MSc

Behaviour Analysis and Therapy

Our MSc Behaviour Analysis and Therapy degree powers up your prospects by equipping you with the skills in behaviour analysis and therapy that are required to practice in a range of educational and clinical settings.

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Key Course Details

  • Start Date

    September

  • Location

    Pontypridd

  • Campus Code

    A

Fees

  • Home students

    £11,060*

  • International students

    £17,900*

  • Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits.

  • Start Date

    September

  • Location

    Pontypridd

  • Campus Code

    A

Fees

  • Home students

    £1,135*

  • Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits.
Make an Enquiry

This course explores the scientific principles of behaviour analysis and therapeutic techniques, helping you unearth effective interventions to change behaviour.

DESIGNED FOR

Our MSc Behaviour Analysis and Therapy course has been designed for graduates of Psychology or Education (and related subjects) who intend to work as a trained behaviour analysis professionals in a wide range of both clinical and non-clinical settings or research environments.

Career paths

  • Working within the NHS
  • Working within Education
  • Learning Disability Support Provider
  • Behaviour Analysis Research

Skills taught

  • Problem Solving
  • Evidence-Based Solution Finding
  • Research and Evaluation
  • Advanced Scientific Reasoning
  • Specialist Software Literacy

We make a difference in practice, not just on paper. Our courses are designed by people who offer jobs - and taught by people who have real work experience.

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An empty therapy room. There is a desk with a computer, two chairs and a small table.
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Course Highlights

External Links and Partnerships

We have well established links with schools, social care settings and healthcare providers, which provide ideal locations for dissertation research.

Behaviour Analysis Clinic

Our campus-based Behaviour Analysis Clinic gives you the opportunity to undertake voluntary placements to apply your studies to real-life contexts.

Psychology Plus

Our Psychology Plus scheme offers free opportunities to enhance your skills and knowledge base with specialist short courses, professional certificates, and work placements.

Outstanding Facilities

As well as the on-site clinic, our facilities include a purpose-built Psychology laboratory, industry-standard equipment, bookable study rooms and a social learning space.

Taught by Industry Experts

Learn from active researchers who bring over 30 years of clinical behaviour analysis experience to the classroom.

Module Overview

This course fulfils the coursework requirements for eligibility to apply to become certified as a behaviour analyst. Applicants will need to meet additional supervision requirements before they can be deemed eligible to register with the UK Society for Behaviour Analysis (UK-SBA) as a UKBA (cert).

Year One
Principles and Concepts in Behaviour Analysis
Research Methods in Behaviour Analysis
Behavioural Assessment
Philosophy of Behaviourism

 

Behaviour Change Interventions
Supporting Behaviour Change in Complex Systems
Ethical and Professional Issues in Behaviour Analysis
Behaviour Analysis Dissertation

Full-time students will complete 140 course credits in taught modules as well as the 60-credit dissertation research project within one year. For part-time students, this is spread across two years. You will be equipped with the knowledge and understanding of the scientific principles and therapeutic techniques that underpin behaviour analysis, developing a competitive combination of research and practical skills.

Principles and Concepts in Behaviour Analysis
This module will cover the basic underlying principles, processes and concepts of the science and technology of behaviour analysis.

Research Methods in Behaviour Analysis
You will learn how we define, measure and understand behaviour, and how we evaluate if clinical interventions have made a meaningful change in behaviour.

Behavioural Assessment
You will learn to assess and analyse the variables that contribute to behaviour using a range of empirically based methods. You will master strategies for analysing challenging behaviour, as well as skill deficits.     

Philosophy of Behaviourism
We will explore the philosophical underpinnings of the science of behaviour analysis, looking at the various branches of behaviour analysis and how they fit into contemporary psychology.

Behaviour Change Interventions
You will learn a range of ethical, effective strategies for facilitating the acquisition and maintenance of socially important behaviour, as well as strategies for addressing challenging behaviour.

Supporting Behaviour Change in Complex Systems
We will explore the range of settings in which behaviour analysis can be applied, as well as developing your skills for effectively supporting behaviour change.

Ethical and Professional Issues in Behaviour Analysis
This module is aligned with UK Society for Behaviour Analysis guidance for the professional and ethical conduct of behaviour analysts. You will problem solve ethical dilemmas across a range of populations and settings.

Behaviour Analysis Dissertation
Completion of the MSc course includes an empirical dissertation addressing a substantive issue in behaviour analysis.

Course Highlights

How you’ll learn

Students on the MSc Behaviour Analysis and Therapy course benefit form a wide range of teaching delivery, including lectures, seminars, practical workshops and supplementary e-learning activities. Teaching delivery for full-time students is blocked into 2.5 days per week. Throughout your course, you may also have opportunities to assist with ongoing research or clinical work in the field, as well as volunteering in the University’s Behaviour Analysis Clinic.  

Assessments include examinations, practical assignments, and essays. You will also complete a dissertation, which allows you to analyse behaviour systematically and evaluate the success of intervention under the close supervision of a doctoral-level Behaviour Analyst. Our links with local schools, social care settings and healthcare providers provide you with ideal locations for dissertation research.

Teaching staff

You will be taught by a team of doctoral-level Behaviour Analysts who are internationally recognised for their research and clinical work in the field and who cover a range of research and clinical interests. They are experienced teachers, researchers, and clinicians with over 30 years of combined experience in the field. You will also benefit from the expertise of visiting graduate speakers from external organisations that hire behaviour analysts such as the NHS, local schools and pupil referral units.  

Placements

Placements are not a compulsory or guaranteed part of this course, though voluntary work placements will be made available via our external partners where possible. You may also be able to complete your dissertation research project in a setting where you volunteer (subject to any ethical constraints). You can also find additional opportunities for placements and work experience through our Psychology Plus scheme including placements at our on-campus Behaviour Analysis Clinic. Voluntary placements help you to gain clinical experience, as well as possible connections and references from professionals in the field that can be hugely beneficial to your future career in behaviour analysis.

Facilities

Our purpose-built psychology lab is filled with industry standard equipment that you can access throughout your studies, including eye-tracking equipment, EEG and ECG. Our facilities include observation and interview rooms that are equipped with a two-way mirror, CCTV and audio, allowing for research and interview practice sessions. You’ll also be able to book a space for quiet study and access our custom-built PC laboratory which provides access to specialist software for running psychology experiments and conducting careers guidance interviews.

The University offers a wide range of psychological services to the public through our Behaviour Analysis Clinic facility and include play therapy, behaviour analysis, health, and sport psychology interventions.

Careers and Employability

Graduate careers

In recent years, the demand for Certified Behaviour Analysts has grown, with opportunities across various sectors. Graduates of the MSc Behaviour Analysis and Therapy course will possess a strong foundational knowledge of behaviour analysis, the ability to design and implement effective interventions, and advanced writing and communication skills. Additionally, graduates may be eligible to apply to the UK Society for Behaviour Analysis (UK-SBA), to register as a UKBA (cert) and access a wide range of career opportunities in the field. Please note there are additional supervision requirements to register as a UKBA (cert).

Possible career paths

The demand in growth for Certified Behaviour Analyst roles are increasingly advertised by organisations such as schools, the NHS, and local authorities that support individuals exhibiting challenging behaviours. Key areas of application include positive behaviour support, early intervention in educational settings, and contributing to autism diagnosis and support frameworks. Graduates may also pursue careers as independent consultants or undertake further training to explore wider fields such as prison settings.

Career support

Our program offers career support by fostering connections with community partners who employ behaviour analysts or incorporate their expertise into service provisions. This collaboration provides valuable opportunities for networking and work experience. We actively share information about job openings and professional opportunities with our students. Additionally, we encourage participation in both UK-based and international conferences, where students can present their research, attend sessions, and network with the wider professional UK Society for Behaviour Analysis (UKSBA) community.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Typical qualification requirements:

Applicants typically will have a minimum of a 2:1 Honours degree in Psychology or Education, or a related subject (e.g., Social Work, Nursing). Lower degree classifications (and other subject areas) may be considered for applicants with substantial experience in behaviour analysis.

Please note that whilst this course does not require a DBS Check for entry, some professions will not consider candidates who have certain types of criminal convictions. Therefore, if you have a criminal conviction and you are considering a particular career path we would recommend that you check with the relevant professional body or refer to their recruitment policy to make sure that your conviction will not disadvantage you.

An Enhanced DBS check may be required depending on your placement and will be arranged by your faculty team.

International applications welcomed:

We welcome international applications with equivalent qualifications of our entry requirements. For more details related to your country of residence please view our dedicated country pages.

English language requirements

International applicants will need to have achieved an overall of IELTS 7.0 with a minimum of 6.5 in each component or equivalent.

Equivalents can be located on our English Language pages.

If you have previously studied through the medium of English IELTS might not be required, please visit our country specific page for further details. If your country is not featured, please contact us.

If you do not meet the English entry criteria please visit our Pre-Sessional course pages.

Contextual offers

We may make you a lower offer based on a range of factors, including your background (where you live and the school or college that you attended, for example), your experiences and individual circumstances (as a care leaver, for example). This is referred to as a contextual offer, and we receive data from UCAS to support us in making these decisions.

USW prides itself on its student experience and we support our students to achieve their goals and become a successful graduate. This approach helps us to support students who have the potential to succeed and who may have faced barriers that make it more difficult to access university.

 

We're here to help

Whether you a have a question about your course, fees and funding, the application process or anything else, there are plenty of ways you can get in touch, and we'd love to talk to you. You can contact our friendly admissions team by phone, email or chat to us online.

 

Fees and Funding

UK Full-time Fee

£11,060

per year*
International Full-time Fee

£17,900

per year*
UK Part-time Fee

£1,135

per 20 credits*

Further Information

Studying at university is one of the most significant investments you'll ever make. Whilst you’re studying, you’ll have two main financial obligations – tuition fees and living costs. There’s lots of financial help available from the University of South Wales and external funding sources, that may provide loans (which have to be paid back) and grants, scholarships and bursaries (that don't).

*Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits. Once enrolled, the fee is anticipated to remain at the same rate throughout the duration of your study on this course except as described below.

Please be aware that we may increase the maximum fee for home students on full-time undergraduate courses only where the Welsh Government increases the permitted level of inflation of fees. Fees for all students (including part-time, postgraduate and international students) may be amended in accordance with our applicable Fees and Debt Management Policy.  We will ensure that students are given clear, intelligible, unambiguous and timely information about our courses and costs in good time, ahead of the next academic year.

 

Fees and Funding Scholarships and Busaries Alumni Discount

Additional Costs

As a student of USW, you’ll have access to lots of free resources to support your study and learning, such as textbooks, publications, online journals, laptops, and plenty of remote-access resources. Whilst in most cases these resources are more than sufficient in supporting you with completing your course, additional costs, both obligatory and optional, may be required or requested for the likes of travel, memberships, experience days, stationery, printing, or equipment. 

*Obligatory.

 

Optional depending on the type of placement you choose. The DBS fee includes £49.50 for the enhanced DBS certificate, the Post Office Administration fee and the online administration fee

Cost: £64.74

Whilst optional, it is strongly recommended signing up for this service especially if you are likely to complete further study in this area and wish to pursue a career post University where a DBS check is a requirement. Please note, the service has to be joined within 19 days of receipt of your enhanced DBS certificate.

Cost: £16

This fee covers access to the online CyberRat programme, which is required for completing module PL4S132 (Principle and Concepts in Behaviour Analysis) assessments.

Cost: £20

University Quality Assurance

At USW, we regularly review our courses in response to changing patterns of employment and skills demand to ensure we offer learning designed to reflect today’s student needs and tomorrow’s employer demands.

If during a review process course content is significantly changed, we’ll write to inform you and talk you through the changes for the coming year. But whatever the outcome, we aim to equip our students with the skillset and the mindset to succeed whatever tomorrow may bring. Your future, future-proofed.

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Psychology Plus

Our psychology degrees offer hands-on experience, plus free opportunities through Psychology Plus to boost your skills and stand out in jobs or further study.

Find out about Psychology Plus opportunities

How to apply

There is an online application process for this course. Please choose the application form for your preferred start date and mode of study (i.e. full-time or part-time).

International admissions

Please see our international admissions advice for further information about how to apply as a prospective international student.

Studying at USW

Our courses are designed with industry leaders and provide the practical skills and experiences industry demands. Our flexible courses reflect the need for life-long learning. If you value education in practice, not just in theory, then USW is for you.

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Postgraduate fees and funding
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Pontypridd Campus, Treforest
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Related Courses

Psychology (Conversion) - MSc Learn more
Play Therapy - MSc Learn more

Next Steps

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