Turn behavioral science into workplace impact.
With an M.S. in organizational behavior management (OBM), you’ll build the knowledge and skills to apply behavioral science to enhance performance, optimize systems and influence organizational culture.
OBM uses evidence-based methods to assess and change the workplace environment to improve business results. You’ll learn to evaluate complex systems, design effective training and improve safety and efficiency—all with a focus on creating meaningful, sustainable change at both the individual and organizational level.
In the Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³» OBM master’s program, you’ll work with expert faculty and gain hands-on experience with real organizations. The program also includes all coursework and fieldwork needed to qualify for the Board Certified Behavior Analyst® (BCBA®) exam, preparing you to lead and innovate in the field.
Home to the first School of Behavior Analysis, Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³» set the standard for programs worldwide—combining proven training methods with faculty expertise in both research and clinical practice. Our collaborative culture treats students as colleagues and emerging professionals, fostering a hands-on, career-focused learning environment.
At Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³», you’ll learn in an environment built on the principles of behavior analysis itself, with high standards, accountability and a commitment to growth.
As one of the few master’s programs in OBM, we play a key role in launching the professional journeys of students from around the globe.
Our faculty are Board Certified Behavior Analysts® (BCBA® or BCBA-D®) who work closely with students in small-group settings, providing one-on-one guidance in research, client projects and organizational applications.
With a low student-to-faculty ratio, you’ll benefit from close mentorship while developing your own creativity and leadership skills.
At Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³», OBM students apply classroom learning directly with local companies and government organizations.
These hands-on experiences give you a head start on building a portfolio of consulting work and practical skills.
Internships and assistantships are designed to prepare you for BCBA certification while developing your ability to analyze organizational processes, evaluate staff effectiveness and improve workplace systems.
Students can also gain experience at Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»'s Scott Center for Autism Treatment, where OBM training includes analyzing internal processes and assessing staff performance.
OBM students tackle real workplace challenges through research and project-based learning.
Topics you may explore include:
These projects give students the chance to apply behavioral science directly to organizational problems, preparing them for meaningful impact in any workplace.
Many Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³» professors conduct applied research outside the classroom, working in organizational consulting, clinical settings and other professional environments.
OBM students often participate in this research, gaining opportunities to publish in respected journals and explore world-first topics in the field.
Because the field is still growing, students may have opportunities to conduct groundbreaking research that can set them apart as thought leaders on OBM issues.
The Society for Performance Management provides students with a collaborative environment to research, discuss and present OBM projects.
You can work alongside faculty, fellow graduate students and peers from other universities to develop solutions for real-world business challenges.
Students also present at conferences and partner with outside agencies on initiatives including behavioral safety, employee supervision, performance improvement and staff development.
Both capstone and thesis options are offered; you’ll choose the path that best fits your goals.
The capstone project takes you step by step through proposal development, implementation and completion across a sequence of three courses, giving you practical experience supported by restricted electives.
If you’re drawn to research, the thesis option lets you dive deep into a topic, preparing and completing an original study that strengthens your expertise.
The mission of our M.S. in behavior analysis degree programs is to produce competent behavior analytic practitioners and consultants who are solidly grounded in basic principles derived from the experimental analysis of behavior, who approach the world from a radical behaviorist perspective, who will continue to inform their practice with current research findings, who contribute to behavioral research, who attain BCBA certification, and who are prepared to enter doctoral programs.
Demand for OBM expertise is growing across industry, consulting, human resources and organizational development.
The OBM master’s program prepares you with the coursework and experience to work as a consultant or leader in business, industry, government and human service organizations.
Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³» graduates work with organizations ranging from local businesses to Fortune 500 companies, government agencies and nonprofits. Many become consultants, managers or executives—or start their own firms—helping organizations improve performance, safety, efficiency and staff development while reducing turnover and absenteeism.
Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³» Career Services assists students, alumni and employers in their search for careers and employee candidates. We help students develop career plans and job-search skills. Explore our Career Toolbox to learn more about our services and access additional resources.
The , published by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), provides information about specific jobs, including median annual pay, working conditions and job outlook, among other things. Check the handbook for information on the outlook for organizational behavior management careers.
Licensing for behavior analysis in the U.S. is centered on clinical practice, not organizational consulting. However, it's important to know that licensing requirements for behavior analysts in the U.S. may vary by state. This program is designed to meet standards for BACB credentials, which many states require or accept for licensure. Some states may have additional requirements; please see our for details.
Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³» offers a doctoral program in behavior analysis that prepares graduates to pursue academic positions, continue active research programs and effectively manage behavior analysts under their supervision, both in research and practice.
The OBM master’s degree prepares you to become a behavior analyst with a specialized focus on organizations and fulfills BACB degree, coursework and fieldwork requirements to sit for the BCBA exam.
The curriculum builds a strong foundation in the philosophy, principles and ethics of behavior analysis and its real-world application, equipping you to apply the science of behavior to workplace challenges at both the individual and systems level.
You'll learn about performance management, behavior-analytic approaches to training and development and the use of behavior analysis to improve industrial and clinical safety.
Fieldwork lets you apply what you've learned. You'll get hands-on experience implementing behavior analytic intervention strategies and using them to create behavior change in clients.
Both capstone and thesis options are offered for this 44-credit master's degree program.
Download the Organizational Behavior Management, M.S., Curriculum now!
OBM is a subspecialty of applied behavior analysis that applies behavioral science to improve performance, systems and outcomes in organizational settings. Areas of application include:
OBM gives you the skills to make a real impact in workplaces, from enhancing productivity and safety to shaping leadership and culture.
OBM is applied like traditional industrial/organizational (I/O) psychology but is behavioral rather than cognitive or eclectic.
It is analytic because it uses systematic manipulation of environmental events and direct measurement of behavior, rather than written tests or interviews. It is technological because it precisely describes procedures in such a way that others can replicate them.
Explore the field further on the .
You can also visit the , a special interest group of the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI), to discover resources and connect with professionals in the field.
Learn more about Organizational Behavior Management at Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³» on the website.
The Master of Science degree program in organizational behavior management is accredited by the Association for Behavior Analysis International Accreditation Board.