Academic Policies
- Students must maintain a grade point average of “B” (3.0). Students whose cumulative averages fall below 3.0 are placed on academic probation. Failure to achieve an average of 3.0 in each subsequent semester of registration will result in academic dismissal.
- No more than one course in which a “C” (2.0) is earned (see exceptions below) may be included as degree credit. A course may only be repeated once. Academic dismissal will result upon receipt of two “C”s for a single course.
- Students will not be allowed to graduate with a “C” in any of the courses making up the ABAI-Verified Course Sequence or the Thesis/Capstone courses:
- Students on the two-year program of study who earn a “C” in two separate courses prior to entering practicum must switch to the three-year program of study, beginning with the next semester.
- Students may request a one-year leave of absence from the program by submitting a written request to the program director. If a student is absent from the program for more than one year (three semesters), the student must apply for readmission.
- Students who withdraw or are dismissed from the program and are not on an approved leave of absence must reapply for readmission. All new student application requirements will apply.
- All credit applied to a degree program must be earned within six (6) years of the first registration.
- Faculty members approve all academic policies for Graduate Studies programs.
Students in the ABACS program are expected to adhere to the Behavior Analyst Certification Board’s (BACB’s) Professional and Ethical Compliance Code for Behavior Analysts, located at www.bacb.com. Failure to meet program requirements and expectations as outlined are handled on a case-by-case basis, and may result in dismissal from the program. In these cases, the appeal procedure is the same as for academic probation and dismissal as outlined earlier in this catalog.
Degree-seeking students may apply for transfer of up to twelve (12) semester hours of graduate-level coursework by filing out an Application for Transfer Credit form. Transfer credit is approved only when the following conditions are met:
- Courses submitted for transfer must have been completed within the six years prior to graduation from the program.
- Before taking a course intended for transfer, a student must submit the Application for Transfer Credit form and supply course syllabi and a course description from the course catalog that specifically describes course name, number, course requirements, and content. The student should attach a cover letter stating which course or courses the transferred courses will replace in the student’s program of studies and a rationale for the substitution. This material should be submitted to Holt Student Services.
- Upon completion of the substitute course, a student must supply an official transcript that verifies that the course or courses being submitted for transfer were completed with a grade of “B” or better.
- The department chair, core faculty members, and the instructor(s) primarily responsible for teaching the course(s) for which a substitution is proposed will determine if the transfer is appropriate. Courses will be approved for transfer only if there is substantial consistency between the proposed transfer course and the required course.
- Courses that make up the ABAI-Verified Course Sequence (see below) or Thesis/Capstone project courses may NOT be substituted by a transferred course:
Three semesters of practicum, 250 hours per semester, are required (750 total). Experience hours are characterized by on-site and off-site supervision at least twice per week for no less than 10% of the total hours spent in the practicum.
Completion of clinical hours may be required during daytime working hours. Applicants and students are advised that work or life scheduling changes may be necessary in order to complete these degree requirements.
Students should be aware that the practicum hours involve physical direct interaction with children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Students with disabilities who may require accommodation for these tasks are encouraged to initiate a meeting with the practicum coordinator and Rollins Accessibility Services Office as early as possible to discuss practicum expectations and essential requirements of the program.
Practicum Eligibility:
In addition to assessment of graduate-level achievement as reflected by course grades and performance on course assignments, additional areas of academic performance critical to professional development are also evaluated over the course of the program. Students must pass the Practicum Readiness Evaluation before they will be placed in a practicum site.
If a student fails the evaluation, an individualized behavior plan will be created to help the student remediate the identified deficits with a goal of entering practicum in the following semester. If the student’s remediation efforts are unsatisfactory at the end of the designated remediation period, the student will be dismissed from the program.
Thesis and capstone requirements are detailed in the ABACS Thesis/Capstone Project Guidebook.
Graduation requirements include the following:
- Completion of all course requirements for the degree with a minimum grade point average of “B” (3.0);
- Filing an Intent to Graduate form;
- Payment of the graduation fee;
- Payment of any outstanding fees due to the College; and
- Recommendation by the faculty
Commencement is held once each year in the spring. All degrees are awarded pursuant to the policies of the Board of Trustees of Rollins College.
The Maria Ruiz Memorial Research Award was established to recognize outstanding thesis research in applied behavior analysis. Maria was a prominent researcher and writer in conceptual and applied behavior analysis. A professor in the Psychology department at Rollins College, she worked tirelessly behind the scenes to help create the Applied Behavior Analysis and Clinical Science master’s program in 2015. She passed away on August 15, 2017 after a year-long battle with cancer. Maria’s passion for teaching others both subject matter and analysis was an abiding ethical construct in her life. This award is presented at graduation to the student who best exemplifies Maria’s focus on controlled, rigorous data collection to inform treatment decisions.
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