What kind of learning environment and support does the KU Department of Applied Behavioral Science provide?

The Department of Applied Behavioral Science (ABS) at the University of Kansas describes its learning and working environment as one where differences are valued and every member of the ABS community is supported and offered equal opportunity — regardless of national origin, age, sex, health status, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, or disability — so that each person can achieve their academic and professional goals. If you are weighing whether to study or work there, this page explains what that commitment covers and how to get answers to questions the website does not address.

The stated commitment to an inclusive environment

According to the department's homepage, the ABS community seeks to provide an environment for learning and working where:

• Differences are valued.
• Each person is supported.
• Everyone is offered an equal opportunity to achieve their academic and professional goals.

The listed grounds on which equal opportunity applies are national origin, age, sex, health status, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, or disability. The University of Kansas also publishes a broader nondiscrimination statement covering race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, ancestry, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, gender identity, gender expression, and genetic information, and prohibits retaliation.

What "support" looks like in practice

The department's scale is part of the picture: it reports 15 regular faculty members, about 200 undergraduate majors, and roughly 100 graduate students, with a 50+-year history as an undergraduate and graduate training program. That ratio matters if you are looking for a program where faculty are reachable rather than anonymous.

Support is also structured around specific programs, which is where most day-to-day questions arise:

The master's and doctoral programs are accredited by the Association for Behavior Analysis International, so if accreditation is a deciding factor for you, that condition is already met for those degrees.

How to get information the website doesn't cover

The department explicitly invites visitors to explore the site for details on faculty, students, and programs, and to reach out when the information isn't there.

• General department questions: [email protected] or 785-864-4840
• Graduate program questions: Dr. Michael Amlung, Director of Graduate Studies, at [email protected]
• Degree requirements and policies: the Graduate Student Handbook (Fall 2026 version), available as a PDF from the site

The handbook is the right first stop for questions about degree requirements and relevant policies, since those details are maintained there rather than on the homepage.

Location and access

The department is at 4001 Dole Human Development Center, 1000 Sunnyside Avenue, Lawrence, KS 66045. Bus routes 27, 41, and 42 serve the area — useful if you are planning a campus visit or commuting.

What this means for your decision

If an inclusive, explicitly stated environment and a small faculty-to-student ratio matter to you, the department's own description addresses both directly. If your questions are about specific degree requirements, funding, or admissions timelines, the homepage does not answer them — the Graduate Handbook and the contacts above are the supported paths to those answers.