Behavior Consulting Program
Student HandbookTable of Contents
- Welcome and Introduction
- Program Vision and Goals
- Course Structure and Program Design
- Course Order
- Admission Guidance
- Tuition, Refunds, and Financial Policies
- Course Completion and Academic Standards
- Program Completion and Time Limits
- Academic Integrity and Student Responsibility
- Certification: KPA Specialist, Canine Behavior (SCB)
- Appeals Policy
- Certificates of Completion
- Agreement on KPA Code of Conduct and Waiver of Liability
- Education Credits (CEUs)
- Dispute Resolution
- Ownership, Personnel, and Instruction
- Handbook Authority and Updates
Welcome and Introduction
Welcome to the Karen Pryor Academy (KPA) Behavior Consulting Program (BCP). This program is designed for experienced training and behavior professionals who wish to strengthen their professional judgment, analytical skills, and ethical decision-making when working with complex canine behavior cases.
The BCP reflects KPA’s applied behavior science framework and its commitment to humane, effective, and ethical behavior change practices grounded in positive reinforcement, environmental management, and evidence-based decision-making.
This Student Handbook sets forth the academic, ethical, administrative, and certification policies governing participation in the Behavior Consulting Program. All students are responsible for reading, understanding, and adhering to the policies described herein.
Program Vision and Goals
The Behavior Consulting Program is built around the following goals:
- To develop professional judgment for complex, real-world behavior consulting cases
- To strengthen case assessment, functional analysis, and intervention design skills
- To support ethical decision-making when outcomes are uncertain or risk is elevated
- To prepare eligible students for optional certification as KPA Specialist, Canine Behavior (SCB)
The BCP is not an entry-level training program. It assumes prior knowledge of learning theory, applied behavior science, and positive reinforcement training methods.
Course Structure and Program Design
The BCP consists of ten core courses that together form the main curriculum. Courses are delivered fully online and combine:
- Asynchronous, on-demand learning materials
- Scheduled live components such as discussions, group work, and Q&A sessions
- Applied case analysis and written assessment
Courses vary in length (typically four to eight weeks) and assessment format depending on learning objectives.
Some courses may include applied components that require access to a dog. These requirements are clearly stated in individual course descriptions.
The Certification Assessment is separate from the ten core courses. To be eligible for the Certification Assessment, a student must first pass all courses in the main curriculum.
Course Order
In the BCP curriculum, five courses have no prerequisites, and five courses will not open for enrollment until students have passsed a single course or courses. Students must pass:
- BCP Orientation before all other courses
- Part 1 of any two-part course before enrolling in Part 2
- How Behavior Works: Living and Learning with Animals before enrolling in Functional Assessment
- All courses except the Case Study Workshop, before enrolling in the first Protocol Integration course
- All other courses before enrolling in the Case Study Workshop
- All BCP courses in order to be eligible for the Certification Assessment
You can review each course's details on the Course and Faculty page
Admission Guidance
The Behavior Consulting Program is open to professionals from a range of training and behavior backgrounds. Admission guidance is provided to help students determine readiness for the coursework.
All BCP courses assume:
- Fluency with the language and concepts of learning theory
- Experience using positive reinforcement and behavior modification techniques
- Professional experience working with dogs and clients
KPA does not teach foundational training skills within the BCP. Students who need this background are encouraged to explore other KPA educational offerings before enrolling.
Tuition, Refunds, and Financial Policies
Tuition Options
- À La Carte Enrollment (individual courses)
- Module Enrollment (bundled sets of courses)
- All-Access Enrollment (all ten core courses)
Tuition pricing varies by enrollment option and professional discount eligibility. Current pricing is available through the Tuition Calculator. The Tuition Calculator provides an estimate of your tuition based on user inputs, and KPA is not responsible for the accuracy of user input or for any programming glitches in the Tuition Calculator. Your actual tuition costs when you enroll could vary from the estimate.
Certification Assessment Tuition
Refund and Withdrawal Policy
Refund eligibility depends on the selected enrollment option.
À La Carte Courses
Courses purchased À La Carte are not eligible for refund.
Module Enrollment
For a module containing more than one course, refunds may be requested for the second or subsequent course within 12 months of purchase, provided that the second or subsequent course has not been started. A course is considered started upon enrollment in that course or, in the case of courses with specific series, upon the selection of a series. Refund amounts are calculated using a proportional formula based on the value of courses not started, less the applicable administrative fee. If your module tuition included one or more course credits that reduced tuition, those credits will also be deducted from your refund amount.
All-Access Enrollment
Refunds may be requested within 12 months of purchase for courses that have not been started. A course is considered started upon enrollment in that course or, in the case of courses with specific series, upon the selection of a series. Refund amounts are calculated using a proportional formula based on the value of courses not started, less the applicable administrative fee. If your tuition included one or more course credits that reduced tuition, those will also be deducted from your refund amount.
Administrative Fees
- À La Carte purchases: $28 administrative fee
- Module or All-Access purchases: $48 administrative fee (applied once per withdrawal)
Special Policies
Refunds are not issued for failure to pass a course or the Certification Assessment.
When you enroll, you are attesting to the truth and verifiability of the information you provide; if, upon KPA review, the information is found to be false or cannot be verified, you will be notified, your account will be placed on temporary suspension, and the refund policies above do not apply. If the suspension is not resolved within 30 calendar days, KPA can permanently suspend BCP access, and you will forfeit any tuition you have paid.
Course Completion and Academic Standards
Each course has defined learning objectives and passing standards. Assessment methods vary by course and may include written assignments, case analyses, or pass/fail evaluations.
Some assessments are provided for educational feedback only and do not contribute to final course outcomes.
Students must pass a course for it to be marked complete and to earn a certificate of completion for that course.
Program Completion and Time Limits
Coursework Completion
Students may take up to five (5) years from the date of initial enrollment to complete all ten core courses; courses completed within this time frame also remain eligible for certification.
Pausing between courses is permitted; pausing within a course is generally not available. Individual courses have specific time limits that govern access to course material and/or instructor support. It is the student's responsibility to understand those prior to enrollment.
Certification Assessment Timing
Academic Integrity and Student Responsibility
Students enrolled in the Behavior Consulting Program are expected to complete all BCP coursework and the BCP Certification Assessment with honesty, integrity, and professional responsibility.
Unless explicitly permitted by the course or assessment instructions, all submitted work must:
- Represent the student’s own original work and analysis
- Reflect the student’s independent reasoning and professional judgment
- Accurately describe case details, data, and outcomes
- Properly attribute ideas, quotations, data, or frameworks derived from other sources
Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:
- Enrolling in the BCP with false information
- Submitting work that is not the student’s own
- Plagiarism or failure to provide appropriate attribution
- Unauthorized collaboration or sharing of coursework or assessment materials
- Misrepresentation or fabrication of case details, data, or results
- Use of third-party assistance, including AI-generated content, in ways not expressly permitted by the course or assessment
The use of AI-assisted tools is permitted only for limited support tasks (such as editing for clarity, grammar, or organization) and may not be used to generate substantive analysis, case reasoning, intervention plans, or assessment responses, unless explicitly authorized in writing for a specific course or assessment.
Suspected violations of academic integrity may result in corrective action, including failure of an assignment, course, or assessment, loss of eligibility for certification, or invalidation of assessment results.
Decisions related to academic integrity are not appealable on the basis of disagreement with academic or professional judgment.
Certification: KPA Specialist, Canine Behavior (SCB)
Certification is optional and distinct from coursework completion.Students are not eligible for the Certification Assessment until they have passed all ten core BCP courses
To earn the KPA Specialist, Canine Behavior (SCB) credential, a student must:
- Pass the Certification Assessment
- Agree to the KPA Professional Code of Conduct
Certification Assessment Standards
Assessment Attempts
Appeals Policy
Certification Assessment outcomes may be appealed only on the basis of procedural error. Procedural error may include documented administrative errors, misapplication of published assessment criteria, or deviation from the stated assessment process.
Disagreement with professional judgment, scoring rationale, or evaluative conclusions is not grounds for appeal. Decisions on appeals are final.
Certificates of Completion
Agreement on KPA Code of Conduct and Waiver of Liability
Summary of Professional CODE of Conduct (SCB)
The KPA Professional Code of Conduct, SCB establishes the ethical and professional expectations for individuals pursuing or holding the KPA Specialist, Canine Behavior (SCB) certification. Agreement to the KPA Professional Code of Conduct is a required condition of SCB certification.
Below is a summary of the KPA Professional Code of Conduct. Please see the link at the end of the section for the full document.
- Use humane, force-free, and evidence-based practices grounded in applied behavior science and positive reinforcement
- Prioritize the physical, emotional, and psychological welfare of animals and the safety of clients and the public
- Work within the limits of their education, experience, and competence, and seek referral or additional support when cases exceed their scope
- Design behavior plans using the least intrusive, most positive, effective interventions appropriate to the case. This means an emphasis on using positive reinforcement solutions and avoiding punishers as part of a behavior change plan (for example, the use of tools such as shock collars and prong collars is not allowed).
- Communicate honestly and accurately about services, qualifications, experience, and expected outcomes
- Avoid guarantees of behavioral outcomes and clearly communicate uncertainty and risk
- Maintain client confidentiality and respect professional boundaries
- Engage in ongoing professional development and continuing education
- Conduct themselves professionally and respectfully in public, professional, and online settings
- Comply with applicable laws, regulations, and professional reporting requirements
- Cooperate fully with KPA ethics review or disciplinary processes
- The KPA Professional Code of Conduct incorporates the Joint Standards of Practice and Professional Code of Ethics (JSOP/PCE) as a minimum professional baseline, and where the KPA standard is higher, the KPA standard applied
Failure to adhere to the KPA Professional Code of Conduct may result in disciplinary action, including denial, suspension, or revocation of certification.