Nardeen Massoud graduated from Kent’s Tizard Centre in 2019 with an MSc in Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA). She now works as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) at a multidisciplinary special needs centre in Cairo, Egypt. In her role, Nardeen conducts skill acquisition and behaviour reduction assessments, writes and updates programs, implements behaviour plans, delivers staff training, and works one-to-one with clients aged from three to 21 years.
Can you tell us why you chose to study ABA (Intellectual and Development Disability) for your MSc degree?
I chose to study ABA because it is an evidence-based therapy for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities that aims to improve the quality of life of those individuals. It works on building up functional skills and reducing challenging behaviours that pose a risk to the individual, others or limits social/educational opportunities through individualised programs tailored to the needs of clients. Through doing so, it increases their access to the community and empowers family members and invested stakeholders to do the same.
What attracted you to study ABA at the University of Kent?
There are many different aspects that attracted me to study ABA at the University of Kent. First, I believe the way the course is set up allows you to fully engage with the material and research in the field. After a full intense week of lectures, you get two to three weeks to work on your assignments and catch up on any readings. This provides great flexibility and allows you to manage your time as you see best. Second, having a diverse combination of staff with varied experiences allows you to gain insight into the different branches of the field and allows you to see the different ways ABA can be applied. Third, the location. The campus is the perfect size, close to town and only an hour away from London.
Looking back, did your course live up to your expectations? What were some of the highlights of the course for you?
Yes, the course exactly fit what I was looking for at the time! A key highlight for me was that the course fulfilled all the requirements by the Behaviour Analyst Certification Board (BACB), making it easy for me to complete my fieldwork hours and sit the exam straight away. I also really enjoyed that the course was always focused on the application of ABA, not just theory. Most assignments involved case studies and integrated some of the most commonly used assessments in the field.
What impressed you most about our academic staff?
Several things. First the impact that they have had on the field, the work that they continue to do on a daily basis and constantly striving to provide better services. They were also always very helpful and available for support whenever needed.
In what ways has this course made a difference to you and your career?
This course has made a huge difference in my career. It has shaped my career to what it is now. It served as a stepping stone and is the reason I was able to become one of only five BCBAs in Egypt. I would say 90% of the information I have learned during my Master’s is applicable in my day-to-day work, which is usually rare to find. This meant that I was able to get a good position at my first job in a leadership position, which helped me build on my theoretical knowledge and build practical and soft skills essential for becoming a BCBA. As I work in Egypt where this field is largely underdeveloped, I was able to use the knowledge gained during the course to develop new systems and new services for children and adolescents with autism. Not only that, but the people I have met during the course worked with different populations and in different types of services so I was able to use their experience to gain insight into the field and I am still in touch with many who provide support and advice whenever needed as they are in a similar position. I can confidently say that my supervisors during my supervision experience were constantly impressed by the vast amount of knowledge and depth of understanding into various concepts that I gained from the course and continuously praised the efforts of my professors at Kent.
Could you describe a typical day in your current role?
There is no typical day! But I would say my day usually starts with a team meeting to debrief and go over any important points for the day. Then my day is usually split into three components; (1) assessments, reports and program updates, (2) staff supervision and oversight, and (3) one-to-one sessions. I try to usually spend approximately two hours doing each of the things listed above but this depends on the day. Some days I am forced to do more office work but other days I have the flexibility to do more supervision and sessions with the clients. I then sometimes also do extra booster sessions after working hours for clients who attend a mainstream but require extra behavioural support.
Is there anything you learnt in particular during your studies that helps you now in your day-to-day working life?
Pretty much all of it. The best thing about this course is that all the information was directly relevant to what you needed to know to work. But if I were to pick one thing, I would definitely say the emphasis on behaviour reduction and development of behaviour plans. In my opinion, behaviour assessments and plans are one of the hardest parts to learn as they are so individualised and vary from one client to another (as opposed to skill acquisition where you have a rough program to follow). The course focused in detail about each component of this process from start to finish and allowed us the opportunity to practice how we would assess and treat certain behaviours using case studies.
Have your studies at Kent prompted you to think differently about your career?
I wouldn’t necessarily say it prompted me to think differently but it has definitely reinforced my future dreams and aspirations. It helped me be more confident in the fact that this is the career path I wanted to take and fuelled my passion for the field.
What are your future plans/aspirations? How do you see your career progressing?
My goal is and has always been to develop better ABA services in Egypt. I see my career progressing in the field with a focus on children and adolescents, growing in my current position from Head of Behaviour Department to more of a program/clinical director role. I also wouldn’t rule out gaining experience with different populations and age groups along the way or establishing my own centre/institution.
What advice would you give to students considering a degree in ABA? Would you recommend the course at Kent?
Yes I would definitely recommend the course at Kent. I would advise students to make the most out of their lectures and resources available during the course. Engage with your professors and have interesting conversations; question why things are done a certain way in the field. This will allow you to gain a deeper understanding of ABA and be more confident when it comes to applying these concepts. Most importantly, have fun with it!
And finally, what’s your favourite memory of Kent?
I have so many. But the highlight of my time at Kent was definitely the lifelong friends I made on the course that I am still regularly in contact with now years after the course has ended. I remember waking up 15 minutes before a lecture and running across the street to make it in time despite only living in the dorms right across the street from the Cornwallis Building, almost getting kicked out of the silent section in the library many many times as we couldn’t stop laughing, and always missing the bus to town by a few minutes. I also vividly remember the last day on the course where the whole group came together with a great sense of accomplishment. We gathered our stuff and had a campfire and bbq in the middle of the woods on campus.
Study Applied Behaviour Analysis at Kent: This programme seeks to develop a critical understanding of concepts and principles of applied behaviour analysis. It provides you with a detailed knowledge of intellectual and developmental disabilities and experience of practice or conducting research in this field, and is aimed at recent graduates as well as experienced practitioners.
Learn more about our Applied Behaviour Analysis (Intellectual and Developmental Disability) PCert, PDip, MSc
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