Practicum placements occur across inpatient and outpatient sites, with a variety of populations and presenting issues. Students enter their internships possessing a wide variety of clinical skills and knowledge of the major treatment modalities. The program is based on the scientist-practitioner models in which students are encouraged to collect data while participating in organizational interventions. Either the completion of a master's thesis or a nonthesis written summary of the student practicum is required. The Ph.D. program requires students to actively participate in academic research and provides students with opportunities to polish their consulting skills.
Comprehensive examinations take place at the end of the third year.
Dissertation research is begun immediately after successful completion of the comprehensive exam. The fourth year is devoted to the completion of the doctoral dissertation. Ph.D. students are encouraged to finish the program in four years. The M.S. degree in psychology, with a specialty in applied behavior analysis, prepares graduates for employment as Certified Behavior Analysts in private, community, and state agencies. The core curriculum is based on Applied Behavior Analysis Task List and Knowledge, Skills, and Ability Statements , which are used as the basis for both Florida and the National Certification Examinations in Behavior Analysis.