Course Summary
The course is designed for professionals who work (or intend to work) in the caring professions, for example with people with autism and other learning disabilities, in the area of general behaviour management, parent training, community development, and adult mental health.
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
You should possess a second class honours degree in psychology or equivalent subject (e.g., education, child development, social work) and have relevant experience. Candidates will be interviewed to assess motivation and experience.
Those with a 2:2 are welcome to apply, but preference will be given to those who have some additional relevant experience to add to their CV.
English Language Requirements
English language requirements for international applicants
The minimum requirement for this course is Academic IELTS 6.0 with no band score less than 5.5.
Ulster recognises a number of other English language tests and comparable IELTS equivalent scores.
• For English language requirements go to: https://www.ulster.ac.uk/global/apply/english-language-requirements
• For Your country go to: https://www.ulster.ac.uk/global/apply/country
Exemptions and transferability
As the School of Psychology reviews and implements postgraduate courses, every opportunity will be taken to facilitate transfer between courses and the sharing of modules. Students who have completed other postgraduate courses with an ABA component (e.g. the MSc Applied Psychology offered recently at Magee, or the ABA course currently offered at Trinity College Dublin) will be considered for exemptions in this ABA course.
Application Details
Your Application
You can apply directly to Ulster at any time of year. We advise that you submit your application no later than two weeks prior to your course start date. This is to ensure there is sufficient time for your application to be reviewed and, should you be made an offer, time for you to complete all the necessary pre-enrolment tasks.
Some programmes will have specific deadlines as additional selection (e.g. interview, portfolio submission etc) is required, so please check the course page to ensure you have sufficient time to complete your application.
Start Date: September 2026.
Fees
Your Application
Application is through the University's online application system (see "Application Weblink" below).
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.
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
Those students who have completed the course have gone on to have successful careers in a number of areas. For example numerous students have gone on to work for local health and education authorities, and charities as behaviour specialists in both Northern Irland the Republic of Ireland. Numerous students have gone on to work privately by providing home- and school-based behavioural interventions for families. A number of students who completed their placement year with the New England Center for Children (NECC) in Boston went on to work for NECC in London and Abu Dhabi.
As the BCBA qualification is internationally recognised a number of graduates have gone on to work as behaviour analysts in countries such as the US, Australia, and Canada.
Those students who completed the course whilst in employment have gone on to bring their new skillset to such diverse backgrounds as education (Special Needs and mainstream), social work, and mental health nursing.