- It’s the most established Behavioural Science program in Canada and has been around since 1971.
- You will receive 875 hours of training across four placement.
- All faculty in the program have worked in the field and have extensive clinical experience in a broad range of sectors.
- Our program is consistently rated as one of the top college programs in the province.
- Other programs at the college train you to work with a narrower range of clients by using a variety of techniques. BSP trains you to work with anyone who displays interfering or challenging behaviour(s) or anyone who needs to learn a new skill(s) by applying specific evidence-based techniques to change the behaviour and the environment.
- It’s a very important to research the topics of applied behaviour analysis (ABA) and clinical behavioural science, before you decide to take the program to see if these topics would be interesting for you to study. We are not a generalist program and students need to be interested in ABA.
- ABA is a very specific field in psychology and our program trains individuals to become behaviour therapists/analysts. While our students learn counseling techniques so that they can work more effectively with clients, our program does not train students to become generalist counselors or therapists. Students who are interested in becoming counsellors, therapists or psychotherapists, should explore the required post-secondary education needed to work in these positions.
- Given the intensity of the program, we require specific admission requirements. Applicants to the program must meet the minimum requirements to apply. If you don’t have the required admission requirements, then you cannot apply to the program.
- Due to the foundational courses delivered in level 1 of this program, advanced level entry applications are not considered. Students with previous post-secondary credits who apply to level 1 can request transfer credits through the usual process.
- Receiving transfer credits will help to lighten a student’s course load in a given semester(s) however there is no way to progress through the program in a shorter period. It will still take three years to complete the program.
- Prior experience in the field is certainly an asset to a student’s success in the program. Unfortunately, previous work experience is not considered equivalent to academic course work. Work experience cannot therefore be used as an exemption unless the student has completed the college’s PLAR process. Even if a student is successful in obtaining credit for work experience through the PLAR process, this will not shorten the length of time it takes to complete the program.
- Currently, there are no distance education options for the program or specific course work.
- Education
- Developmental Disabilities
- Autism
- Acquired Brain Injury
- Mental Health
- Vocational training
- Addictions
- Seniors care
- Forensics/Corrections
- Our graduate employment rates are strong for both programs and many students obtain work post-graduation.
- It’s important for graduates to remember that, as with any employment sector, the ability to be flexible is key when looking for employment. Our graduates are in high demand and some students gain employment directly from their placement experience(s). Given the fact that mental health and community services are fields that rely heavily on government funding, it’s important for graduates to be knowledgeable about which sectors have a higher demand for our graduates than others and to be willing to work in these fields if necessary, even if not the student’s preferred sector. Students who gain employment in the field post-graduation are those who are willing to start with part-time and/or contract work and who are initially open to taking jobs that might not be in their preferred sector. Students are also encouraged to consider work outside of the Kingston area as many exciting opportunities can be found in other cities across the province.
- Each sector is different, and graduates should expect to find variance in salaries.
- The diploma program is an academically rigorous program and requires that students have strong organizational, time management, writing and analytical skills. Some students who come directly from high school to the diploma program find that they must adjust to a new way of learning and to new academic expectations. It’s important for students who enter a college program to understand that they will be responsible for their own learning and that deadlines are important to meet.
- It is generally recommended that students work no more than 10-15 hours per week if they expect to be successful in this program.
- Students in the are required to complete the first two of four placements in an educational setting.
- If students meet specific requirements in their educational placement settings, then they will be considered for placements in other settings. While students provide their areas of interest for subsequent placement consideration, it is program faculty who are responsible to assign students to specific placement sites. This is to ensure that the appropriate students are matched to each site and to optimize each student’s success on placement.
- We have just established a pathway between BSP and the Honours Bachelor’s Degree in Behavioural Psychology. It is expected that we will be able to begin to accept applications for this program beginning spring 2021. Please note that students must first complete the Behavioural Science program in its entirety (three years) prior to being eligible to apply to the pathway.
- Many of our graduates also successfully go on to complete their degree in psychology or sociology at university. Most institutions will provide graduates who have a three-year advanced diploma with credit for their first year of a three or four-year undergraduate degree. Some students have been able to successfully secure more credits than just one full year, but each post-secondary institution varies, and graduates would need to explore options available to them directly with these receiving institutions.
- There is an increased demand in the fields of autism and developmental disabilities for practitioners to be Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA’s) or Board-Certified Assistant Behavior Analysts (BCaBA’s). While we do not have a verified course sequence with the BACB, our program does provide students with sound training in ABA and many of our graduates are employed in sectors without board certification.
- The best place to start is our Recruiting Department. They have a lot of good information about the program(s) and the college in general. Their email is: ASK@sl.on.ca