Conceptualization and Development of the Behavior Analysis Programs at the Florida Institute of Technology.

van Timmeren et al. (2016) tell the story of how Florida Tech built one of the largest ABA training programs in the country. They describe each step: adding a Ph.D. track, launching online courses, and finally creating an entire School of Behavior Analysis. The paper is a roadmap, not an experiment. There are no pass rates or student scores, just the sequence of decisions that grew a tiny master's program into a training powerhouse.

The authors show that steady, planned growth can scale ABA education without losing quality. They list concrete moves: hiring faculty first, securing ABAI accreditation early, and using both on-campus and online formats. No numbers are given, but the program's size and reputation clearly expanded year by year.

Shepley et al. (2018) later found that on-campus, ABAI-accredited programs like Florida Tech's produce higher BCBA pass rates. Their data support Florida Tech's choice to keep a strong campus presence while growing.

Lepper et al. (2023) go further, giving a data-driven recipe for program design. Where van Timmeren et al. (2016) tell what worked, Lepper et al. show how to pick features that raise pass rates before you scale.

Critchfield (2015) warns not to judge a program by faculty research output alone. Florida Tech's history answers that warning by highlighting curriculum, accreditation, and supervision instead of just publication counts.

If you advise students or sit on a program committee, this history is a checklist. Secure accreditation early, mix online and face-to-face courses, and expand faculty before enrollment spikes. Pair these steps with the pass-rate data from Shepley et al. and Lepper et al. to defend budget requests or redesign course sequences. You get a evidence-backed growth plan that boards and deans can trust.