Department of Behavior Analysis at UNT

Department of Behavior Analysis at UNT The department's Master of Science degree program was the first graduate program in the nation to be accredited by the Association for Behavior Analysis. S.

The Department of Behavior Analysis offers graduate and undergraduate degree programs on the UNT campus in Denton, as well as a graduate certificate program for distant professionals interested in continuing their behavior analysis education. A faculty of 6 nationally recognized full-time faculty, supported by outstanding adjunct faculty specializing in a variety of sub-fields, offer students a br

oad range of experiences in the classroom, research laboratories and applied settings. The program has attracted students from Brazil, Canada, China, Columbia, England, Iceland, Japan, Mexico, and Norway as well as from 17 states in the U. Whether alumni go on to pursue a doctoral degree or assume professional positions in the community, they are consistently viewed in their new settings as highly accomplished Behavior Analysts. The department’s Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Behavior Analysis was the first in the nation. The curriculum includes intensive training in the principles and application of applied behavior analysis, in the context of a broad general education. Due to the increasing demand for applied Behavior Analysts (or applied behavior analysis practitioners), in 1999 the department developed a sequence of internet courses. These courses allowed professionals to continue their behavior analysis education as well as meet the academic requirements for professional certification by the Behavior Analysis Certification Board. The department was instrumental in founding the Texas Association for Behavior Analysis and remains its headquarters. Its faculty maintain excellent relations with Behavior Analysts at other universities and in the public and private sector. In 2003, the Department of Behavior Analysis received a research endowment from the estate of Beatrice H. Barrett, Ph.D. In 2004, the department established the Beatrice H. Barrett Research Program in Neuro-Operant Relations."

Congratulations to Sara Constance Ekua Ashun on successfully defending her this “An Evaluation of Content Modality on Ac...
06/19/2026

Congratulations to Sara Constance Ekua Ashun on successfully defending her this “An Evaluation of Content Modality on Accuracy and Discrimination” for the MS in degree! Her committee included Drs. Matt Laske (advisor), Sam Bergmann, and Karen Rader Toussaint. Sara plans to become a , support children and families, and pursue a doctorate degree. Congratulations, Sara, from the !

Congratulations to Taylor Nelius for successfully defending her thesis for the MS in   from the  ! Taylor’s project was ...
06/19/2026

Congratulations to Taylor Nelius for successfully defending her thesis for the MS in from the ! Taylor’s project was titled “Miradas que Conectan/ Gazes that Connect:
Examining Joint Attention in a Culturally Responsive Parent Coaching Program for Latino Families,” and her committee members were Drs. Shahla Ala’i-Rosales (advisor), Aecio Borba, and Michael Siller. Taylor plans to sit for the certification exam to become a . Best of luck as you pursue your professional and personal dreams, Taylor!

Professor Dr. Shahla Ala’i-Rosales was featured on a UNT podcast—listen to learn more about her journey.
06/01/2026

Professor Dr. Shahla Ala’i-Rosales was featured on a UNT podcast—listen to learn more about her journey.

On the fourth episode of the Learning Ecosystem podcast, host Carrie Allen discusses the career of UNT College of Health and Public Service behavior analysis professor Shahla Ala'i Rosales, shaped by collaboration and inquiry.

Listen now: bit.ly/4xgbp2L

If you’re at  , come by the   reunion! We would love to see all current students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends!
05/25/2026

If you’re at , come by the reunion! We would love to see all current students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends!

The UNT Department of Behavior Analysis is excited to connect with prospective students at ABAI this week in San Francis...
05/23/2026

The UNT Department of Behavior Analysis is excited to connect with prospective students at ABAI this week in San Francisco, including at the ABAI-accredited program expo.

Learn more about our undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral training opportunities, faculty mentorship model, and integrated experimental and applied training experiences in behavior analysis.

The UNT Department of Behavior Analysis is excited to connect with prospective students at ABAI this week in San Francis...
05/23/2026

The UNT Department of Behavior Analysis is excited to connect with prospective students at ABAI this week in San Francisco, including at the ABAI-accredited program expo.

Learn more about our undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral training opportunities, faculty mentorship model, and integrated experimental and applied training experiences in behavior analysis.

ICYMI   faculty Drs. Shahla Ala’i-Rosales and Sam Bergmann and MS graduate student David Morales shared our encouragemen...
05/15/2026

ICYMI faculty Drs. Shahla Ala’i-Rosales and Sam Bergmann and MS graduate student David Morales shared our encouragement program with colleagues at the Student Performance Data Symposium this April. The Glenn and Ellis Mentoring System (GEMS) is an encouragement and engagement plan created by Dr. Ala’i-Rosales to help first-year MS students contact UNT resources, create community, and reflect on their progress.

Congratulations are in order for Laura Willoughby following a successful thesis defense! Her project was “Teaching Verb ...
05/07/2026

Congratulations are in order for Laura Willoughby following a successful thesis defense! Her project was “Teaching Verb Tacts with Static and Dynamic Stimuli to Children with Autism” with committee Drs. Sam Bergmann (advisor), Karen Rader, and Daniele Ortu. This research project was supported with a student research grant from the Laura will be earning her M.S. degree from and will return to Kansas to begin her career. She plans to sit for the Behavior Analyst Certification Board exam following graduation. Congratulations, Laura!

04/30/2026

Please note the new date. Dr. Jesús Rosales-Ruiz's webinar for the AAB SIG has been postponed to next Thursday, May 7th.

Registration link is in the Facebook comments or send us a message for the link!

Here are the details from our earlier post:

Join Dr. Jesús Rosales-Ruiz and the AAB SIG for a free webinar.

Thursday, May 7, 2026

8–9:30 pm Eastern Time (7–8:30 Central Time)

1.5 BACB CEUs

Please note: This event will not be recorded.

PRESENATION ABSTRACT

Fearful and aggressive behaviors have generally been regarded as respondent behaviors. They are often considered to be natural reactions to certain antecedent conditions. To address these behaviors, trainers often rely on respondent procedures such as desensitization or counterconditioning. Another common approach may be to try to directly shape an alternative calm response using food or other positive reinforcers.

Alternatively, fearful and aggressive behaviors may be seen as successful operants that are captured and maintained by negative reinforcement. That is, engaging in the behavior leads to distance from or the removal of something the animal finds aversive. For example, a dog learns that when he growls, strangers go away and leave him alone.

This presentation will trace the evolution of a procedure that uses distance as a reinforcer to shape friendly behaviors that replace fearful or aggressive behaviors. We will examine a series of research studies that have been conducted with cows, dogs, cats, and horses to see what each experiment has to teach us about behavior change. These experiments can help us better understand how emotions and emotional behavior can be maintained by and changed by operant contingencies.

PRESENTER BIO

Dr. Jesús Rosales-Ruiz is a professor in the Behavior Analysis Department at the University of North Texas. He has been at the forefront of bringing the science of behavior to the growing field of human-animal interactions. His work on functional analysis and shaping has helped bridge the gap between academia and applied animal training.

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Denton, TX
76201

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