Frequently Asked Questions
When is the application deadline?
- Our application deadline is February 15th every year.
What kind of financial assistance do you offer?
- We offer a very competitive financial package which includes tuition and relevant paid work. We typically pay for 70-100% of students’ tuition. Students also work 20 hours per week in one of our applied settings or as a teaching assistant and are paid an hourly wage for this work.
Is the program full or part time? Is it online or in-person?
- The program at Pacific is a full-time “in-residence” graduate program. There is a 45-65 hour per week commitment in the department that includes classes, research, and TA or clinical responsibilities, and students are expected to live near campus.
Does the program prepare me to take the BACB® exam? What is your exam pass rate?
- The Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) has verified that our course sequence meets the coursework requirements for eligibility to take the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB)® exam. We also provide supervised clinical experience which meets the BACB® Concentrated Fieldwork requirements.
- We focus both on preparing students to enter doctoral programs and to take the BACB® exam. Students in the behavior analysis program also accrue the necessary coursework and have the opportunity to accrue enough applied experience to sit for the BACB® exam when they complete the program.
- Our BACB® Examination Pass Rate for the years 2013 - 2017 is 100%
https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/uploads/BCBA-Pass-Rates-Alpha_190813.pdf (p.10)
Will this program prepare me for a Ph.D. program?
- We focus on preparing students for doctoral programs in behavior analysis and behavioral clinical/counseling psychology.
- We have a 100% acceptance rate into Ph.D. programs.
Can I practice as a licensed therapist after completing your program?
- We do not offer an MFT, LCSW, or counseling program. You cannot practice as a therapist when you are done with our program.
What prerequisite coursework and research experience are required?
- Competitive applicants typically have:
- a BA/BS degree in psychology or a related field and coursework that includes at minimum Research Methods, Statistics, and Introduction to Psychology
- relevant research experience (e.g., with a faculty member) and/or applied experience (e.g., work at an autism treatment agency, mental health clinic, etc.).
- Although not a requirement, competitive applicants will have taken at least one course in behavioral principles or applied behavior analysis, although exceptions to this are made on a case-by-case basis.
- We do not transfer in courses taken in other graduate programs or at other institutions.
What is the minimum GPA requirement?
- Although our minimum required GPA is 3.0, successful applicants typically have a 3.5 or better.
Do you require the GRE?
- We require the GRE General Test, but not the GRE Psychology Subject Test.
What is your admission rate?
- We have a competitive admissions process and typically take 5 to 8 students per year.