Association for Behavior Analysis International

Verified Course Sequence Application

Please see the news and updates page for important information.

The VCS system is sunsetting on December 31, 2025. ABAI will stop accepting NEW VCS applications on January 1, 2025.

VCS Eligibility Criteria

If the answer is 'yes' to all the questions your program is eligible to apply for VCS.

1. Does the proposed course sequence exist in an accredited educational institution?
• Proposed course sequences inside of the U.S. must be accredited by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). You may search CHEA’s database to find colleges, universities and other higher education institutions accredited by recognized U.S. accrediting organizations: https://www.chea.org/search-institutions.
• Proposed course sequences outside of the U.S. must maintain an equivalent standard of training as determined by a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services. We encourage all proposed sequences outside of the U.S. to contact us prior to submitting an application. You may also  contact us for further information to verify equivalencies.
2. Does the proposed course sequence have a proposed VCS Coordinator?
• The VCS Coordinator must meet one of the (seven) instructor qualifications;
• Hold full-time faculty status at the institution in which the VCS is housed;
• Hold a doctoral degree from an accredited higher education institution (VCS Coordinators for standalone BCaBA sequences may hold a master's degree or higher);
• And, be authorized by the academic or administrative head of the institutional unit (e.g., department, college) to make decisions, including financial, on behalf of the proposed course sequence and all its students, instructors, and supervisors. A letter of verification will be required (a template is available in the application).
3. Do the courses contain behavior-analytic content that meets the specific coursework-level requirements?
4. Do all course syllabi have the following (at minimum)?
• Title of course
• Instructor name
• Course schedule that clearly indicates content covered during each period/seminar/class
• A list of readings
• Course objectives
5. Have you reviewed the VCS Handbook?

VCS Application: General Requirements

Please review the general requirements for the VCS application. The VCS Coordinator may save and return to the VCS application as needed.

VCS Coordinator:

• ABAI Portal Account (free to sign up/membership not required)
• University/institution email address
• Coordinator Agreement/Attestation (completed in the application)
• Curriculum vitae or resume
• Full-time faculty verification letter
• Review of VCS Instructor qualifications
• Qualification documentation

Instructors:

• ABAI Portal Account (free to sign up/membership not required)
• University/institution email address
• Review of VCS Instructor qualifications
• Qualification documentation
• Curriculum vitae or resume
• Review Instructor Agreement/Attestation

Coursework:

• Identifiable content areas in each course syllabus
• Submission of student learning outcomes in each course
• Submission of readings/text in each course
• Submission of course objectives in each course

BACB VCS Instructor Qualifications

VCS instructors must meet one of the following criteria to teach in the BACB VCS:

1. Hold BCBA or BCBA-D certification.
2. Hold a doctoral degree and have completed behavior-analytic coursework requirements (template). 
3. Have completed at least three years (cumulative) of full-time faculty teaching and research at an accredited higher education institution within a five-year period (template).
4. Be enrolled in a behavior-analytic doctoral program (e.g., an ABAI accredited doctoral program) at the applying university or at another university with a BCBA-level VCS, with all coursework requirements complete (template).
5. Hold a doctoral degree from a program accredited by ABAI.
6. Hold a doctoral degree, in a relevant discipline, from an accredited higher education institution and hold a faculty position in a program accredited by ABAI.
7. Hold a doctoral degree from an accredited higher education institution and have established, over a period of at least five years after receipt of the degree, a track record of meritorious contributions in behavior analysis. 

Please see the VCS handbook for additional instructor qualification information. 

By serving both U.S. and non-U.S. programs, ABAI's role is to establish the minimum qualifications for instructors. Instructors must also meet requirements of their institution's regional/national accrediting agency.