Master of Applied Disability Studies
Program Website: Applied Disability Studies
Field(s) of Specialization
- Applied Behaviour Analysis
- Leadership, Diversity, Community & Culture
Faculty and Administration
For a listing of program faculty and administrative contacts, please visit the program directory.
Program Description
The Vision of the Department of Applied Disability Studies is to be an internationally-recognized, preeminent academic program that contributes to the betterment of the lives of people in our community and beyond with a focus on persons with disabilities and underserved populations.
Our mission is to educate students who will be agents of change to help better the lives of people in our community and beyond with a focus on persons with disabilities and underserved populations. We strive to contribute knowledge and improve services by conducting cutting edge basic and applied research, and by providing transdisciplinary, quality postgraduate education to the next generation of professionals, researchers and educators, and experienced professionals in the field. Faculty are internationally respected in disability studies and Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA).
The Department of Applied Disability Studies (ADS) offers a Master of Arts (MA) degree, a Master of Applied Disability Studies (MADS), Graduate Diploma in Applied Disability Studies, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Behaviour Analysis (PhD ABA). Students pursuing an MA or MADS degree may choose to specialize in the field of Leadership, Diversity, Community, and Culture (LDCC) or in the field of ABA. The Graduate Diploma is offered in the ABA specialization only. The MA option, with its advanced course work and strong research focus, is intended to prepare students to continue their graduate training at the Ph.D. level. Foundational and theoretical work are embedded in applied courses and practicum experiences. ADS graduate students will be prepared to pursue the wide variety of career possibilities in the disability sector and/or applied behaviour analysis.
In addition to foundational coursework in Applied Disability Studies, students in Applied Behaviour Analysis take the ADS Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) Verified Course Sequence (VCS), which meets the current coursework requirements for certification as a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst (BCBA®) by the Behaviour Analyst Certification Board (BACB®). For those interested, in practicing ABA in Ontario, note that The Psychology and Applied Behaviour Analysis Act (2021), was proclaimed on July 1, 2024; therefore the use of the title “Behaviour Analyst” is restricted to members of the College of Psychologists and Behaviour Analysts, who are registered as Behaviour Analysts. Coursework continues to be modified to meet changing requirements from ABAI and BACB® and the new regulatory requirements for Ontario. Current information on the regulation process in Ontario is found at https://cpo.on.ca/aba/. Please refer to https://www.BACB.com for additional eligibility and certification requirements. Note: the BACB will no longer certify Ontario residents effective July 1, 2026.
For maximum flexibility, our courses for part-time students are generally offered one weekend per month at the Burlington Campus, or satellite Toronto or Ottawa locations, with online activities taking place in between weekends. Online and blended course options may also be offered. MA students attend the majority of their in person courses on the St. Catharines Campus. Full-time MADS students may be assigned to weekly courses at the St. Catharines Campus and/or the weekend format courses at the Burlington Campus. For complete course sequence and scheduling details please visit the program website.
Admission Requirements
Successful completion of a four-year Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent, in a related field (e.g., disability studies, applied behaviour analysis, psychology, sociology, social work, child studies, education) with a minimum average of 75% in the last two years of undergraduate study. MADS applicants with averages between 70% and 74% in the last two years of undergraduate study may be accepted conditionally. Incoming students may be required to complete our in-house writing tutorial.
For those applying to the Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) specialization, undergraduate level or college level courses related to Behaviour Analysis (minimum 75%), volunteer or work experience in the disability sector and/or ABA will be preferred. If accepted without satisfactory prior undergraduate level or college level ABA coursework, incoming students may be required to complete coursework prior to registration through our online upgrading courses or our in-house ABA and/or writing tutorial(s).
Full-time and part-time study is available for MADS with ABA specialization.
For those applying to the Leadership, Diversity, Community, and Culture (LDCC) specialization, courses related to disability studies and volunteer or work experience in the disability sector will be considered assets.
The MADS with LDCC specialization is offered on a full-time basis only.
The Graduate Admissions Committee will review all applications and make admissions recommendations.
Undergraduate Upgrading Courses
When enrollment permits, ADS offers undergraduate upgrading courses for students who wish to apply for MADS (either ABA or LDCC specialization), but do not meet the minimum admissions criteria for MADS (e.g., an admission average less than 75% in the last two years of study of a 4-year undergraduate degree). The Graduate Admissions Committee will review all applications and decide which undergraduate upgrading courses each student should take from available courses at Brock or from another institution. Note that successful completion of the undergraduate upgrading courses does not guarantee admission to MADS, but does allow students who do not meet the minimum grade criteria for MADS to submit an application to MADS for equivalency consideration. No minimum grade average is required to be achieved in these courses: however, it is recommended that at least an 80% average be achieved in each upgrading course to be seriously considered for admission to MADS.
Applicants without a four-year university degree or community college degree are not typically eligible to take the undergraduate upgrading courses in lieu of a 4-year university degree. Exceptional circumstances may be considered. Please contact the department.
For information and course descriptions please see the Undergraduate Calendar.