Concentrated vs supervised fieldwork: which to choose, and the 1.33 factor
Supervised fieldwork needs 2,000 hours with at least 5 percent of each month supervised. Concentrated supervised fieldwork needs only 1,500 hours, but each month must be at least 7.5 percent supervised with 90 minutes of observation under the 2027 requirements (10 percent and one observation under 2022). Concentrated finishes sooner if you can get the extra supervision. If you mix the two, multiply your concentrated hours by 1.33 and add your supervised hours to see how close you are to 2,000.
Side by side
| Rule | Supervised | Concentrated, 2027 | Concentrated, 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hours to qualify | 2,000 | 1,500 | 1,500 |
| Supervision each month | 5 percent | 7.5 percent | 10 percent |
| Observation each month | 60 minutes (2027), one observation (2022) | 90 minutes | One observation |
| Hours each month | 20 to 160 (2027), 20 to 130 (2022) | 20 to 160 | 20 to 130 |
| Contacts each month | None listed (2027), 4 (2022) | None listed | 6 |
| Individual share of supervision | At least half | At least half | At least half |
| Unrestricted activities | At least 60 percent of all hours | At least 60 percent of all hours | At least 60 percent of all hours |
Everything else is the same: the five year window, the supervisor qualifications, the monthly and final forms, and the 60 percent unrestricted share across your total. The full comparison is on the 2027 requirements page.
The 1.33 factor, explained
1.33 is 2,000 divided by 1,500, rounded. It converts concentrated hours into their supervised fieldwork equivalent so that a mix of both can be compared with 2,000. The handbook's method is: add up your concentrated hours, multiply by 1.33, add your supervised hours, and check the result is at least 2,000 before you apply.
- Use it only on concentrated hours, and only to check a mixed total.
- Never write multiplied hours on a monthly form, a final form or the application. They always record actual hours; the final form has separate columns for supervised and concentrated hours.
- If you are audited, the audit log asks you to show which hours were adjusted to meet the requirement, so keep the concentrated months clearly marked in your records.
Each month counts as one type per supervision arrangement. A month with one supervisor is either supervised or concentrated, never split. The documenting fieldwork FAQ explains that the month's percentage supervised and observation minutes show which type it meets.
Which to choose
Think in supervision hours, because that is usually what costs time or money. At a steady 120 hours a month:
- Supervised fieldwork: 6 hours of supervision a month, about 16.7 months to 2,000 hours, about 100 supervision hours in all.
- Concentrated under 2027: 9 hours a month, 12.5 months to 1,500 hours, about 112.5 supervision hours in all.
- Concentrated under 2022: 12 hours a month, 12.5 months, about 150 supervision hours in all.
Under the 2027 requirements, concentrated fieldwork finishes about four months sooner for around an eighth more supervision in total. It is a harder monthly target, though: a concentrated month that falls short cannot be adjusted or prorated, while a supervised month often can. If your supervisor's availability is uneven, supervised fieldwork is the safer default, and you can still log concentrated months when the extra supervision is there.
During the transition, note the one way street in the board's transition guidance: concentrated months at 7.5 percent cannot count as concentrated under the 2022 requirements, but 2022 concentrated months at 10 percent do meet the 2027 threshold.
Worked example: mixed hours
A trainee has 600 concentrated hours from a university clinic and 1,150 supervised hours from a part time job. The estimate is 600 x 1.33 = 798, plus 1,150, which is 1,948. That is 52 short of 2,000. The trainee can close the gap with 52 more supervised hours, or with about 39.1 more concentrated hours, since 52 divided by 1.33 is 39.1.
On the final forms the trainee still records 600 concentrated hours and 1,150 supervised hours, the actual figures. The log here keeps both types, applies the 1.33 estimate to the running total and projects a finish date at your current pace. Test a single month in the free monthly checker.
Common mistakes
- Writing multiplied hours on a form. Forms and the application take actual hours only.
- Calling a 2027 month concentrated with only 60 minutes of observation. Concentrated needs 90 minutes; with 60 it can meet supervised fieldwork if the other rules are met.
- Assuming a 7.5 percent month counts as concentrated if you end up applying before 2027. The 2022 threshold is 10 percent.
- Planning to adjust a short concentrated month afterwards. The handbook does not allow concentrated hours to be prorated or adjusted.
- Splitting one supervisor's month into part concentrated and part supervised. Hours accrue under one type per month per supervision arrangement.
- Forgetting the 60 percent unrestricted share. It applies to your whole total, whichever types you mix.
Check your own months
The free monthly checker tests one month's numbers against every rule as you type, with the exact shortfall. The log keeps every session and checks each month for you, privately in your browser.
Frequently asked questions
Is concentrated fieldwork worth it?
Usually, if you can get the supervision. Under the 2027 requirements it needs 1,500 hours instead of 2,000 for only a little more supervision in total, so it finishes months sooner. The risk is that a short concentrated month cannot be adjusted.
Can I switch between concentrated and supervised fieldwork?
Yes, from month to month. Each month with each supervisor counts as one type, and you combine them at the end using the 1.33 estimate. Keep the type of each month clear in your records.
Where does the 1.33 number come from?
It is 2,000 divided by 1,500, rounded to two places. It gives concentrated hours their supervised fieldwork equivalent so a mixed total can be compared with 2,000.
Do I use 1.33 on my forms?
No. Monthly forms, final forms and the application record actual hours. The multiplier is only for estimating how close you are to the requirement.
Sources
Last reviewed 26 September 2026 against:
- Board Certified Behavior Analyst Handbook, Behavior Analyst Certification Board, updated 06/2026, read 25 September 2026. Used for: Supervised Fieldwork Requirements, pages 14 to 25: hours, activities, supervision, documentation, verification forms, adjustments and audits.
- 2027 BCBA Requirements, Behavior Analyst Certification Board, updated 02/2026, read 25 September 2026. Used for: The 2027 overview of fieldwork requirements and the list of 2027 monthly and final forms.
- Guidance for Meeting the BCBA Requirements During the 2027 Transition, Behavior Analyst Certification Board, updated 01/2026, read 26 September 2026. Used for: Meeting both rule sets at once, which forms to keep, and how concentrated hours and the monthly maximum carry across.
- Documenting Fieldwork: Helpful Answers to Your FAQs, Behavior Analyst Certification Board, updated April 2026 for the 2027 requirements, read 25 September 2026. Used for: Correcting a signed monthly form, lost forms, the 1.33 multiplier and which supervisor signs.
This guide is our own summary, not advice about your eligibility. If it disagrees with the current documents, the documents win. Fieldwork Ledger is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the Behavior Analyst Certification Board or any other certifying body.