Apply to the MA in Applied Behavior Analysis

It's time to start your application!

You've done your research and you are ready to apply. This is an exciting next step and we want to make it as smooth as possible for you. We're here to answer all of your questions. Please email Admissions at info@williamjames.edu with your questions. You can submit most documents, including your essay, letter of recommendation, and your CV, through our online application portal. Transcripts should be sent to the Admissions Office and need to arrive on or before the deadline.

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New Cohorts Begin Every Fall (late August) and Spring (January)

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Application Deadline for Fall 2025 (August Start)

General Deadline: Wednesday, March 12, 2025
Interviews: By Appointment

All applicants who apply for the Master of Arts in Applied Behavior Analysis will be considered for the William James College ABA Positive Outcomes Scholarship. Learn more here.

All applicants for the Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis will be considered for a $5,000 scholarship.

Required Application Materials

Admission Policies

Application Guidelines Admission Policies
Transfer of Credit Policy

Letters of Recommendation

Letter(s) of recommendation are required from people who are able to attest to your professional, academic, intellectual, motivational, interpersonal, and emotional qualities. References should not be provided by family members, friends, or others who don't know you in either a professional or academic context.

Both the recommendation form and letter must be submitted electronically through your online application account.

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How to Ask for a Letter of Recommendation

William James College uses letters of recommendation to get an outside perspective on your academic and/or professional experience. Letters of recommendation are an extension of your resume or application, providing insight into you as a student, employee, and person. It's a way for us to get to know you and understand how you may excel in one of our programs! Therefore, it is important to think about who would best be able to speak to your professional and academic readiness for this graduate-level program.

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Curriculum Vitae

Please attach a current CV or résumé which includes the following: educational background; current activity; length and description of employment and/or training experiences; hours per week at each job or training site; names of supervisors at each facility; workshops and seminars attended; and any other professionally-related material (e.g., presentations, publications, etc.). You may also include any extracurricular activities or interests that you deem relevant.

Application Essay

Please prepare a 500 word essay which addresses these topics:

  1. Discuss your professional and/or scholarly interest in the study of behavior analysis. How did you come to be interested in this field? What are the most important outcomes for you regarding your graduate study?
  2. Please summarize your overall readiness for graduate study and employment. What areas are your strengths? In what areas do you feel you need the most growth?

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5 Tips for Writing Your Graduate School Admission Essay

While your graduate school application provides the admissions team with information about your grades and experience, many programs at William James College also require an essay. The requirements may differ by program, but the goal is the same: to get to know you and your aspirations beyond the information on your resume and/or transcript.

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Official Transcript(s)

Please request an official academic transcript from each undergraduate and graduate institution that you have attended. Paper transcripts or e-transcripts should be sent directly to William James College from the issuing registrar's office. We recommend that you request these documents as soon as you decide to apply for admission and to allow at least ten business days for the issuing registrar to process your request. If you have completed a semester abroad and these corresponding courses do not appear on your home institution's transcript with a letter grade, then you must provide a separate transcript for this period of study.

Paper transcripts must be addressed to:

William James College
Office of Admissions
1 Wells Avenue
Newton, MA 02459

E-transcripts must be sent to transcript@williamjames.edu, and must arrive at William James College on or before the set deadline. Postmark on the deadline date is not acceptable. Be aware that you will not be able to enroll and register for classes if we have not received your official final transcripts with degree conferral.

Current and former William James College students please see WJC transcript instructions on the Academic History section of the online application.

All applicants who have attended a non-US institution of higher learning must provide an official translation and equivalency to US Higher Education of their academic record. William James College recommends that applicants contact World Education Services to request this service. For more information, please visit www.wes.org.

Test Scores

General GRE is not required.

For applicants whose primary language is not English, proof of English proficiency official score reports must be submitted directly to us from one of these testing agencies:

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) combined score (no more than two years old) of at least 110 (internet-based test) is preferred.

  • William James College's TOEFL school code/reporting number is 3501
  • For information regarding the TOEFL, call (609) 771-7100, or visit www.ets.org/toefl.html

OR

Duolingo English Test score (no more than two years old) of at least 140.

Re-Application Statement

A supplemental statement is required of all applicants who have previously applied for admission to a program. Your statement should reference the date of your prior application and the program to which you applied, as well as the circumstances that contributed to your decision to re-apply. You should also describe your personal and professional interim experiences that occurred following your past application. 

Previous admission files are kept on hand for a period of two years. Reapplicants may utilize any, or all, of the original application. However, we strongly recommend that you take the time to strengthen your original application, update your statements and recommendations whenever possible.

Change of Career Statement

This statement applies to those applicants who have made a decision to change careers.

Please attach a statement regarding your decision to change careers. Describe the evolution of this career change and discuss the ways in which the experiences you have had and skills required by your previous career might relate to your graduate training at William James College.

International Applicants

Please be aware that this program does NOT support Student visas.

All applicants to any graduate program at William James College must have completed a four-year undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited US institution, or its equivalent, by the start date of enrollment. All applicants must submit official translations of all non-US transcripts (please refer to the online application and the transcripts section for additional instructions). Completion of an online application, submission of all required supporting documents, and an interview are required.

For applicants whose primary language is not English, proof of English proficiency official score reports must be submitted directly to us from one of these testing agencies:

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) combined score (no more than two years old) of at least 110 (internet-based test) is preferred.

  • William James College's TOEFL school code/reporting number is 3501
  • For information regarding the TOEFL, call (609) 771-7100, or visit www.ets.org/toefl.html

OR

Duolingo English Test score (no more than two years old) of at least 140.