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Applied Behaviour Analysis (Structured PhD)

Structured PhD (Applied Behaviour Analysis)

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Course Overview

The Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Behaviour Analysis is a structured four-year PhD full-time programme of study. It is also available part-time (six years' duration). The qualification will provide graduates with high level research skills and competencies in the applications of behavioural analysis. The programme combines a PhD thesis with the taught academic components and supervised work experience of the existing Master of Science in Applied Behaviour Analysis programme. Students are assisted to design research that will make valuable contributions to the analysis. They conduct research that further advances an integrated, scientific understanding of the complexities of human behaviour. Students are encouraged and assisted to present their research at conferences and publish their research findings in peer-reviewed international journals.

Programmes Available

PhD (full-time, four years); part-time PhD (six years)
Applications are made online via the NUI Galway Postgraduate Applications System. 
Important : apply by mid-July for September entry

Associated

Learning Outcomes

Entry Requirements

Applications are invited from candidates who hold an upper Second Class Honours (Grade 1) standard or higher  in their primary degree (or equivalent). Evidence of motivation and proposed research will be taken into account in offering places on the programme.

Who’s Suited to This Course

Current research projects

Current funded research opportunity

Work Placement

Related Student Organisations

Career Opportunities

Find a Supervisor / PhD Project

If you are still looking for a potential supervisor or PhD project or would like to identify the key research interests of our academic staff and researchers, you can use our online portal to help in that search

Course Outline

Curriculum Information

Curriculum information relates to the current academic year (in most cases).
Course and module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Glossary of Terms

Credits
You must earn a defined number of credits (aka ECTS) to complete each year of your course. You do this by taking all of its required modules as well as the correct number of optional modules to obtain that year's total number of credits.
Module
An examinable portion of a subject or course, for which you attend lectures and/or tutorials and carry out assignments. E.g. Algebra and Calculus could be modules within the subject Mathematics. Each module has a unique module code eg. MA140.
Subject
Some courses allow you to choose subjects, where related modules are grouped together. Subjects have their own required number of credits, so you must take all that subject's required modules and may also need to obtain the remainder of the subject's total credits by choosing from its available optional modules.
Optional
A module you may choose to study.
Required
A module that you must study if you choose this course (or subject).
Required Core Subject
A subject you must study because it's integral to that course.
Semester
Most courses have 2 semesters (aka terms) per year, so a three-year course will have six semesters in total. For clarity, this page will refer to the first semester of year 2 as 'Semester 3'.

Year 1 (90 Credits)

OptionalPS6123: Advanced Behaviour Systems - 10 Credits - Semester 1
OptionalPS6121: Ethics, Professional Conduct and Clinical Practice 1 - 10 Credits - Semester 1
OptionalPS6122: Ethics, Professional Conduct and Clinical Practice 2 - 10 Credits - Semester 1
OptionalPS518: Advanced Research Methods and Design - 10 Credits - Semester 1
OptionalPS6120: Behaviour Assessment and Intervention - 10 Credits - Semester 1
OptionalPS512: Principles of Applied Behaviour Analysis - 10 Credits - Semester 1
OptionalRM060: Research Component - 60 Credits - Semester 1
OptionalRM065: Research Component - 65 Credits - Semester 1
OptionalRM070: Research Component - 70 Credits - Semester 1
OptionalRM075: Research Component - 75 Credits - Semester 1
OptionalRM080: Research Component - 80 Credits - Semester 1
OptionalRM085: Research Component - 85 Credits - Semester 1
OptionalGS501: Seminar Programme - 5 Credits - Semester 1
OptionalGS502: Journal Club Programme - 5 Credits - Semester 1
OptionalGS508: Formulating a Research Project Proposal - 5 Credits - Semester 1
OptionalGS509: Participation in Workshops/Courses - 5 Credits - Semester 1
OptionalRM055: Research Component - 55 Credits - Semester 1
OptionalGS526: Oral/poster communications (year 1 - 3) - 5 Credits - Semester 1
OptionalGS5104: Intensive Writing Workshop - 5 Credits - Semester 1
OptionalGS507: Statistical Methods for Research - 5 Credits - Semester 1
RequiredPS650: Psychology - Credits - Semester 1
OptionalPS509: Applied Project II - 10 Credits - Semester 1
OptionalPS511: Behaviour Change Procedures - 10 Credits - Semester 2
OptionalPS516: Clinical Behavioural Interventions & Person Centred Behavioural Procedures - 10 Credits - Semester 2
OptionalPS519: Developmental Disorders - 10 Credits - Semester 2
OptionalSPA403: Conference Presentation - 5 Credits - Semester 2
OptionalPS513: Research Methods & Design - 10 Credits - Semester 2
OptionalPS508: Applied Project I - 10 Credits - Semester 2
OptionalGS5103: Conference Organisation - 5 Credits - Semester 2

Year 2 (90 Credits)

OptionalPS6123: Advanced Behaviour Systems - 10 Credits - Semester 3
OptionalPS6121: Ethics, Professional Conduct and Clinical Practice 1 - 10 Credits - Semester 3
OptionalPS6122: Ethics, Professional Conduct and Clinical Practice 2 - 10 Credits - Semester 3
OptionalPS518: Advanced Research Methods and Design - 10 Credits - Semester 3
OptionalPS6120: Behaviour Assessment and Intervention - 10 Credits - Semester 3
OptionalRM060: Research Component - 60 Credits - Semester 3
OptionalRM065: Research Component - 65 Credits - Semester 3
OptionalRM070: Research Component - 70 Credits - Semester 3
OptionalRM075: Research Component - 75 Credits - Semester 3
OptionalRM080: Research Component - 80 Credits - Semester 3
OptionalRM085: Research Component - 85 Credits - Semester 3
OptionalRM055: Research Component - 55 Credits - Semester 3
OptionalRM090: Research Component - 90 Credits - Semester 3
OptionalGS501: Seminar Programme - 5 Credits - Semester 3
OptionalGS502: Journal Club Programme - 5 Credits - Semester 3
OptionalGS509: Participation in Workshops/Courses - 5 Credits - Semester 3
OptionalGS526: Oral/poster communications (year 1 - 3) - 5 Credits - Semester 3
OptionalGS5104: Intensive Writing Workshop - 5 Credits - Semester 3
OptionalGS507: Statistical Methods for Research - 5 Credits - Semester 3
RequiredPS650: Psychology - Credits - Semester 3
OptionalPS509: Applied Project II - 10 Credits - Semester 3
OptionalPS516: Clinical Behavioural Interventions & Person Centred Behavioural Procedures - 10 Credits - Semester 4
OptionalPS519: Developmental Disorders - 10 Credits - Semester 4
OptionalSPA403: Conference Presentation - 5 Credits - Semester 4
OptionalPS511: Behaviour Change Procedures - 10 Credits - Semester 4
OptionalPS508: Applied Project I - 10 Credits - Semester 4
OptionalGS5103: Conference Organisation - 5 Credits - Semester 4

Year 3 (90 Credits)

OptionalPS6120: Behaviour Assessment and Intervention - 10 Credits - Semester 5
OptionalPS6123: Advanced Behaviour Systems - 10 Credits - Semester 5
OptionalPS6121: Ethics, Professional Conduct and Clinical Practice 1 - 10 Credits - Semester 5
OptionalPS6122: Ethics, Professional Conduct and Clinical Practice 2 - 10 Credits - Semester 5
OptionalPS518: Advanced Research Methods and Design - 10 Credits - Semester 5
OptionalRM090: Research Component - 90 Credits - Semester 5
OptionalRM085: Research Component - 85 Credits - Semester 5
OptionalRM080: Research Component - 80 Credits - Semester 5
OptionalRM075: Research Component - 75 Credits - Semester 5
OptionalRM070: Research Component - 70 Credits - Semester 5
OptionalRM065: Research Component - 65 Credits - Semester 5
OptionalGS501: Seminar Programme - 5 Credits - Semester 5
OptionalGS502: Journal Club Programme - 5 Credits - Semester 5
OptionalGS509: Participation in Workshops/Courses - 5 Credits - Semester 5
OptionalGS526: Oral/poster communications (year 1 - 3) - 5 Credits - Semester 5
OptionalRM060: Research Component - 60 Credits - Semester 5
OptionalGS5104: Intensive Writing Workshop - 5 Credits - Semester 5
OptionalGS507: Statistical Methods for Research - 5 Credits - Semester 5
RequiredPS650: Psychology - Credits - Semester 5
OptionalPS509: Applied Project II - 10 Credits - Semester 5
OptionalPS511: Behaviour Change Procedures - 10 Credits - Semester 6
OptionalSPA403: Conference Presentation - 5 Credits - Semester 6
OptionalPS519: Developmental Disorders - 10 Credits - Semester 6
OptionalGS5103: Conference Organisation - 5 Credits - Semester 6

Year 4 (90 Credits)

OptionalRM085: Research Component - 85 Credits - Semester 7
OptionalRM090: Research Component - 90 Credits - Semester 7
OptionalRM080: Research Component - 80 Credits - Semester 7
OptionalGS5104: Intensive Writing Workshop - 5 Credits - Semester 7
RequiredPS650: Psychology - Credits - Semester 7

Year 5 (0 Credits)

RequiredPS650: Psychology - Credits - Semester 9

Year 6 (0 Credits)

RequiredPS650: Psychology - Credits - Semester 11

Research Areas

The research undertaken as part of the research thesis will be in areas related to contemporary theory and practice in Applied Behaviour Analysis.

Researcher Profiles

Course Fees

Fees: EU

€5,750 p.a. (€5,890 including levy) 2025/26

Fees: Non EU

€14,500 p.a. (€14,640 including levy) 2025/26

Extra Information


EU Part time: Year 1 €4,250 p.a. (€4,390 including levy) 2025/26

All students, irrespective of funding, must pay the student levy of €140.

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