Hands on experience working with adults with developmental disabilities is available under the supervision of Dr. Ruth Anne Rehfeldt or Dr. Paula Davis. 

This type of training provide students with experience in the learning how to teach new skills to persons of various functioning levels from severe-profound mental retardation to mild mental retardation and high functioning autism.  Students may also be involved in projects and placements whereby they learn to assess client preferences and potential reinforcers, as well as learn to identify the functional relations between behaviors (sometimes problematic behaviors) and the associated consequences.  Both Dr. Rehfeldt and Davis offer unique opportunities in a variety of clinical sites in the Southern Illinois area including:

Dr. Rehfeldt:

START of Southern Illinois

Franklin-Williamson Human Services

Current Projects Include:

Video modeling to establish vocational / domestic skills

Establishing relational control over manding

Functional communication teaching protocols

Verbal Behavior

Derived Relational Responding

Dr. Davis:

Choate Developmental Center

Current Projects Include:

Preference assessments

Functional assessment and intervention

Why Choose SIU?

The Past:

The Behavior Analysis and Therapy Program at SIU was the first

masters degree program specifically in behavior analysis in the world.

The Present:

SIU's Masters Training Program has a 5 Year Accreditation from the Association for Behavior Analysis.  No other school in Illinois has this honor and only 10 others in the country do.

SIU has an approved course sequence from the Behavior Analysis Certification Board for both on and off campus courses.

100% of our current students have graduate assistantships that waive their tuition and provide a monthly salary!!!!

The Future:

The faculty, facilities, and training opportunities are growing year after year.

  Our graduates are in extremely high demand.  Most graduates have starting salaries in the $55,000 - $65,000 range.