Working as a BCBA Student
Working as a BCBA student
One of the requirements for getting certified as a BCBA is collecting hours. There are two types of hours that you will need to collect:
1. Direct
2. Indirect
Anytime you are working directly with a client is considered direct hours, and anytime you spend completing behavior analytical activities without a client present is considered indirect.
The BACB website has more information on what counts for direct and indirect hours, and you can read more about meeting the certification requirements here.
Why does this matter to me?
You will need access to a client in order to collect direct hours, and you will need a supervising BCBA to sign off on your hours if you want to sit for the big BCBA exam. One of the best ways to collect hours and get a BCBA signature is by working as a behavior technician.
If you choose this route, you'll be able to collect a significant amount of direct hours under the supervision of a BCBA within your company. Typically ABA companies will hire technicians and give them access to a supervising BCBA at no extra charge.
There are alternatives to collecting hours without working as a behavior technician. For example, if you're in the school setting you can collect indirect hours working on activities and research for your students, and you can collect direct hours during the school day while with your class.
However, in this situation you would not have guaranteed access to a supervising BCBA, so you would have to look for one using the BACB’s supervisor registry.
BCBAs will typically charge per supervision hour and they don't come cheap, so you would have to pay out of pocket if you choose not to work for a company that provides a supervising BCBA with employment. This is one reason why many candidates choose to work as a behavior technician.
How many hours should I work while in school?
It is generally recommended that you work part-time while attending grad school and completing your coursework. It is also recommended that you take no more than two or three classes per semester so as not to overwhelm yourself.
It can be difficult working in the field of ABA without even factoring in outside stressors related to your school program. It is okay, and even quite common, to work part-time and attend school part-time while preparing for your BCBA licensure.
But I need the money to afford living expenses while in school, what should I do?
There is the general advice to apply for student loans and scholarship programs in hopes of reducing your overall tuition.
In addition to this, you may also want to consider taking school very slowly and completing only one or two courses per semester. Not only would this reduce the amount of money you're putting away for grad school each semester, but it would also allow you more free time to work full time.
Keep in mind that things may change down the road, and it is entirely okay to step back from a full-time position if you think it is causing educational stress.
When I first started my grad program, I continue to work full-time and took two classes per semester. When there was a risk of me failing one of my classes due to lack of available time to study and prep for projects and exams, I immediately talked with my BCBA and came up with a plan to fade to myself down to part-time work. This gave me extra free time throughout the week to get my school assignments done and to spend enough time studying for exams.
I did have to rely heavily on student loans when I was in grad school as well, but the great thing about a career as a BCBA is at the potential for earning a livable wage is quite high.
When you consider that many grad programs cost around $20,000-$30,000 and the average starting salary for BCBAs in the United States is around $75,000-$80,000, your return on investment is quite high. It is very possible to pay off your student loans within two or three years depending on where you live and what your current budget needs are.
