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Applied Behaviour Analysis
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)
Optional PS6123: Advanced Behaviour Systems - 10 Credits - Semester 1Optional PS6121: Ethics, Professional Conduct and Clinical Practice 1 - 10 Credits - Semester 1
Optional PS6122: Ethics, Professional Conduct and Clinical Practice 2 - 10 Credits - Semester 1
Optional PS590: Applied Behaviour Analysis Dissertation Research - 60 Credits - Semester 1
Optional PS518: Advanced Research Methods and Design - 10 Credits - Semester 1
Optional SPA417: Funding Applications: Personal Funding - 5 Credits - Semester 1
Optional PS6120: Behaviour Assessment and Intervention - 10 Credits - Semester 1
Optional PS512: Principles of Applied Behaviour Analysis - 10 Credits - Semester 1
Optional RM060: Research Component - 60 Credits - Semester 1
Optional RM065: Research Component - 65 Credits - Semester 1
Optional RM070: Research Component - 70 Credits - Semester 1
Optional RM075: Research Component - 75 Credits - Semester 1
Optional RM080: Research Component - 80 Credits - Semester 1
Optional RM085: Research Component - 85 Credits - Semester 1
Optional GS501: Seminar Programme - 5 Credits - Semester 1
Optional GS502: Journal Club Programme - 5 Credits - Semester 1
Optional GS508: Formulating a Research Project Proposal - 5 Credits - Semester 1
Optional GS509: Participation in Workshops/Courses - 5 Credits - Semester 1
Optional RM055: Research Component - 55 Credits - Semester 1
Optional GS526: Oral/poster communications (year 1 - 3) - 5 Credits - Semester 1
Optional GS5104: Intensive Writing Workshop - 5 Credits - Semester 1
Optional GS507: Statistical Methods for Research - 5 Credits - Semester 1
Required PS650: Psychology - Credits - Semester 1
Optional PS514: Applied Project 3 - 10 Credits - Semester 1
Optional PS509: Applied Project II - 10 Credits - Semester 2
Optional PS511: Behaviour Change Procedures - 10 Credits - Semester 2
Optional PS516: Clinical Behavioural Interventions & Person Centred Behavioural Procedures - 10 Credits - Semester 2
Optional PS519: Developmental Disorders - 10 Credits - Semester 2
Optional SPA401: Conference Attendance (2 conferences only) - 5 Credits - Semester 2
Optional SPA402: International Conference attendance (2 conferences only) - 5 Credits - Semester 2
Optional SPA403: Conference Presentation - 5 Credits - Semester 2
Optional SPA404: International Conference presentation - 5 Credits - Semester 2
Optional SPA405: Conference Organization - 5 Credits - Semester 2
Optional PS513: Research Methods & Design - 10 Credits - Semester 2
Optional PS508: Applied Project I - 10 Credits - Semester 2
Optional GS5103: Conference Organisation - 5 Credits - Semester 2
Year 2 (90 Credits)
Optional PS6123: Advanced Behaviour Systems - 10 Credits - Semester 3Optional PS6121: Ethics, Professional Conduct and Clinical Practice 1 - 10 Credits - Semester 3
Optional PS6122: Ethics, Professional Conduct and Clinical Practice 2 - 10 Credits - Semester 3
Optional PS518: Advanced Research Methods and Design - 10 Credits - Semester 3
Optional SPA417: Funding Applications: Personal Funding - 5 Credits - Semester 3
Optional PS6120: Behaviour Assessment and Intervention - 10 Credits - Semester 3
Optional PS590: Applied Behaviour Analysis Dissertation Research - 60 Credits - Semester 3
Optional RM060: Research Component - 60 Credits - Semester 3
Optional RM065: Research Component - 65 Credits - Semester 3
Optional RM070: Research Component - 70 Credits - Semester 3
Optional RM075: Research Component - 75 Credits - Semester 3
Optional RM080: Research Component - 80 Credits - Semester 3
Optional RM085: Research Component - 85 Credits - Semester 3
Optional RM055: Research Component - 55 Credits - Semester 3
Optional RM090: Research Component - 90 Credits - Semester 3
Optional GS501: Seminar Programme - 5 Credits - Semester 3
Optional GS502: Journal Club Programme - 5 Credits - Semester 3
Optional GS509: Participation in Workshops/Courses - 5 Credits - Semester 3
Optional GS526: Oral/poster communications (year 1 - 3) - 5 Credits - Semester 3
Optional GS5104: Intensive Writing Workshop - 5 Credits - Semester 3
Optional GS507: Statistical Methods for Research - 5 Credits - Semester 3
Required PS650: Psychology - Credits - Semester 3
Optional PS548: Clinical Practice I - Credits - Semester 3
Optional PS509: Applied Project II - 10 Credits - Semester 4
Optional PS516: Clinical Behavioural Interventions & Person Centred Behavioural Procedures - 10 Credits - Semester 4
Optional PS519: Developmental Disorders - 10 Credits - Semester 4
Optional SPA401: Conference Attendance (2 conferences only) - 5 Credits - Semester 4
Optional SPA402: International Conference attendance (2 conferences only) - 5 Credits - Semester 4
Optional SPA403: Conference Presentation - 5 Credits - Semester 4
Optional SPA404: International Conference presentation - 5 Credits - Semester 4
Optional SPA405: Conference Organization - 5 Credits - Semester 4
Optional PS511: Behaviour Change Procedures - 10 Credits - Semester 4
Optional PS508: Applied Project I - 10 Credits - Semester 4
Optional GS5103: Conference Organisation - 5 Credits - Semester 4
Year 3 (90 Credits)
Optional SPA417: Funding Applications: Personal Funding - 5 Credits - Semester 5Optional PS6120: Behaviour Assessment and Intervention - 10 Credits - Semester 5
Optional PS6123: Advanced Behaviour Systems - 10 Credits - Semester 5
Optional PS6121: Ethics, Professional Conduct and Clinical Practice 1 - 10 Credits - Semester 5
Optional PS6122: Ethics, Professional Conduct and Clinical Practice 2 - 10 Credits - Semester 5
Optional PS518: Advanced Research Methods and Design - 10 Credits - Semester 5
Optional RM090: Research Component - 90 Credits - Semester 5
Optional RM085: Research Component - 85 Credits - Semester 5
Optional RM080: Research Component - 80 Credits - Semester 5
Optional RM075: Research Component - 75 Credits - Semester 5
Optional RM070: Research Component - 70 Credits - Semester 5
Optional RM065: Research Component - 65 Credits - Semester 5
Optional GS501: Seminar Programme - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Optional GS502: Journal Club Programme - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Optional GS509: Participation in Workshops/Courses - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Optional GS526: Oral/poster communications (year 1 - 3) - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Optional RM060: Research Component - 60 Credits - Semester 5
Optional GS5104: Intensive Writing Workshop - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Optional GS507: Statistical Methods for Research - 5 Credits - Semester 5
Required PS650: Psychology - Credits - Semester 5
Optional PS509: Applied Project II - 10 Credits - Semester 6
Optional PS511: Behaviour Change Procedures - 10 Credits - Semester 6
Optional SPA404: International Conference presentation - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional SPA405: Conference Organization - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional SPA401: Conference Attendance (2 conferences only) - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional SPA402: International Conference attendance (2 conferences only) - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional SPA403: Conference Presentation - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Optional PS519: Developmental Disorders - 10 Credits - Semester 6
Optional GS5103: Conference Organisation - 5 Credits - Semester 6
Year 4 (90 Credits)
Optional RM085: Research Component - 85 Credits - Semester 7Optional RM090: Research Component - 90 Credits - Semester 7
Optional RM080: Research Component - 80 Credits - Semester 7
Optional GS5104: Intensive Writing Workshop - 5 Credits - Semester 7
Required PS650: Psychology - Credits - Semester 7
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
€5,890 (tuition €5,750 + student levy €140) p.a. 2023/24
Fees: Non EU
€14,440 p.a. 2023/24
Extra Information
EU Part time: Year 1 €3,990 (inclusive of student levy €140) p.a. 2023/24
All students, irrespective of funding, must pay the student levy of €140.
Contact Us
Dr. Jennifer Holloway
T: +353 91 495 773
E: jennifer.holloway@nuigalway.ie
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