Everything You Need to Know About BCBA® Supervised Fieldwork Hours

Everything You Need to Know About BCBA® Supervised Fieldwork Hours

Your complete guide to understanding BACB® fieldwork requirements, from hour types to supervision tips.

If you're pursuing your BCBA® certification, you've probably already realized that supervised fieldwork is one of the most essential—and sometimes most confusing—parts of the process. Between different hour types, activity categories, and supervision structures, it can be a lot to wrap your head around.

In this post, we’ll break down the BCBA® supervised fieldwork requirements in plain language, so you can confidently track your hours, stay compliant, and build meaningful experience that prepares you for independent practice.

🔍 What Is Supervised Fieldwork?

Supervised fieldwork is structured, documented experience in applied behavior analysis (ABA) under the guidance of a qualified supervisor. It’s designed to help you:

• Apply what you’re learning in coursework to real-life settings
  
  
• Develop core ABA skills across clients, settings, and populations
  
  
• Receive direct feedback and guidance from experienced BCBAs®
  
  

📊 How Many Hours Do You Need?

The number of hours required depends on the type of fieldwork you pursue:

💡 You can mix both types, but only one type can be counted per month.

📅 Monthly Hour Requirements

To ensure consistency and quality, the BACB® sets limits on how many hours you can accrue each month:

• ✅ Minimum per month: 20 hours
  
  
• ❌ Maximum per month: 130 hours
  
  
• 🔄 Duration limit: Must complete all fieldwork within 5 years
  
  

🧠 What’s the Difference Between Unrestricted and Restricted Hours?

This is one of the most misunderstood parts of fieldwork!

• Unrestricted activities must make up at least 60% of your total hours. These are tasks a BCBA® typically does, like:
  
  
  • Conducting assessments
    
    
  • Writing behavior plans
    
    
  • Training others
    
    
  • Analyzing data
    
    
  • Supervising implementation
    
    
• Restricted activities can be no more than 40% of your total hours. These usually involve direct implementation of behavior-change programs (like running discrete trials).
  
  

📌 If you're spending most of your time in direct client work, you’ll need to adjust to include more unrestricted tasks.

👩‍🏫 What Does Supervision Look Like?

To meet BACB® requirements, you’ll need:

• 1 client observation per month
  
  
• 4 (or 6) supervision contacts per month (4 for supervised, 6 for concentrated)
  
  
• At least 50% of supervision hours must be individual (not in a group setting)
  
  

Supervision should include real-time feedback, behavioral skills training, modeling, and performance review—not just sitting in on sessions.

✅ Pro Tips for Success

• Track everything—use a reliable tracking system with monthly forms, summaries, and signed contracts
  
  
• Work with multiple supervisors when possible to gain diverse experience
  
  
• Make supervision count—come prepared with questions, goals, and self-reflections
  
  
• Check your ratios monthly to avoid losing hours to noncompliance
  
  

📥 Free Resource: Unrestricted Hours Guide

Want ideas to maximize your unrestricted hours?
Download our free Guide to Unrestricted Hours: 75+ Unrestricted Activity Ideas → Download Here 

💬 Final Thoughts

Your supervised fieldwork is more than a requirement—it’s your launchpad to becoming a confident, competent BCBA®. With a clear understanding of the rules and a thoughtful approach to learning, you’ll get more than just hours—you’ll build the skills that matter.

Looking for tools to streamline your fieldwork supervision?
👉 Check out Sidekick Learning—a platform built by BCBAs®, for BCBAs®.

📝 Copyright Notice

This content references materials from the Behavior Analyst Certification Board® (BACB®). Board Certified Behavior Analyst® Handbook (2025).
Copyright © 2025, BACB®. All rights reserved.
For the official and most up-to-date information, visit www.bacb.com.