expected to devote 10 hours per week per credit towards the research practicum. Some of those hours may be spent collecting and analyzing the data, conducting literature searches, and writing a manuscript based on the data. It is assumed that most research practica will be supervised by the student’s dissertation advisor but in rare cases, the student and dissertation advisor may agree that another faculty member is best qualified to supervise the research. Students will be expected to meet frequently with their practicum supervisor during the semester and will be expected to complete a research paper written in APA-style by the end of the semester. The research paper should be written in such a manner that it could be submitted to a professional journal for publication. (Note: Students must take either ABA 800 or ABA 809.)

Credit : 3

Prerequisites :

ABA 526, PS 534, PS 537, PS 556, & approval of Research Practicum Supervisor

Course Code : ABA 811

Course Description :

This course will provide additional research experience to students who have already taken ABA 809 Research Practicum in ABA I. Students can register for 1 – 3 credits per semester with a maximum of 3 credits of the research practicum in applied behavior analysis counting towards graduation. Students will be expected to devote 10 hours per week per credit towards the research practicum. Some of those hours may be spent collecting and analyzing the data, conducting literature searches, and writing a manuscript based on the data. It is assumed that most research practica will be supervised by the student’s dissertation advisor but the student and dissertation advisor may agree that another faculty member is best qualified to supervise the research. Students will be expected to meet frequently with their practicum supervisor during the semester and will be expected to complete a research paper written in APA-style by the end of the semester. The research paper should be written in such a manner that it could be submitted to a professional journal for publication.
 

Credit : 1 – 3