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Applied Behaviour Analysis (Structured PhD)
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 1OptionalPS6121: Ethics, Professional Conduct and Clinical Practice 1 - 10 Credits - Semester 1
OptionalPS6122: Ethics, Professional Conduct and Clinical Practice 2 - 10 Credits - Semester 1
OptionalPS590: Applied Behaviour Analysis Dissertation Research - 60 Credits - Semester 1
OptionalPS518: Advanced Research Methods and Design - 10 Credits - Semester 1
OptionalSPA417: Funding Applications: Personal Funding - 5 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
OptionalSPA401: Conference Attendance (2 conferences only) - 5 Credits - Semester 2
OptionalSPA402: International Conference attendance (2 conferences only) - 5 Credits - Semester 2
OptionalSPA403: Conference Presentation - 5 Credits - Semester 2
OptionalSPA404: International Conference presentation - 5 Credits - Semester 2
OptionalSPA405: Conference Organization - 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 3OptionalPS6121: 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
OptionalSPA417: Funding Applications: Personal Funding - 5 Credits - Semester 3
OptionalPS6120: Behaviour Assessment and Intervention - 10 Credits - Semester 3
OptionalPS590: Applied Behaviour Analysis Dissertation Research - 60 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
OptionalSPA401: Conference Attendance (2 conferences only) - 5 Credits - Semester 4
OptionalSPA402: International Conference attendance (2 conferences only) - 5 Credits - Semester 4
OptionalSPA403: Conference Presentation - 5 Credits - Semester 4
OptionalSPA404: International Conference presentation - 5 Credits - Semester 4
OptionalSPA405: Conference Organization - 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)
OptionalSPA417: Funding Applications: Personal Funding - 5 Credits - Semester 5OptionalPS6120: 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
OptionalSPA404: International Conference presentation - 5 Credits - Semester 6
OptionalSPA405: Conference Organization - 5 Credits - Semester 6
OptionalSPA401: Conference Attendance (2 conferences only) - 5 Credits - Semester 6
OptionalSPA402: International Conference attendance (2 conferences only) - 5 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 7OptionalRM090: 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
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
Fees: Non EU
Extra Information
EU Part time: Year 1 €4,250 p.a. (€4,390 including levy) 2024/25
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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