Josie Re ’26MS, a student in the Online Master of Behavior Analysis, shares what led her to the field, and her experience in an online classroom.
After college, Josie Re ’26MS started her first job at an early intervention facility for children diagnosed with autism.
“I worked with kids aged 2 to 6, and it was so much fun!” says Re. “The kids were absolutely amazing. They grow and develop so much in those younger years. I watched them hit so many milestones: to learn to communicate, to speak their first words, to potty train. It’s such a huge accomplishment to be able to teach them those skills. I figured, why not make a career out of it?”
Finding Community Online
That interest drew Re to the Simmons Online Master of Behavior Analysis.
“My favorite course that I have taken was “Behavioral Assessment” (BEHV/O 426) with adjunct faculty member Noelle Neault,” says Re. “She has so many years of experience in the field, and I learned a lot from her.”
Re has found an online community, both in and outside of classes. “On day one with my cohort, we created a study group,” says Re. “That has been the biggest blessing! I’ve made friends in my program, despite being on opposite sides of the country. I didn’t think that was possible online, but we have a really great group.”
With online friends, studying together can be as simple as actively quizzing each other via FaceTime. Re says she recently had an intensive online study session with her closest friend in the program. “We went through the study guide piece by piece together,” she says.
Now with only one semester left, Re can see that online support has been vital to her progress. “It’s really important to have a strong support system, friends, and family who will push you forward. The program is extremely rigorous, which is a good thing! It’s important to have the support in place to be able to succeed.”
Real-World Application
The online program requires students to find a position at a behavior analysis worksite by the end of the first semester. Simmons staff and faculty assist students in finding companies in their local areas.
“You need to have a worksite that is going to support you as well,” says Re, who began accruing her fieldwork hours with her employer in December. She needs 2,000 hours to sit for her BCBA exam, and she’s now a quarter of the way there. Once on the jobsite, it’s up to the student to negotiate with their employer about what fieldwork opportunities are available.
Re is in the planning phase of her thesis research project, which she plans to do with staff in her company. “I’m excited because I’ve never done it before! I didn’t have the opportunity to do research during undergrad.”
In fact, the research requirement is part of what drew her to the Simmons program.
“Simmons’ behavior analysis program is a great option for those who are interested in conducting research,” says Re. “It can be challenging to navigate how to conduct a behavior analytic research study as someone with limited experience, but there is a lot of support for students in the program to learn and grow as rising professionals. The small class sizes and student-to-faculty ratios ensure that everyone gets the individual time and support needed to succeed.”