Specializations
Competency-based pathways for advanced behavior change practice
What are Specializations?
Advanced competency frameworks. Focused behavior change practice.
As behavior change practice expands, professionals need clear pathways to deepen their knowledge and practice with greater confidence in focused areas of need. Specializations provide a structured way to support advanced preparation in specific populations, settings, roles, or areas of applied practice.
Through the Academy for Behavior Change, specializations are grounded in competency-based frameworks that clarify what skilled practice looks like beyond foundational preparation. These frameworks support qualified programs in delivering focused specialization education and help individuals pursue advanced learning and recognition in a defined area of behavior change practice.
What Defines an ABC Specialization?
Competency-based
Built around what professionals should be able to demonstrate in practice.
Applied
Focused on real-world scenarios, reflection, judgment, and skill development.
Flexible
Allows programs to teach toward the same competency framework in ways that fit their audience, setting, and instructional approach.
Quality-aligned
Supports consistency and rigor without requiring the operational burden of full program accreditation.
Layered
Build upon established competency frameworks, adding focused knowledge and skills for a distinct area of practice
ABC specializations begin with competencies, not a single required curriculum. Competencies define the knowledge, skills, judgment, and behaviors professionals should be able to demonstrate in a focused area of practice. Programs may then build curriculum, learning activities, and assessments that help learners develop and demonstrate those competencies.
How Specializations Work
ABC specializations are built around a shared competency framework. The framework defines what skilled practice looks like in a focused area of behavior change that should be demonstrated in practice.
From there, approved programs create learning experiences that help professionals develop and demonstrate those competencies. Individuals who successfully complete an approved program may then receive an ABC-issued specialization badge recognizing their focused preparation.
Competency Framework
→
Approved Program
→
Individual Badge
There are several ways to engage with this work. Some partners help shape new specialization frameworks. Some organizations seek approval to offer specialization education. Some professionals pursue a specialization to deepen their own practice in a defined area.
Choose Your Path
For subject matter experts, organizations, and partners interested in helping define a focused area of advanced behavior change practice.
Work with the Academy to identify an area of need, define the scope of practice, and contribute to the development of a competency-based specialization framework.
For organizations that want to offer an ABC-aligned specialization program.
Submit your education or training program for review against ABC specialization competencies, approval standards, and evidence requirements.
For individuals who want to deepen their preparation in a focused area of practice.
Complete an ABC-approved specialization program and pursue recognition through an ABC-issued specialization badge.