Hawaii’s behavioral health landscape is shaped by its geographic uniqueness and the need to provide community-based, culturally sensitive services throughout its islands. The Hawaii State Department of Health’s Behavioral Health Administration coordinates projects to expand mental health, developmental disabilities, and substance use services throughout the state.
Masters Programs in Hawaii to Become a BCBA
For individuals in Hawaii pursuing certification as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), the Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) master’s degree programs offer a critical step toward meeting the professional standards set by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB). These programs are designed to provide comprehensive training in behavioral assessment, intervention planning, ethics, and data-driven decision making, core competencies necessary for effective practice in a variety of settings.
In order to sit for the BCBA exam, students must complete a graduate program that includes a verified course sequence (VCS) as well as a supervised fieldwork component. In Hawaii, these requirements are increasingly being met through programs that combine academic rigor with practical experience, often in collaboration with local schools, clinics, and behavioral health agencies.
Given Hawaii’s multicultural and geographically diverse population, the state’s ABA master’s programs emphasize culturally responsive care and the ability to serve remote and underserved communities. The growing need for qualified BCBAs, especially in areas such as autism intervention, early childhood education and developmental disabilities services, makes these programs an essential part of the state’s behavioral health infrastructure.
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Online ABA Masters Programs in Hawaii
Online master’s degree programs in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) offer an affordable option for Hawaii residents who want to pursue a career as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) without relocating. These programs are especially valuable for working professionals or individuals living in the neighbor islands, where access to on-campus training may be limited.
These programs often include courses in behavioral assessment, ethics, intervention design, and data-based decision making, and many also offer support for arranging supervised fieldwork at the local level. In addition, some of them are asynchronous, allowing students to complete the course on their own schedule, while others include optional or required live sessions for real-time interaction.
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
- Honolulu, Hawaii
- 31 hours
- Online
Program:
Master of Education in Special Education. Specialization Track in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)
Modality: Online
Length: 31 credit hours
Tuition: $650 per credit hour for in-state residents and $1,402 for out-of-state residents. With a total of 31 credit hours required, the total program cost is around $20,150 for in-state students and $43,462 for out-of-state students. Does not include additional fees, materials, or personal expenses.
Program Overview:
The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa offers a fully online, part-time Master of Education in Special Education program with three specialization tracks: Leadership & Research, Interdisciplinary, and Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA).
The ABA track includes additional credits (4–12) for those completing supervised fieldwork and is designed to support eligibility for the BCBA exam. The GRE is not required; instead, applicants must submit video responses, an essay, and letters of recommendation. Also, the courses are delivered synchronously online in the early evenings (HST), making it accessible to students with daytime obligations.
