Program Details

  • Program Code: C405
  • Credential:
    Ontario College Graduate Certificate
  • Duration:
    1 year (2 semesters)
  • Method of Study:
    Full-time
  • Starting Months: January, September
  • Domestic Tuition:
    $3,885.00 *
  • International Tuition:
    $18,850.00 **
  • Spring 2026 Delivery:
    Not Available

Program Availability

SemesterDomesticInternational
Fall 2025
Closed
Closed
Winter 2026
Suspended
Suspended
Spring 2026
Not Available
Not Available
  • Work-Integrated Learning:

    Field education in semesters 1 and 2

  • PGWP Eligible: Yes
  • CIP Code: 42.2814
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Program Description

Leadership Claims

Preparing Autism and Behavioural Science graduates for nearly 20 years.

Program Overview

The Autism and Behavioural Science (Postgraduate) program focuses on autism spectrum disorders and therapies, mainly applied behaviour analysis (ABA), with a primary application for children and adolescents. You will gain practical experience working with treatment teams.

Full Description

The one-year Autism and Behavioural Science (Postgraduate) (C405) program was developed in response to the growing public concern about services for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

It was designed to deepen the expertise in the field of autism and behavioural sciences for application within the children’s sector and simultaneously create a pool of qualified individuals to meet the needs of service agencies that provide autism or children’s services.

To qualify for this program stream, you must be a graduate with a university degree or college graduate who has studied early childhood education, social service worker, child and youth care, developmental service worker or similar program. In this program, you learn the specialized skills and expertise you need to work with individuals who have been diagnosed with autism.

Please note this program does not teach counselling or “talk therapy.” This is an intensive program designed to develop skills to work with Autistic individuals to create behaviour change by increasing skills and decreasing maladaptive behaviours.

As a student in the Autism and Behavioural Science program, you will study:

  • autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
  • intervention methods, including Intensive Behavioural Intervention (IBI)
  • applied behaviour analysis (ABA) theory (e.g., operant conditioning)
  • how to work with families and treatment teams
  • relevant legislation

Be advised that due to the number of opportunities for appropriate placements within the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), you may be required to travel as far east as Oshawa, as far west as Burlington and as far north as Vaughan to complete your placement component.

Science-Based Program

As this is an intensive science-based program, please expect:

  • a heavy workload
  • complex, scientific terminology
  • to read and analyze scientific journal articles

Recommended Skills and Aptitudes:

To ensure your success in this program, we recommend:

  • advanced-level English skills required
  • caring
  • tenacious
  • analytic
  • detail-oriented

Autism and Behavioural Science Faculty

  • This program is taught by both full- and part-time professors who have extensive experience in ABA, IBI and ASD.

Connected to Industry

  • Our program is highly regarded in the sector. We have well-established relationships with agencies across the GTA who provide services for individuals with a diagnosis of autism.

Have a university degree?

If so, consider applying to the Behavioural Science Technician Accelerated (C156) program. This one-year program is similar to this program (e.g., a degree is required), with a few key differences:

  • university degree required
  • offers more depth in content to include a broader range of populations (other than just autism)
  • include two seven-week field placements
  • three-semester, one-year program
  • graduate with a diploma (vs. a certificate)

Your Field Education Options

George Brown's Autism and Behavioural Science program has been designed to provide you with meaningful hands-on experiences within settings where you could ultimately find work.

The field placement experience in semester 1 is three weeks long. During that time, you will visit an agency partner (e.g., ABA centre, school, residential home, daycare setting, etc.) to observe an individual with autism.

In semester 2, field placement is with an agency partner but seven weeks long. During that time you will observe an individual with autism and partake in various daily tasks such as indirect assessment, identification of target behaviours, and data collection.

Please note: In semester 2, to accommodate March Break closures at clinical agencies, you will attend placement on a modified schedule that differs from the George Brown Polytechnic academic schedule. Further details will be provided during your program orientation.

Career & Postgraduate Study Opportunities

Career Options

As a graduate of George Brown's Autism and Behavioural Science program, you will be prepared to work as an ABA instructor for children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Typical settings include public agencies, group homes, schools and private family settings.

Upon graduating from this program, you may also have the opportunity to advance into a supervisor or consultant role.

If you have an existing diploma or degree, you may qualify for a broader range of career opportunities, such as:

  • resource teacher
  • educational assistant
  • program supervisor

Alumni Impact

We are immensely proud of the contributions of our alumni in Toronto and around the globe.

From Michelin-starred restaurants to major construction, entertainment, community and financial organizations, our graduates are truly making an impact across a range of industries.

Latest Alumni Stories

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"The Autism and Behavioural Science program absolutely propelled me into the fulfilling career of working to better the lives of those living with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Without this program at George Brown Polytechnic, I am certain I would not have had the educational jump-start I was given to land me my first clinical position immediately upon graduation. What I valued most was the privilege to form the influential relationships that I did with the skilled professors already working within the field. I am grateful I chose to pursue this post-graduate certificate; it truly was the catalyst to a profession that I take great pride in every single day."

Shanna Reesor
Ontario College Graduate Certificate

"The program at George Brown Polytechnic will play an important role in developing the knowledge, skills and expertise of current and potential instructor-therapists in the public and private sectors. Their strong complement of faculty, innovative plan and existing relationship with many IBI providers put George Brown at a vantage point for getting this program up and running quickly. Few other colleges would have access to the necessary number of student placements required for a program of this magnitude."

Board of Directors of the Ontario Association for Behaviour Analysis
Ontario College Graduate Certificate

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