New Course Request - PSYC / SPED 405-505 - Behavior Technician Fundamentals

Sep 20, 2026

New Course Request form for SDSU outlining two course offerings, PSYC/SPED 405 and PSYC/SPED 505, titled Behavior Technician Fundamentals with 3 credits each. The curriculum introduces Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) with instruction in operant behavior, instructional application, measurement and graphing strategies, and ethical/professional team competencies. Successful completion leads to preparation for a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) initial competency exam under BACB requirements. Review explains uniqueness, staffing impact, delivery and term details, and differentiates the proposal from existing catalog courses.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages4

Reading Time10 min

AccessFree to download

Section 1. Course Title and Description

Section 2. Review of Course

2.1. Will this be a unique or common course?

Section 3. Other Course Information

3.1. Are there instructional staffing impacts?

3.4. Proposed delivery method by university

Section 4. Department and Course Codes (Completed by University Academic Affairs)

SOUTH DAKOTA BOARD OF REGENTS ACADEMIC AFFAIRS FORMS New Course Request Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences / School of Psychology, Sociology & Rural Studies; SDSU Education & Human Sciences / School of Education, Counseling & Human Development Institution Division/Department Dennis D. Hedge 1/28/2026 Institutional Approval Signature Date Section 1. Course Title and Description | Prefix & No. | Course Title | Credits | | --- | --- | --- | | PSYC / SPED 405 | Behavior Technician Fundamentals | 3 | | PSYC / SPED 505 | Behavior Technician Fundamentals | 3 | | Course Description | | | --- | --- | | This course will introduce students to the application of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) . Students will gain knowledge on operant behavior, applications of instructional, measurement, and graphing strategies, as well as ethical and professional skills related to working on a team, building each of these areas to competency. Students successfully completing the course requirements will leave with a completed Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) initial competency exam. | | Pre-requisites or Co-requisites | Prefix & No. | Course Title | Pre-Req/Co-Req? | | --- | --- | --- | | None | | | Registration Restrictions None Section 2. Review of Course 2.1. Will this be a unique or common course? X Unique Course | Prefix & No. | Course Title | Credits | | --- | --- | --- | | SPED 260 | Introduction to Behavior Management | 2 | | HSC 601 | Principles and Concepts ABA I | 3 | | HSC 603 | Principles and Concepts ABA II | 3 | Provide explanation of differences between proposed course and existing system catalog courses: The proposed course emphasizes practical competency-based acquisition of targeted operant conditioning skills and prepares students for nationally recognized certification as a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) under the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) . This certification requires 40-hours of course content covering the areas of measurement, assessment, skill acquisition, behavior reduction, documentation and reporting, professional conduct and scope of practice including 3+ hours dedicated to training in ethics. At the undergraduate level, it provides students with foundational knowledge in applied behavior analysis and prepares them for RBT certification as part of their degree pathway. Atthe graduate level, the course is specifically designed for current educators and professionalsin related fields who want to expand their expertise through continuing education and RBT certification to supplement their existing credentials. The course description for SPED 260 focuses on behavior management within the special education setting and does not discuss the inclusion of teaching instructional strategies. SPED 260 speaks broadly to the special education setting whereas the proposed course is focused directly on applying content to the autistic population. Furthermore, SPED 260 is offered at 2 credit hours which does not meet the 40-hour coursework requirement for the RBT certification. The proposed course differs from HSC 601 and HSC 603 in a few critical ways. It focuses on practical competencies and evidence-based strategies for teaching autistic learners (in accordance with the BACB RBT certification). The existing courses focus on learning theories and the broader field of behavior analysis including respondent conditioning, which is not a focus of the proposed course. Furthermore, HSC 601 and HSC 603 are targeted towards students pursing a graduate credential in Applied Behavior Analysis with the intended goal of becoming a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) . The RBT certification level is notably different than the requirements for BCBA certification. Section 3. Other Course Information 3.1. Are there instructional staffing impacts? X No. Schedule Management. Explanation: Workload is available to offer this course. This course has previously been

FAQs

What are the course numbers and credits for the proposed Behavior Technician Fundamentals courses?

The request proposes PSYC/SPED 405 and PSYC/SPED 505, each titled Behavior Technician Fundamentals, with 3 credits per course.

What knowledge and competencies will students gain in this course?

Students gain knowledge of Applied Behavior Analysis, including operant behavior, instructional application, measurement and graphing strategies, and ethical/professional skills for working on a team.

How does the proposed course differ from existing system catalog courses?

The proposal emphasizes practical competency-based acquisition of targeted operant conditioning skills and prepares students for BACB RBT certification. It differs from SPED 260 by focusing on autistic populations and meeting RBT coursework requirements, and differs from HSC 601/603 by focusing on RBT-level practical competencies rather than broader learning theories and BCBA-oriented pathways.

Sep 20, 2026

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