UPDATE 9/23/21: BCBA Task List 5 exam prep products are now live!
In January 2017 the Behavior Analyst Certification Board® (BACB®) unveiled its 5th Edition Task List for supervisees accruing experience hours for their Board Certified Behavior Analyst® (BCBA®) credential. The publication and announcement provided ample notice to current and future supervisees as the 5th Edition Task List will replace the 4th Edition Task List on January 1, 2022.
According to the BACB®, the updates to its task list were determined by a group of subject-matter experts after reviewing previous task lists, a survey from prior subject-matter experts, survey results from experimental analysis of behavior experts, and the published Professional and Ethical Compliance Code for Behavior Analysts.
In addition to an updated task list, the BACB® updated the fieldwork requirements for supervisees taking the BCBA® exam on or after January 1, 2022. Candidates who apply for the BCBA® exam on or before December 31, 2021 can choose from three fieldwork options: Supervised Independent Fieldwork, Practicum, and/or Intensive Practicum. Required percentage of supervision and total hours required vary depending on experience type.
Candidates who apply for the BCBA® exam on or after January 1, 2022 can choose from two, not three, fieldwork options: Supervised Fieldwork and Concentrated Supervised Fieldwork. Supervised Fieldwork requires supervisees to complete 2000 total experience hours and receive supervision for a minimum of five percent of experience hours per month. Concentrated Supervised Fieldwork requires supervisees to complete 1500 total experience hours and receive supervision for a minimum of 10 percent of their experience hours per month.
The BACB® for BCBA® candidates in 2022 have strict eligibility requirements for supervisors. Please consult the BCBA® and BCaBA 2022 Eligibility Requirements Handbooks for details to ensure selected supervisors meet the BACB® requirements. Required supervisor prerequisites can be found on Page 7 of each handbook.
The implications for test-takers seem simple. Supervisees who plan to take the BCBA exam on or before December 31, 2021 should adhere to the the 4th Edition Task List to guide experience hours. Supervisees who plan to take the BCBA exam on or before January 1, 2022 should use the 5th Edition Task List to guide experience hours.
The implications are more complicated for supervisees who are scheduled to complete their master’s coursework and/or fieldwork experience hours in December 2021. While not impossible, it may be difficult for these supervisees to take the BCBA exam on or before December 2021. Some considerations for supervisees on the border of taking the exam in 2021 and 2022 are: (1) accounting for the time it takes to obtain official transcripts and a diploma after graduation and (2) completing experience hours by November 2021. Applications received by the BACB® on or before December 31, 2021 will qualify the applicant to take the exam based on the 4th Edition Task List.
Future BCBA® candidates who are unsure when they will be eligible to take the BCBA® exam should prepare to take the exam based on the 5th Edition Task List and updated fieldwork requirements.
Helpful Links:
BACB® Newsletter- January 2017
https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/January2017-newsletter-200828.pdf).
BCBA® 2022 Eligibility Requirements Handbook
https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/BCBA-2022EligibilityRequirements_210212-2.pdf
BCaBA® 2022 Eligibility Requirements Handbook
https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/BCaBAHandbook_210212.pdf
