Augustana M.S. Applied Behavior Analysis Graduates Exceed National Certification Pass Rates

Launched in Fall 2022 as a Master of Education in Special Education in Applied Behavior Analysis (M.Ed. in SPED - ABA), Augustana University's program has already achieved impressive student outcomes, including graduates earning Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) certification. Following its transition to a Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis (M.S. ABA) in Fall 2025, the program is on a path toward national recognition and, ultimately, full accreditation.

The M.S. ABA degree program prepares students for the BCBA examination through a 5-semester, 19-month online program, which includes supervised fieldwork. The program is designed for students who already work in behavioral settings, such as registered behavior technicians (RBTs), board certified assistant behavior analysts (BCaBAs) or degree-holding special education teachers and paraprofessionals.

Since December 2025, 63 students from 18 states and Canada have graduated from the online program. To date, 40 have become BCBAs, with more than a dozen serving in South Dakota.

"We've done a nice job of contributing to BCBAs in the local area and forming relationships with BCBAs all across the United States," said Dr. Kathleen Cook, program director of the M.S. ABA.

The need for behavior analysts has increased steadily each year since 2010, with a 28% increase from 2024 to 2025, according to the Behavior Analyst Certification Board.

"We are producing high-quality BCBAs in the South Dakota area, and I appreciate the relationships that they form with each other - it goes across all demographics," said Cook. "I think those relationships are a strength of the people who are interested in ABA to help improve the quality of life for others and continue to meet the growing need for BCBAs."

Now, the program is under review for Tier 2a Education Recognition through the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI). Program leaders view the recognition as an important step toward an even larger goal - achieving full accreditation by 2030.

"About 25% of ABA programs in the U.S. are accredited, and we were one of the first to submit our materials for accreditation," said Cook. "We're undergoing review as the first step for us to be recognized as a tiered program."

Regardless of the designation, the program is already producing positive results, as reflected in the success of its alumni on the BCBA certification exam. According to the BACB, AU graduates who took the exam for the first time in 2024 achieved a pass rate exceeding the national average by 9%. Graduates are now filling critical needs in schools, clinics and communities across the country.

For Bailey Parsons Vaca '23 and Katie Osmanski '23, who attended AU as undergraduates and were part of the program's first cohort, that impact has remained close to home as both serve clients in the Sioux Falls area.

"We work to help kids access the most fulfilling life that they can," said Parsons Vaca, a BCBA at LifeScape's Autism & Child Development Center (ACDC). "I always like to tell people we work with our clients on the great days, the worst days and all the days in between."

Parsons Vaca works primarily in early intervention, overseeing care for children while also supervising behavior technicians and developing individualized treatment plans. Her role includes conducting assessments, providing feedback and creating challenging, yet reachable goals for each client.

Parsons Vaca's path to behavior analysis has not always been straightforward. Originally wanting to become a physician's assistant (PA), she was introduced to the field through one of her undergraduate professors, who attended the spin classes she taught.

"It's nice to have that small town vibe where you wouldn't really think you'd have one of the professors in one of your workout classes," Parsons Vaca joked. "That close-knit community helped me build my career and find out what I wanted to do because, obviously, I ended in a different place than where I started."

And because of Augustana's community, Parsons Vaca felt more equipped to provide the best possible care to her clients.

"It really felt like an experience I was a part of, not something that was assigned to me. I think that helped for it to be meaningful and fulfilling," Parsons Vaca said.

"Students tell us they want the personalized attention and to get to know their professors," added Cook. "We provide a lot of mentorship. Students want the things that Augustana provides - not big numbers and class sizes, but personalized attention."

Thanks to the M.S. ABA degree program at Augustana, Osmanski was able to turn her lifelong passion for helping children with behavioral challenges into her career. Osmanski is entering her sixth year as a special education teacher for Harrisburg North Middle School, where she teaches and runs the school's behavior program as a behavior specialist. She committed to the program to help support students with behavioral and social needs - an interest that has been present throughout her life.

"In my first year at Harrisburg North, I had both a life skills and behavior special education caseload. However, by my second year, my position was split into two separate jobs - that's when I really started to focus on pursuing a career in the behavior field," said Osmanski. "When I think back on babysitting jobs I had when I was younger, I was always most connected to the kids who struggled to make positive choices, build relationships and have appropriate social interactions. Looking back, it probably makes perfect sense that I ended up building a career around supporting individuals with challenging behaviors."

Osmanski said part of what makes the M.S. ABA program at Augustana special is that the instructors were always willing to try new approaches.

"Because we worked through the program as a cohort, we were comfortable enough with each other to have open communication between instructors and students," she said. "Our instructors were honest and didn't have a hard time saying, 'Okay, this isn't working. Let's change it.'"

"It's what we can do to strengthen and improve the experience of our students. That, in itself, brings more students to us," said Cook.

Now, Osmanski uses the same problem-solving skills she learned at AU to provide her students with a high-quality education.

"We are setting our students up for success by helping them develop the social, emotional and behavioral skills that they will need to become employable, independent and confident adults, " she said. "That is the most crucial part for me - looking at what skills our clients absolutely have to have and focusing on how we can help them get there."

For more information about the Augustana M.S. ABA Program, visit augie.edu/ABA.