Education and Training

Preparing Leaders in Special Education

Our goal is to maximize the value for the teachers and students who participate in our programs.

Teacher Training Institute

Dr. Jennifer Hamrick of the Burkhart Center was recently awarded grant funding from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to provide free professional development opportunities for Texas educators who work with students with autism. The following trainings will be provided to educators across the state who meet eligibility criteria:

**FREE** BCBA Supervision

BCBA supervision to any Texas educator seeking board certification as a behavior analyst. Educators who have a desire to continue their education in autism or applied behavior analysis can find a degree program to receive further training and/or a master's degree. Many times, these same educators are then unable to find a BCBA to provide the supervision required for board certification once they complete their degree. Our BCBA Supervision curriculum for fieldwork experience is designed to address all areas of the BACB 5th edition task list while ensuring accurate application of principles in a public school setting.

For further information, or to see if you will qualify for grant-funded supervision, please CLICK HERE.

**FREE** Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) Training

“The Registered Behavior Technician™ (RBT®) is a paraprofessional certification in behavior analysis. RBTs assist in delivering behavior analysis services and practice under the direction and close supervision of an RBT Supervisor and/or an RBT Requirements Coordinator, who are responsible for all work RBTs perform” (Behavior Analyst Certification Board, n.d.). This 40-hour training helps to provide educators with additional knowledge, skills, and abilities when using applied behavior analysis in the public school setting. Additionally, the program will meet the BACB's RBT 40-Hour Training requirements.

While completing this training does not guarantee supervision in order to gain & maintain RBT certification, the Burkhart Center provides a level of high-quality training in the application of behavior analytic principles that many schools are unable to offer to both teachers and paraprofessionals due to lack of funding.

For further information, or to see if you will qualify for grant-funded RBT training, please CLICK HERE.

**Are you a school district interested in certifying teachers & paraprofessionals as RBTs and having a BCBA provide supervision & oversight to them and your special education programs? CONTACT US HERE FOR MORE INFO.

**FREE** Functional Behavior Assessment Virtual Workshop

For years, faculty at the Burkhart Center have traveled far and wide to provide high-quality professional development opportunities for Texas educators who are responsible for conducting Functional Behavior Assessments (FBA) in the school setting. In order to reach more individuals, this workshop is being moved to an online model with faculty and staff providing continued coaching & feedback for educators who participate in this program.

Our ultimate goal with this virtual FBA workshop is to provide assessment teams and educators the knowledge and resources necessary to provide a high-quality assessment in the school setting with additional resources to develop function-based interventions founded on evidence-based practices to address problem behavior in the classroom setting.

For further information, or to see if you will qualify for this grant-funded workshop, please CLICK HERE.

Graduate Study and Academic Programs

Face to Face Programs

Ph.D. in Special Education; Ph.D. in School Psychology

Online/Hybrid Programs

Ph.D. in Special Education; Master's in Special Education

Learn more about our Ph.D. programs.

Graduate Certificate Programs from the College of Education

Autism; Sensory Impairments and Autism; Transition; Dual Sensory Impairments. Learn more about our Graduate Certificate offerings.

Funding for Graduate Students

We have multiple ways to support students in our programs. Research Assistantships are available for students in face-to-face programs on a competitive basis. Assistantships include tuition waivers and stipends. Scholarships, travel funding, and research stipends are also available.

Undergraduate & Graduate Experiences

Undergraduate & graduate students volunteer at all our family and community service events and are active members of our research teams and grant projects. Students are colleagues and collaborators in our teaching, research, and practice. All students have opportunities to plan, conduct, present, and publish research.

Practicum Opportunities with Outpatient Services

The Outpatient Clinic at the Burkhart Center is currently offering practicum opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students seeking experience working with young children with ASD in a clinical setting. Course credit is available at the undergraduate and graduate levels.