BCBA requirements: degree, coursework and 1,500–2,000 fieldwork hours
To sit the BCBA exam you need a qualifying master's degree or higher, behavior-analytic coursework through one of the BACB's eligibility pathways, and supervised fieldwork: either 2,000 hours of Supervised Fieldwork with supervision covering 5% of each period's hours, or 1,500 hours of Concentrated Supervised Fieldwork with 10% supervision. The BACB verifies degrees and coursework through official transcripts.
The three pillars
- Degree: master's or higher, obtained under one of the BACB's eligibility pathways (for example a degree from an APBA-accredited or ABAI-accredited/recognised behavior-analysis program).
- Coursework: behavior-analytic content verified by official transcripts — the BACB uses primary-source verification under every pathway.
- Supervised fieldwork:
| Supervised Fieldwork | Concentrated Supervised Fieldwork | |
|---|---|---|
| Hours required | 2,000 | 1,500 |
| Supervision per supervisory period | 5% of hours | 10% of hours |
Supervisors must be an active BCBA with no current disciplinary sanctions, certified at least one year and meeting the ongoing supervision CEU requirement — or certified less than a year while receiving monthly consultation from a qualified consulting supervisor.
Plan the hours before the content
Fieldwork, not studying, is what sets your exam date. Use the fieldwork hours planner to see which pathway finishes sooner at your real weekly pace and what supervision load that implies each month.
2027 changes
Starting January 1, 2027, the BCBA requirements change: only pathway 1 (APBA- or ABAI-accredited/recognised degree) and pathway 2 (master's degree plus 315 hours of behavior-analytic coursework) remain, pathways 3 and 4 are discontinued, and Concentrated Supervised Fieldwork drops from 10% to 7.5% supervision per supervisory period (Supervised Fieldwork stays at 2,000 hours and 5%). The table above shows the 2026 rules. If your timeline crosses that boundary, read the BCBA 2027 Eligibility Requirements section of the current Handbook before committing to a pathway — requirements in force when you apply are the ones that count.
Enter your exam date and weekly hours; we allocate time by blueprint weight × your weak spots.
Primary references
- BCBA Handbook (updated June 2026) — Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) · primary · retrieved 2026-09-22, verified 2026-09-22