Course Summary
This Master of Science (MSc) programme provides you with the theoretical and practical knowledge to kick-start your career as a practitioner. The MSc in Applied Behaviour Analysis was established in 2006 in the School of Psychology and is designed to meet the demand for graduates with expertise in behavioural psychology. It is a two year full-time programme of academic study with an intake of 20 students annually and is one of only two Masters programmes in the Republic of Ireland.
College Link
Career Sectors
This course prepares you for working in the Career Sectors below. Follow the links to get a fuller understanding of the sectors you are preparing for.
Entry Requirements
Application Details
Fees
€8,390 p.a. (including levy) 2024/25
Fees: Tuition
€8,250 p.a. 2024/5
Fees: Student levy
€140 p.a. 2024/25
Fees: Non EU
€19,000 p.a. (€19,140 p.a. including levy) 2024/25
Postgraduate students in receipt of a SUSI grant – please note an F4 grant is where SUSI will pay €4,000 towards your tuition (2024/25). You will be liable for the remainder of the total fee. A P1 grant is where SUSI will pay tuition up to a maximum of €6,270. SUSI will not cover the student levy of €140.
Postgraduate fee breakdown = Tuition (EU or NON EU) + Student levy as outlined above.
The Student
Career Interests
This course is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests. If these interests do not describe you, this course may prepare you for work you may not find satisfying.
Investigative
The Investigative person will usually find a particular area of science to be of interest. They are inclined toward intellectual and analytical activities and enjoy observation and theory. They may prefer thought to action, and enjoy the challenge of solving problems with sophiscticated technology. These types prefer mentally stimulating environments and often pay close attention to developments in their chosen field.
Social
The Social person's interests focus on interacting with the people in their environment. In all cases, the Social person enjoys the personal contact with other people in preference to the impersonal dealings with things, data and ideas found in other groups.
Many will seek out positions where there is direct contact with the public in some advisory role, whether a receptionist or a counsellor. Social people are motivated by an interest in different types of people and like diversity in their work environments. Many are drawn towards careers in the caring professions and social welfare area, whilst others prefer teaching and other 'informing' roles.
Career Progression
The MSc in Applied Behaviour Analysis prepares graduates for the role of a Behavioural Psychologist/Behaviour Analyst, with extensive opportunities for employment, research, and further training. Through the emphasis on the scientist-practitioner model, students receive thorough and integrated training in the academic, practical, and research aspects of behavioural science. The skills and competencies in behavioural psychology acquired through the programme prepare graduates for a range of autonomous and collaborative professional goals both nationally and internationally.
Given the evidence base and support for behavioural psychology in the fields of intellectual and developmental disability, education, and rehabilitation, graduates of the course predominantly obtain employment in disability services, education, and early intervention services. Within Ireland, graduates are employed by the HSE, HSE funded charities, the Department of Education and Skills, or work in private consultancy. Graduates of this course have been highly successful in the roles that they have achieved internationally (e.g., Canada, Australia, and the UK) with such roles as Clinical Director of Education, Senior Centre Clinicians, and Programme Supervisors being obtained by graduates of the MSc ABA at UoG in early intervention and behaviour support services.
Increasingly, the utility and value of behavioural psychology in broader contexts is recognised and graduates can seek opportunities for roles, for example, within mental health services, gerontology, sports psychology and organisational behaviour management. Both nationally and internationally, demand for competent Behavioural Psychologists / Behaviour Analysts exceeds current supply and employment opportunities for graduates continue to grow.
The advanced research skills and experience acquired on the programme also provide opportunities for graduates to work in research posts or to continue with further postgraduate study such as the Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Behaviour Analysis (PhD) https://www.universityofgalway.ie/colleges-and-schools/arts-social-sciences-and-celtic-studies/psychology/postgraduate-programmes/phd/phd-apb/.
The Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Behaviour Analysis is a structured four-year (full time) PhD programme of study and provides graduates with high level research skills and competencies in applications of behavioural psychology, as well as a range of transferable skills. Students are assisted to design research that will make valuable contributions behavioural psychology. They conduct research that further advances an integrated, scientific understanding of the complexities of human behaviour.