phd programs for school psychology

School Psychology PhD

Doctor of philosophy in school psychology.

For Fall 2024 admissions, the TC School Psychology programs have retained use of the GRE scores

Faculty use the scores, along with undergraduate GPA, letters of recommendation, the personal statement, and other materials to perform a holistic review of each applicant. There is no minimum GRE cutoff score for either the EdM or PhD program in School Psychology.

For Fall 2024 admissions, the following faculty members will be reviewing PhD applications from external students (i.e., students not already in our EdM program): Dr. Melissa Collier-Meek [email protected] . Please indicate in your personal statement which of these faculty you are applying to work with.

The Ph.D. program is fully accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) and the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). For general information about APA accreditation or specific information about the accreditation status of our program contact:

Jacqueline Remondet Wall, Ph.D. Director, Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation American Psychological Association  750 First Street, NE Washington, DC 20002-4242 (202) 336-5979 /  http://www.apa.org

If you have questions regarding the accreditation of the program by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) contact:

Natalie Politikos, Ph.D. National Association of School Psychologists 4340 East West Highway Suite 402 Bethesda, MD 20814 301-657-4155 / http://www.nasponline.org

Our Ph.D. program requires a minimum of 90 points. Attainment of the doctoral degree prepares students for certification as a school psychologist and licensure as a psychologist. On average, doctoral students should plan on five years of full-time attendance, including summers. This includes three years of coursework, a two-semester externship in the third year, a full-year internship during the fifth year, and a dissertation. The program can be completed in 5.2 years (enter in September of Year 1, graduate in October of Year 5 as internships end on either June 30 or August 31 and the next graduation date is early October) if students begin a program of research early in the program and complete the doctoral certification requirements (research methods examination, theoretical and empirical paper) by the 4th year of the program. Typically, most of the coursework (including practica, fieldwork, and externship) is completed by the end of the third year if the student completes only the one required externship. However, for many years, all students have completed two externships to make themselves more competitive in the APPIC match (one in a clinical setting, one in a public school), extending externship into the 4th year. Some students have chosen to do a third externship if they are specializing in intellectual disabilities/autism or child neuropsychology. The third externship increases competitiveness in the internship match and postdoctoral competition. The 4th and 5th (or 6th) years are devoted to dissertation and internship.

For more detailed information about our program, please download our Student Handbook.

Admissions Information

Displaying requirements for the Spring 2024, Summer 2024, and Fall 2024 terms.

Doctor of Philosophy

• Points/Credits: 90
• Entry Terms: Fall

Certification

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• NY State Provisional: School Psychology

Application Deadlines

Select programs remain open beyond our standard application deadlines , such as those with an extended deadline or those that are rolling (open until June or July). If your program is rolling or has an extended deadline indicated above, applications are reviewed as they are received and on a space-available basis. We recommend you complete your application as soon as possible as these programs can close earlier if full capacity has been met.

Application Requirements

Requirements from the tc catalog (ay 2023-2024).

Displaying catalog information for the Fall 2023, Spring 2024 and Summer 2024 terms.

View Full Catalog Listing

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D., 90 points)

Our American Psychological Association (APA)- and National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)- accredited doctoral program (Ph.D.) requires a minimum of 90 points. Students may have to complete courses in addition to those included in the curriculum if their advisor deems it necessary (e.g., an extra statistics course). Attainment of the doctoral degree prepares students for certification as a school psychologist and licensure as a psychologist. On average, doctoral students should plan on five years of full-time attendance, including summers. This includes three years of coursework, a two-semester externship in the third year, a full-year internship during the fifth year, and a dissertation.

Suggested Sequence of Courses by Year and Semester

Fall (12 credits)

HBSK5320(3) Individual Psychological Testing I*

HBSK4025(3) Professional and Ethical Functions of School Psychologists

HBSK4073(3) Childhood Disorders*

HUDM4122(3) Probability and Statistical Inference (most semesters)

HBSK657_(0) Research Practicum

Spring (15 credits)

HBSK5321(3) Individual Psychological Testing II*

HBSK5378(3) Practicum in Psychoeducational Assessment of School Subject Difficulties*

HBSK5050(3) Cognitive and Behavioral Interventions for Youth

HBSK6380(3) Practicum in Psychoeducational Assessment with Culturally Diverse Students

HBSE 4015(3)  Applied Behavior Analysis I

Summer (6 credits)

HUDM5122(3) Applied Regression Analysis (most semesters)

ORL5362(3)    Group Dynamics: A Systems Perspective (most semesters)

Second Year

Fall (13 credits)

ORLJ5040(3)   Research Methods in Social Psychology

HBSK5280(4)   Fieldwork in School Psychological Services

HBSK6584(3)   Seminar: School Psychology Consultation

HBSK6382(3)   Advanced Practicum in Psychoeducational Interventions in Schools

HBSK657_(0)   Research Practicum

Spring (18 credits)

HBSK5031(3) Family as the Context for Child Development

HBSK5280(4) Fieldwork in School Psychological Services

HBSK 6362(3) Group Work with Children & Adolescents

HBSK 4030 (3)   Multicultural Issues in School Psychology

BBS 5069 (2)  Brain and behavior I

Summer (8 credits)

HUDM5059(3) Psychological Measurement

HUDM5123(3) Linear Models and Experimental Design

BBS 5069 (1)   Brain and behavior II

Fall (5 credits)

HBSK5271(2)  Supervised Externship in Psychoeducational Practice (Section 1)

HBSK657_(0)  Research Practicum

HUDK6520(3) Seminar in Lifespan Developmental Psychology (offered every other year)

HBSK4074(3)   Development of Reading Comprehension

Spring (6 credits)

HBSK5096(3)  Psychology of Memory: Cognitive and Affective Bases

HBSK5273(1)  Supervised Experience in Supervision

HBSK 6383 (3)    Neuropsychological Assessment of Children and Adults

HBSK657_(0)  Research Practicum: 

Summer (3 credits)

CCPX6020(3) History and Systems of Psychology

Fourth Year

Fall (4 credits)

ORLJ5540 (3) Pro-seminar in Social Psychology

HBSK7503(1) Dissertation Seminar**

HBSK5271(0) Supervised Externship in Psychoeducational Practice (Section 2)

Spring (0 credits)

HBSK8902(0) Dissertation Advisement

HBSK6480(0)  School Psychology Internship

PLEASE NOTE

The following courses, which are included in a fall or spring semester in the suggested sequence can be taken in the summer. However, before deciding to take any of the following in the summer, please consult with your advisor.

1. HUDM4122, Probability and Statistical Inference (most semesters)

2. HBSK4074, Development of Reading Comprehension

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Phone: (212) 678-3942

Email: schoolpsychology@tc.columbia.edu

Ph.D. in School Psychology

What you can earn, credits earned, time commitment, upcoming deadline, leaders of school psychology research and practice.

The School Psychology Ph.D. degree prepares leaders in the field of research and practice within school psychology. Our program stresses the expanded role of the school psychologist and offers formal coursework and practica in assessment, consultation, intervention, and counseling.

Our philosophy is grounded in the scientist-practitioner model and offers a strong background in the scientific foundations for the practice of school psychology as well as training in applying current research knowledge and theory to educational services.

The program is accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) , approved by the  National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) , and meets requirements for state level licensure as a psychologist.

Our mission is to prepare scientist-practitioners whose practice of psychology is grounded in scientific knowledge and focused on enhancing the educational and socio-emotional competence of school-age children and youth.

The role of a health service psychologist with a specialty in school psychology is to assess, consult, and provide prevention and direct intervention services that focus on learning, behavior, and mental health. The graduate program in School Psychology at the University of Washington stresses the expanded role of the school psychologist and offers formal course work and practica in assessment, consultation, intervention, and counseling. In addition, the program philosophy is grounded in the scientist-practitioner model and offers a strong background in the scientific foundations for the practice of school psychology as well as training in applying current research knowledge and theory to educational services.

What you'll learn

The following are the nine profession-wide competencies and the specific objectives for graduates. Students' learning experiences are guided by the Discipline Specific Knowledge areas of APA and by the Profession-Wide Competencies in the APA Standards of Accreditation.

Program Objective: To prepare health service psychologists to be critical consumers of research, to have the knowledge and skills to conduct scientific inquiry, and to disseminate research.

Program Objective: To prepare health service psychologists to be competent in navigating and legal and ethical challenges and engaging in best practices associated with the APA Ethical Principles for Psychologists and Code of Conduct.

Program Objective: To prepare health service psychologists to integrate self-awareness, cultural knowledge, and culturally responsive skills in all professional activities including research, teaching, and clinical service.

Program Objective: To prepare health service psychologists to reflect the values and attitudes of psychology through integrity, professional identity alignment, professional behavior, and responsiveness to supervision and feedback.

Program Objective: To prepare health service psychologists to maintain effective relationships with colleagues, communities, organizations, supervisors, supervisees, and clients.

Program Objective: to prepare health service psychologists to incorporate the diversity characteristics of clients in psychological assessments and to present findings in an effective manner that is appropriate for audiences outside the discipline of psychology.

Program Objective: To prepare health service psychologists to implement evidence-based interventions with fidelity to empirical models along with the flexibility to adapt the interventions to the cultural and linguistic context of the clients.

Program Objective: To prepare health service psychologists to provide effective supervised supervision to less advanced students and peers appropriate for the service setting.

Program Objective: To prepare health service psychologists to demonstrate the ability to effectively collaborate in interdisciplinary contexts and integrated healthcare settings.

After graduation

Graduates are prepared for college teaching, clinical, and research positions in a variety of settings:

• School settings to serve students from all cultural, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds
• University settings as trainers of school psychologists and continue to generate new knowledge for the practice of psychology
• Research settings where investigations are conducted related to learning, development, and behavior of school-aged children
• Teaching hospitals and other health agencies providing outpatient services for patients with school-related problems

Let's connect

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Related programs

The first three years of this Ph.D. program follow the sequence of the Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) program . The final three years of the Ph.D. program build upon and extend the training.

School Psychology Clinic

The UW School Psychology Clinic serves as a training site for graduate students in the School Psychology Ed.S. and Ph.D. programs. All services are supervised by a licensed psychologist/clinician, along with a program faculty member. The center also services as a clinical-research site for faculty and students.

The Ph.D. degree is a six-year, full-time program that requires three years of Ed.S. degree coursework, two years of Ph.D. coursework and one year of a predoctoral internship. If you already have an Ed.S. degree, the Ph.D. course of study can be shortened to three or more years.

With the support of your advisor, you will design an individualized program of study that is guided by a supervisory committee and chaired by a core school psychology faculty member.

Students who complete their Ed.S. degree at UW will use that coursework as their specialty area. Students who completed their Ed.S. at another institution will have their transcripts reviewed to determine course credits that may be applied to their Ph.D. program of study.

As doctoral students are completing the individualized program of study requirements, they must also complete the Ph.D. degree milestones (research and inquiry, general exam, dissertation proposal, dissertation defense). These procedures are described in the program handbook sections under “Ph.D. degree milestones.”

For details,  download the student handbook

The first three years of the Ph.D. degree follow the course sequence of our Ed.S. degree . The Ed.S. course sequence is organized so that all basic foundation courses are completed the first year, the second year is centered on applied experiences in schools and at the University of Washington, and the third year is a full-time, school-based internship in public schools. Students who have already earned their Ed.S. degree may begin the Ph.D. coursework immediately.

Autumn quarter

• EDPSY 565: Adv Practicum in Clinical Practice (4)
• EDPSY 508: Adv Practicum- Supervision & School Mental Health (2)
• EDLPS 525: Educational Inquiry (3)
• EDPSY 529: Developmental Psychopathology and the DSM (3)
• Additional cognate courses (including research methods courses)

Winter quarter

• EDLPS 526: Educational Inquiry (3)
• EDPSY 538: Multiple Regression (3)
• Additional cognate and research methods courses
• Prospective Candidacy

Spring quarter

• EDPSY 585: History, Systems, & Contemporary Issues in School Psychology (3)
• Research and Inquiry

Summer quarter (session A)

EDPSY 581: Seminar in APPIC/CDSPP internships (2)

• EDPSY 579: Advanced Practicum in Assessment and Intervention (3)
• R & I presentation (Nov)
• General Exam (Nov or Dec)
• If not doing APPIC, start working on creating a local CDSPP-aligned Internship
• Register only if completing the general exam this quarter
• To obtain an add code for dissertation credits, go to  education.uw.edu/practicum , select your advisor, EDUC 800 course, and describe your dissertation project.
• General Exam (if not completed in Autumn)
• Dissertation Proposal (or in Spring)
• Internship interviews and APPIC Match Day
• Register for 25 dissertation credits (total) by the end of the academic year. Leave 2 credits for the following year when you defend your dissertation (final orals).
• Dissertation Proposal (if not completed in Winter)
• EDUC 800: Dissertation (8-10)

Students apply for “on leave” status EVERY quarter except the quarter of the dissertation defense. If a student does not apply each quarter, they will drop from the University system and have to reapply for active status and pay a $250 fee to the Graduate School. During the quarter of the dissertation defense, students MUST register for the remaining 2 credits.

Each doctoral student is required to identify two supportive cognate fields in addition to the area of specialization. Depending upon your academic background, the range of credits required for each supportive cognate is between 6 and 15. The breadth and depth of each cognate is normally defined by the graduate advisor and the faculty member selected to represent the cognate area.

Each student must form a specialization from a unit outside of the College of Education.  The specialization outside the College will normally be in a single department (e.g., Social Work, Public Health). In exceptional cases, it may be a series of courses from different departments containing a common thread (e.g., Ethnic Studies, which may draw upon courses based in several departments). The breadth and depth of the specialization outside the College is normally defined by the graduate faculty representative from that specialization serving on your Supervisory Committee. 

The culminating experience for the Ph.D. degree is a predoctoral internship, which includes advanced, integrative, supervised experiences in applying science to practice. The predoctoral internship must be completed after the general exam is passed and the dissertation proposal has been approved.

The predoctoral internship requires an additional 1,500 hours of experience and can be completed in a school or non-school setting. Students are strongly encouraged to apply to APA-accredited predoctoral internship programs through the Association of Postdoctoral Psychology and Internship Centers (APPIC) Match process. Those who do not have the ability to complete APA accredited internships must complete local predoctoral internships that are CDSPP compliant.

Students take a required 27 dissertation credits after passing the oral general examination, complete an approved dissertation proposal prior to predoctoral internship,  and complete the dissertation either before or during the predoctoral internship.

Admission requirements and process

Preferential consideration is given to applicants who have had employment or volunteer experiences in P-12 schools and who also have research training and experience.

We accept applications once a year, for autumn quarter admission.  You must apply to the Graduate School by December 1 . Faculty reviews commence in January and continue until all vacancies are filled.

We are committed to recognizing and fostering the values derived from a diverse student population and are striving to promote increased diversity among practicing school psychologists. Toward this end, we apply a variety of criteria when evaluating applicants. We strongly encourage racially and ethnically diverse students to apply to this program.

A bachelor’s degree is required for applicants who will complete their Ed.S. degree coursework first. A degree may be in-progress when applying but it must be completed before the Program starts.

Applicants may apply to begin the Ph.D. coursework under ONE the following conditions:

• They are enrolled in the UW Ed.S. degree in School Psychology Program and have completed at least two years of coursework,
• They have completed their school psychologist certification, or
• They have earned a master’s degree or Ed.S. in school psychology.
• Include one transcript from each institution from which you've earned a degree and one from every institution you have attended in the previous 5 years.
• Your transcripts must include your name, coursework, and degree (if completed).
• If you are offered admission, the UW Graduate School will request an official transcript from your most recent degree earned.

The UW Graduate School requires a cumulative GPA of 3.0. However, we review your application holistically. If your GPA is below 3.0, contact us at [email protected] for advice on how to strengthen your overall application.

During the online application process, you will be given instructions for adding your recommenders and getting their letters submitted electronically. Your recommenders should be able to address:

• your communication skills, both written and oral
• your ability to interact productively with supervisors, peers, and children
• your ability to function without supervision
• your research competence and experience
• your teaching, counseling and/or assessment skills 
• other relevant aspects of your academic or professional development

A current academic and professional resume or vita is required. In addition to educational degrees and professional experience, you should include a list of all relevant awards, publications, presentations or other achievements that will help us to evaluate your application.

The admissions committee uses your statement of purpose, along with other evidence, to determine whether your goals are well-matched with our Program. Your statement should address goals, relevant experience, future plans, and how the desired specific program meets your needs. Include personal experiences that have prepared you for the challenge of graduate school, topics like:

• Reasons for seeking entry into this program 
• Post-baccalaureate experiences in teaching, counseling, and assessment  
• Your professional aspirations
• Your research interests

Your statement must be no more than 750 words (3 pages double-spaced) using 12-point font and 1-inch margins.

While optional, you can add to your application by submitting a personal history statement with each application. This statement should address your intellectual growth and development, inclusive of and beyond your academic goals. 

Statements should be no longer than two pages long, double-spaced, with 12-point font and 1-inch margins.

• Gather all required documents
• Visit the Graduate School website
• Log into your account or create a new profile if you are a first-time applicant
• Complete all steps in application process and upload your documents
• You may request a fee waiver during the application process
• Submit your application

Here is our general timeline for decisions.

Step 1: Application processing

• Within 7 business days after the deadline, we will check if your application if fully complete
• We will email you whether your application is complete or incomplete
• If your application is missing anything, you will have a short amount of time submit these items
• You can also log into the online tool and check your status and see any missing items

Step 2: Application review

• Committees begin reviewing applications about two weeks after the deadline
• You will receiving an email when your application has entered the review phase

Step 3: Interview day

We host an interview day during the first or second week of February for finalists who remain competitive after the primary and secondary review of their application. For those who are unable to attend this event, a web based or phone interview with one or more members of the core faculty in school psychology is required. Interviews are only by invitation.

Step 4: Decision notification

• The final decision will be emailed to you
• Your status will also be updated in the online application tool

We value and welcoming applications from international students! If you are applying from outside the United States, there are additional requirements and application materials.

• At minimum, you must have the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor's degree (a four-year degree from an institution of recognized standing)
• The national system of education in the foreign country
• The type of institution
• The field of study and level of studies completed
• International transcripts must be submitted in the original language.
• Your transcript should include date of graduation and title of the awarded academic degree
• If your transcript is not in English, you must also provide a certified English translation
• You do not need to have your transcript evaluated for the degree by an agency

Per  UW Graduate School policy , you must submit a demonstration of English language proficiency if your native language is not English and you did not earn a degree in one of the following countries:

• United States
• United Kingdom
• New Zealand
• South Africa
• Trinidad and Tobago

The following tests are accepted if the test was taken fewer than two years ago:

• Minimum score: 80
• Recommended score: 92+
• The UW's 4-digit code is 4854
• University of Washington All Campuses, Organisation ID 365, Undergrad & Graduate Admis, Box 355850, Seattle, WA, 98105, United States of America
• Minimum score: 6.5
• Recommended score: 7.0+
• School information for submission: University of Washington, All Campuses Undergraduate & Graduate Admission Box 355850 Seattle, WA 98195
• Minimum score: 105
• Recommended score: 120+
• Follow the instructions on the Duolingo website to submit your scores

If apply and are offered admission to UW, you will need to submit a statement of financial ability.

Costs and funding

We are a tuition-based program. Estimated tuition rates are based on your residency: 

• Washington state residents: $19,584 per year
• Out-of-state students: $35,352 per year

Estimates are subject to change and may differ due to course load and summer quarter enrollment. Estimates include building fees, technology fees, U-Pass, etc. Additional program-specific fees are not included in this estimate.

View the UW tuition dashboard → Visit the Office of Planning & Budgeting →

Graduate Student General Scholarships

Disclosure, outcomes and other data.

We post Program data, including students’ time to completion, program costs, internship placement, attrition, licensure, and other disclosures.

View outcome data

Program Director

Kristen Missall

Program faculty.

Janine Jones

Alexa Matlack

James Mazza

Program staff.

Jen Haveman

Northeastern University’s PhD Program in School Psychology is designed to prepare the next generation of leaders in school psychology. Students learn how to conduct research, to use research to inform practice, and to contribute to the scientific foundation of professional practice.

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The Doctoral Program in School Psychology is a full-time program that prepares the next generation of leaders in the field. Doctoral level school psychologists conduct research, teach, supervise students and professionals, consult with school systems, teachers and families, and provide direct services to children. School psychologists also play a central role in planning and evaluating school-based educational and health promotion programs.

Northeastern’s doctoral program includes all components of the MS/CAGS in School Psychology in addition to a major focus on research and additional fieldwork experiences. The doctoral program espouses a scientist-practitioner training model, as set forth by the American Psychological Association (APA). The program is fully accredited by the APA and National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). It is designed for students to meet state and national certification requirements for school psychology and pursue state licensure for psychologists. The program emphasizes applied research related to the education, development, and health promotion of children, and scientifically-based practice in urban schools, community centers, and hospitals. The program has three principal themes and five major training goals, which are described below.

• Optional specializations in Early Intervention and Applied Behavior Analysis
• Students can enter the program from a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree
• Students complete a 75-hour pre-practicum, a 200-hour supervised practicum experience, two 600-hour supervised advanced fieldwork experiences, and a one-year pre-doctoral internship
• Students complete a mentored research project in the first two years in the program under the guidance of their doctoral advisor
• Ph.D. students must complete and defend a dissertation that involves original research

Students in this program are trained to meet both APA and NASP standards. As in Northeastern’s NASP approved MS/CAGS program in school psychology, the doctoral program is designed to produce school psychologists who have a strong foundation across the following domains of school psychology training and practice as delineated by NASP:

• Data-Based Decision-Making and Accountability
• Consultation and Collaboration
• Interventions and Instructional Support to Develop Academic Skills
• Interventions and Mental Health Services to Develop Social and Life Skills
• School-Wide Practices to Promote Safe and Effective Learning Environment
• Preventive and Early Intervention; Crisis Response
• Family–School Collaboration Services
• Diversity in Development and Learning
• Research and Program Evaluation
• Legal, Ethical, and Professional Practice

Northeastern’s School Psychology PhD Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association (APA).  Northeastern’s School Psychology PhD Program is also fully accredited by the National Association of School Psychologists.

Below is a look at where our Psychology & Mental Health alumni work, the positions they hold, and the skills they bring to their organization.

Where They Work

• Universities
• K-12 Public Education settings
• Educational and behavioral consulting agencies
• School-based clinics

What They Do

• Intervention
• Consultation with parents, teachers and schools
• Implementation science
• Train graduate students
• Conduct research

What They’re Skilled At

• Data-based decision making
• School systems change
• Social justice advocacy
• Dissemination of scientific practices

Application Materials

Application.

• Application fee – US $100
• Three letters of recommendation
• Transcripts from all institutions attended
• Personal Statement
• TOEFL or IELTS for applicants who do not hold a degree from a U.S. institution and whose native language is not English
• Personal interview with faculty and current students
• Official GRE scores are optional

Admissions deadline for Fall term: December 1

• Program Website

Request Information for PhD in School Psychology

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• School Psychology, Ph.D.

The PhD in School Psychology is guided by a scientist–scholar–practitioner model of professional training. Students prepare for positions as professors in colleges and universities, psychologists in elementary and secondary schools, and with other organizations or agencies that focus on psychological services for children, youth, and families. The program is fully accredited by the American Psychological Association and approved by the National Association of School Psychologists.

Within the areas of professional practice for school psychologists the program emphasizes social justice across psychological assessment and psychodiagnostic evaluation, prevention and intervention procedures, consultation and program planning, and research and evaluation. The program also requires the study of applied behavior analysis, cognitive-behavior therapy, social-learning theory, and ecological-behavioral-systems theory. Applied experience and training are provided in individual and group work with both typical classroom populations and special groups, including individuals with developmental disabilities and others with special education needs. Included in the practicum and internship experience is work with families, classroom peer groups, and community and school systems.

Please consult the table below for key information about this degree program’s admissions requirements. The program may have more detailed admissions requirements, which can be found below the table or on the program’s website.

Graduate admissions is a two-step process between academic programs and the Graduate School. Applicants must meet the minimum requirements of the Graduate School as well as the program(s). Once you have researched the graduate program(s) you are interested in, apply online .

For admission to graduate work, the department does not require a specific undergraduate major. However, it is preferred that applicants have completed approximately 18 credits in courses that provide a relevant foundation for further study in educational psychology. Neither certification as a teacher nor teaching experience is required. An undergraduate grade point average of at least 3.0 (4.0 basis) based on the last 60 semester hours of undergraduate coursework is requisite. A statement of purpose is also required.

Graduate School Resources

Resources to help you afford graduate study might include assistantships, fellowships, traineeships, and financial aid.  Further funding information is available from the Graduate School. Be sure to check with your program for individual policies and restrictions related to funding.

Program Information

Students are eligible to apply for UW-Madison fellowships. A limited number of teaching and project assistantships are available within the department, and prospective students are encouraged to refer to the instructions for fellowships and assistantships contained in the program application information.

Minimum Graduate School Requirements

Major requirements.

Review the Graduate School minimum academic progress and degree requirements , in addition to the program requirements listed below.

MODE OF INSTRUCTION

Accelerated: Accelerated programs are offered at a fast pace that condenses the time to completion. Students typically take enough credits aimed at completing the program in a year or two.

Evening/Weekend: ​Courses meet on the UW–Madison campus only in evenings and/or on weekends to accommodate typical business schedules.  Students have the advantages of face-to-face courses with the flexibility to keep work and other life commitments.

Face-to-Face: Courses typically meet during weekdays on the UW-Madison Campus.

Hybrid: These programs combine face-to-face and online learning formats.  Contact the program for more specific information.

Online: These programs are offered 100% online.  Some programs may require an on-campus orientation or residency experience, but the courses will be facilitated in an online format.

CURRICULAR REQUIREMENTS

 required courses.

ED PSYCH 943 Internship in School Psychology taken for 3 credits/semester until dissertation is defended. Once dissertation is defended, ED PSYCH/​COUN PSY/​PSYCH/​RP & SE  995 Predoctoral Internship for 0 credits is taken. Students must complete 2000 hour internship in a program-approved setting. Students typically complete 4 semesters of internship.

Graduate School Policies

The  Graduate School’s Academic Policies and Procedures  provide essential information regarding general university policies. Program authority to set degree policies beyond the minimum required by the Graduate School lies with the degree program faculty. Policies set by the academic degree program can be found below.

MAJOR-SPECIFIC POLICIES

Prior coursework, graduate work from other institutions.

With program approval, students are allowed to count no more than 49 credits of graduate coursework from other institutions. Coursework earned ten years or more prior to admission to a doctoral degree is not allowed to satisfy requirements.

UW–Madison Undergraduate

With program approval, students are allowed to count no more than 7 credits of coursework numbered 300 or above taken as a UW–Madison University undergraduate student. Coursework earned ten or more years prior to admission to a doctoral degree is not allowed to satisfy requirements.

UW–Madison University Special

With program approval, students are allowed to count no more than 3 credits of coursework numbered 300 or above taken as a UW–Madison University Special student. Coursework earned ten or more years prior to admission to a doctoral degree is not allowed to satisfy requirements.

This program follows the Graduate School's Probation policy .

ADVISOR / COMMITTEE

This program follows the Graduate School's Advisor policy and Committees policy.

CREDITS PER TERM ALLOWED

Time limits.

This program follows the Graduate School's Time Limits policy .

GRIEVANCES AND APPEALS

These resources may be helpful in addressing your concerns:

• Bias or Hate Reporting  
• Graduate Assistantship Policies and Procedures
• Office of the Provost for Faculty and Staff Affairs
• Dean of Students Office (for all students to seek grievance assistance and support)
• Employee Assistance (for personal counseling and workplace consultation around communication and conflict involving graduate assistants and other employees, post-doctoral students, faculty and staff)
• Employee Disability Resource Office (for qualified employees or applicants with disabilities to have equal employment opportunities)
• Graduate School (for informal advice at any level of review and for official appeals of program/departmental or school/college grievance decisions)
• Office of Compliance (for class harassment and discrimination, including sexual harassment and sexual violence)
• Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards (for conflicts involving students)
• Ombuds Office for Faculty and Staff (for employed graduate students and post-docs, as well as faculty and staff)
• Title IX (for concerns about discrimination)

School of Education Grievance Policy and Procedures

The following School of Education Student Grievance Policy and associated procedures are designed for use in response to individual student grievances regarding faculty or staff in the School of Education.

Any individual student who feels they have been treated unfairly by a School of Education faculty or staff member has the right to file a grievance about the treatment and receive a timely response addressing their concerns. Any student, undergraduate or graduate, may use these grievance procedures, except employees whose complaints are covered under other campus policies. The grievance may concern classroom treatment, mentoring or advising, program admission or continuation, course grades (study abroad grade complaints are handled through International Academic Programs ), or issues not covered by other campus policies or grievance procedures. 

For grievances regarding discrimination based on protected bases (i.e., race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, etc.), contact the Office of Compliance ( https://compliance.wisc.edu/eo-complaint/ ).

For grievances or concerns regarding sexual harassment or sexual violence (including sexual assault, dating/domestic violence, stalking and sexual exploitation), contact the Sexual Misconduct Resource and Response Program within the Office of Compliance.

For grievances that involve the behavior of a student, contact the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards in the Dean of Students Office at https://conduct.students.wisc.edu/ ).

For grievances about, or directed at, faculty or staff in a School of Education department, unit, or program, students should follow these steps:

• Students are strongly encouraged to first talk with the person against whom the concern is directed.  Many issues can be settled informally at this level.  If students are unable to resolve concerns directly or without additional support, step 2 or 3 should be pursued.
• If the concern is directed against a teaching assistant (TA), and the student is not satisfied, the student should contact the TA's supervisor, who is usually the course professor.  The course professor will attempt to resolve the concern informally.
• If the concern involves a non-TA instructor, staff member, professor, academic department, or School of Education office or unit, the student should contact the chair of the department or the director of the office or unit, or their designee. The chair or director, or their designee, will attempt to resolve the concern informally. If the concern is about the department chair or office/unit director, the student should consult the School of Education Senior Associate Dean for guidance.
• If the concern remains unresolved after step 2, the student may submit a formal grievance to the chair or director in writing within 30 business days 1 of the alleged unfair treatment. To the fullest extent possible, a formal written grievance shall contain a clear and concise statement of the issue(s) involved and the relief sought.  
• On receipt of a written grievance, the chair or director will notify the person at whom the grievance is directed with a copy of the written grievance. The person at whom the complaint is directed may submit a written response, which would be shared with the student.
• On receipt of a written grievance, the chair or director will refer the matter to a department, office, or unit committee comprised of at least two members. The committee may be an existing committee or one constituted for this purpose. The committee, or delegates from the committee, may meet with the parties involved and/or review any material either party shares with the committee.  
• The committee will provide a written description of the facts of the grievance and communicate recommendations to the department chair or office/unit head regarding how the grievance should be handled.

For the purpose of this policy, business days refers to those days when the University Offices are open and shall not include weekends, university holidays, spring recess, or the period from the last day of exams of fall semester instruction to the first day of spring semester instruction. All time limits may be modified by mutual consent of the parties involved.

If the grievance concerns an undergraduate course grade, the decision of the department chair after reviewing the committee’s recommendations is final. 

Other types of grievances may be appealed using the following procedures:

• Both the student who filed the grievance or the person at whom the grievance was directed, if unsatisfied with the decision of the department, office or unit, have five (5) business days from receipt of the decision to contact the Senior Associate Dean, indicating the intention to appeal.   
• A written appeal must be filed with the Senior Associate Dean within 10 business days of the time the appealing party was notified of the initial resolution of the complaint.
• On receipt of a written appeal, the Senior Associate Dean will convene a sub-committee of the School of Education’s Academic Planning Council. This subcommittee may ask for additional information from the parties involved and/or may hold a meeting at which both parties will be asked to speak separately (i.e., not in the room at the same time).
• The subcommittee will then make a written recommendation to the Dean of the School of Education, or their designee, who will render a decision. The dean or designee’s written decision shall be made within 30 business days from the date when the written appeal was filed with the Senior Associate Dean.  For undergraduate students, the dean or designee’s decision is final.

Further appealing a School of Education decision – graduate students only

Graduate students have the option to appeal decisions by the School of Education dean or designee by using the process detailed on the Graduate School’s website .

Questions about these procedures can be directed to the School of Education Dean's Office, 377 Education Building, 1000 Bascom Mall, 608-262-1763.

• Office of Compliance (for discrimination based on protected classes, including misconduct) 179A Bascom Hall, 608-262-2378
• Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards (for conflicts between students, or academic integrity violations) 70 Bascom Hall, 608-263-5700
• Bias or Hate Reporting (for students who experience or observe bias or hate incidents)  70 Bascom Hall, 608-263-5700
• Graduate School (for graduate students who need informal advice at any level of review; for official appeals of program/departmental or school/college grievance decisions, see Graduate Assistant Policies and Procedures ) 217 Bascom Hall, 608-262-2433
• Ombuds Office for Faculty and Staff (for UW-Madison employees, including graduate students) 523-524 Lowell Center, 608-265-9992
• Employee Assistance (for conflicts involving graduate assistants and other employees) 256 Lowell Hall, 608-263-2987
• Dean of Students Office (for any students needing advice or support) 70 Bascom Hall, 608-263-5700
• Office of Human Resources for policies and procedures to address workplace conflict) 21 N Park Street Suite 5101, 608-265-2257
• School of Education, Office of Student Services (for students, particularly undergraduates, in the School of Education) 139 Education Building, 608-262-1651
• School of Education, Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (OEDI) 145 Education Building, 608-262-8427

The department offers assistantships to incoming students.

Take advantage of the Graduate School's  professional development resources to build skills, thrive academically, and launch your career. 

• Demonstrate a strong foundation in current and past theories, research findings, and methodologies in school psychology. Use critical thinking skills to synthesize existing knowledge, evaluate strengths and limitations in existing theory and research, and identify issues in need of additional inquiry - including conceptual and methodological approaches available to address these issues.
• Demonstrate a knowledge of and sensitivity to human diversity in terms of individual abilities, orientations, and sociocultural backgrounds with implications for school psychology and related fields.
• Retrieve, evaluate, and interpret professional and scientific literature; use this information to develop or adapt theoretical frameworks and derive testable hypotheses or predictions for research / program evaluation projects relevant to school psychology and related fields.
• Learn to design realistic and feasible research or assessment projects in school psychology and to prepare necessary protocols that are sensitive to the backgrounds of individuals who are the focus of their work.
• Conduct independent research and analyze and interpret resulting data in school psychology and related fields.
• Create clear and concise reports of their research or program evaluations relevant to school psychology and related fields that are appropriate to the intended audiences, which may include fellow scholars (via scholarly journals), practitioners (via practitioner journals or reports), and lay audiences (via online or other published reports).
• Communicate effectively in collaborative work, instructional activities, and/or consultation settings with students and professional colleagues.
• Conduct research or program implementation / evaluation in accordance with ethical standards established in school psychology and related fields.

Professors:  Asmus, Quintana Associate Professors:  Albers, Eklund (Co-Chair), Garbacz (Co-Chair), Kilgus Assistant Professor:  Klingbeil Clinical Associate Professor:  Kelly Clinical Assistant Professor:  Hagermoser-Bayley

For access to individual faculty profiles, click here

• Accreditation

American Psychological Association

Accreditation status: Accredited. Accreditation administratively transferred from the Educational Psychology PhD: Educational Specialist in School Psychology name option. Next accreditation review: 2028-2029.

CERTIFICATION/LICENSURE

 School Psychology Praxis Exam (NASP)

Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology

Professional Certification/Licensure Disclosure (NC-SARA)

The United States Department of Education requires institutions that provide distance education to disclose information for programs leading to professional certification or licensure about whether each program meets state educational requirements for initial licensure or certification. Following is this disclosure information for this program:

The requirements of this program meet Certification/Licensure in the following states:

Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia,  Wisconsin,  Wyoming, District of Columbia; American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, U.S.   Virgin Islands

The requirements of this program do not meet Certification/Licensure in the following states:

Not applicable

The requirements of this program have not been determined if they meet Certification/Licensure in the following states:

• Requirements
• Professional Development
• Learning Outcomes
• Certification/Licensure

Contact Information

Educational Psychology School of Education edpsych.education.wisc.edu

Amy Moschkau, Graduate Coordinator [email protected] 608-262-1427 880 Educational Sciences Building, 1025 West Johnson Street, Madison, WI 53706-1796

James A. Wollack, Director of Graduate Studies [email protected]

Graduate School grad.wisc.edu

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NASP: The National Association of School Psychologists

• Selecting a Graduate Program

In This Section

• Who Are School Psychologists
• A Career That Makes a Difference
• Workforce & Salary Information
• Minority Scholarship Program
• State Shortages Data Dashboard
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As a school psychologist you can make a positive, lasting difference in children's lives. Schools today serve increasingly diverse and dynamic student populations. Every child brings unique strengths and challenges to the learning process. School psychologists are a vital part of the effort to unlock each child’s potential for success.

How to Select the Best Graduate Program for You

Selecting an appropriate graduate preparation program will be one of the most important decisions you will make in joining the profession of school psychology. There are approximately 240 universities offering school psychology graduate programs across the United States. These programs reflect considerable diversity in where they are located in the university (e.g., Department of Psychology, Department of Education), what they prepare you to do as a school psychologist (e.g., work as a practitioner, college/university professor, researcher), and how they prepare you to do it.

Prospective students can review data on all programs, including program approval/accreditation, enrollment, faculty, financial aid, respecialization, and internship data in NASP's Program Database . Data are also available on the number of individuals obtaining the Nationally Certified School Psychologist ( NCSP ) credential from each program (see the 2019-2020 report ). Prospecticve students may also wish to review a list of Multicultural and Bilingual School Psychology Graduate Programs .

Before you start looking at different university programs, consider the following:

• To become a school psychologist, you will need to complete a graduate school program that awards a degree ( specialist-level and/or doctorate ) specifically in school psychology.
• To enroll in graduate studies, you will need to have your bachelor's degree and any undergraduate prerequisites required by the program(s) of your choice.
• Most school psychology graduate programs include academic courses, supervised fieldwork and an internship to prepare you in both professional knowledge and skills.

To work as a school psychologist, you must be certified or licensed by the state in which you work. Employment in a public school setting generally requires certification by the State Department of Education.

Although individual states may have different requirements for certification, the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) requires a minimum of specialist-level training.

NASP requires that school psychology training include:

• A minimum of three years of full-time graduate study (or the equivalent) beyond the bachelor's degree, involving at least 60 graduate semester or 90 graduate quarter hours (the specialist level)
• An internship one academic year in length (included in the three full years of study) consisting of at least 1,200 clock hours of supervised practice, 600 of which must be in a school setting
• Coursework and experiences as prescribed by the National Association of School Psychologists

For a student fact sheet describing different degrees and career options see A Career in School Psychology: Selecting a Master's, Specialist, or Doctoral Degree Program That Meets Your Needs

For a student fact sheet of financial and other considerations when choosing a program, see Considerations When Choosing a Graduate Program in School Psychology.

Program Design

Because school psychology is an applied specialty, coursework will involve both academic classes and applied experiences. In reviewing a program's curricular requirements or a sample program of study, you can evaluate: (a) its consistency with stated philosophies and goals, and (b) the type of training you will receive.

Program Philosophy and Goals

A program's philosophy, psychological orientation, and overall objectives are as important to consider as training levels and degrees offered. These program components should be clearly described in official program documents available to prospective students. Among the ways that programs vary are:

• Theoretical Orientation — e.g., Scientist-Practitioner, Scientist-Practitioner-Scholar
• Professional Roles Emphasized — e.g., Intervention, Counseling, Consultation, Behavior Analysis, Psychometric Evaluation, Organizational Change, Research Program Evaluation
• Population/Age Group Emphasized — e.g., Infants and Toddlers, Preschoolers, Elementary School Students, Adolescents, Emotionally Disturbed Students, Deaf or Blind Students, Culturally Diverse or Bilingual Populations

University & Program Policies

The Nondiscrimination and Equal Opportunity Policy outlines NASP's commitment to nondiscrimination and the promotion of equal opportunity, fairness, justice, and respect for all persons. Prospective students should consider whether the programs and institutions for which they plan to apply have any policies, codes, missions, or philosophies that conflict with NASP's policy and discriminate against individuals based on their sexual orientation or gender diversity.

Additionally, the Council of Directors of School Psychology Programs (CDSPP), Trainers of School Psychologists (TSP), and NASP Graduate Education Committee urge all school psychology programs to establish a deadline of no earlier than April 15th , to the fullest extent possible, for candidates accepted for the following fall semester to make a commitment to accept an offer of admission or financial assistance (e.g., assistantship, scholarship, etc.). This is consistent with the Council of Graduate School's April 15 Resolution . Given the joint statement, school psychology programs should not require you to make a commitment to accept an offer of admission or financial aid before April 15 th .

Program faculty will be a significant influence in your graduate school experiences. In selecting a training program, determine how many full-time faculty members are assigned to the program in relation to the number of students. Also consider whether program faculty hold degrees in school psychology, whether they are active members of state and national professional organizations, the extent of their previous experience as practicing school psychologists, and their continuing professional experiences in school psychology. Talking with current or former students may help you find the program with faculty who will best meet your needs.

Admission Requirements

Admission requirements vary considerably from program to program. Undergraduate grade point average (GPA) is a primary consideration in admission to graduate study. GPA in psychology and GRE scores also are important for many programs. Recommendations, work and volunteer experience, personal interview results, and other factors are also important and may offset somewhat lower grades or GRE scores. Contact the programs that you are interested in to find out about their specific admissions requirements and application deadlines.

NASP recently developed a 2nd Round Candidate Match process where students missing the first general wave of applications can identify programs still accepting applications and considering new candidates through late Spring or early Summer.

Prerequisites

Although the majority of individuals are now entering the field of school psychology with undergraduate degrees in psychology, students continue to enter graduate school with a variety of degrees including education, sociology, and child development to name a few. Your major field is less important if you have sufficient background knowledge in areas applicable to school psychology—child development, psychology, education, etc. While an undergraduate major or minor in psychology is an advantage, it is not a requirement for graduate study in school psychology. Typically, school psychology training programs have certain prerequisite courses that must be completed by all applicants or admitted students. Clarify these prerequisites in advance so that you will have sufficient time to complete all such requirements.

Financial Assistance

Many school psychology students receive financial support to help defer the costs of graduate school, which may consist of federal aid, student loans, or monetary assistance by the academic program or institution. During the 2016–2017 school year, an average of 7.7 first year specialist-level students and 5.2 first year doctoral students received funding to complete their graduate education. When looking at all enrolled students receiving assistance, an average of 13.6 (specialist-level) and 18.6 (doctoral-level) students per program received funding. Hours required for work-study positions, which may include graduate or teaching assistantships, were reported as an average of 11.5 per week for specialist-level students, and 14.3 hours per week for doctoral students. Applicants should request financial information directly from the school psychology program. It also may be helpful to contact the university's Financial Aid Office or Graduate School. When inquiring about financial aid, ask about the amount of aid, the nature and extent of services expected in return, the period of commitment, and the likelihood that the assistance will continue over time.

You may also have a need to take out loans to cover the remaining cost of attendance for your graduate program. For a graduate student fact sheet on this topic, see Information About Student Loans for New Students.

Practica/Internship

Every school psychology student should receive practica experiences that expose one to the field of school psychology. Practica occurs during the core program of studies and comes before an internship. A one-year internship should be the culminating experience of your school psychology program and helps to integrate the knowledge and skills acquired earlier in your studies. It should be a comprehensive experience that is closely supervised by a school psychologist who holds the appropriate credential for the setting. Be sure to ask what support is provided students to find both practica and internship sites. Ask where interns are placed and whether those placements provide a salary/stipend. Ask if your university will allow you to complete your internship out-of-state and, if so, how university-based supervision is arranged.

Lastly, ask questions about graduation rates and employment opportunities for graduates.

Ask if you can talk with recent graduates to assess their satisfaction with the training they received and where they found employment.

NASP approves and accredits school psychology programs at the specialist and doctoral levels. NASP maintains a list of NASP-approved programs as well as NASP-accredited programs . For the purposes of prospective students, both offer the same benefits.

APA accredits school psychology programs at the doctoral level.

• Partnerships

School Psychology (PhD)

YOU ARE BOUVÉ

Have a positive impact on the emotional health and learning of children.

The aim of Northeastern University’s School Psychology Doctoral Program (SPDP) is to train health service psychologists in the specialty of school psychology who are prepared to work within a variety of settings (e.g., schools, universities, clinics, and hospitals).

Through coursework, research, and fieldwork experiences, students develop competencies across research, intervention, assessment, consultation and inter-professional/interdisciplinary skills, individual and cultural diversity, ethical and legal standards, supervision, professional values — attitudes, behaviors, and communication — and interpersonal skills.

Eligibility For Licensure

The PhD in School Psychology at Northeastern University is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association and meets the “Guidelines for Defining ‘Doctoral Degree in Psychology’” as implemented by the ASPPB/National Register Designation Project.

Graduates of our program who decide to apply for licensure as a psychologist typically will meet the jurisdictional educational requirements for licensing. However, individual circumstances vary, and, there may be additional requirements that must be satisfied prior to being licensed as a psychologist, potentially including specific clinical practice supervision requirements at the advanced practicum, internship, and post-doctoral level.

Students should contact the state/provincial/territorial licensing board in the jurisdiction in which they plan to apply for exact information.

Additional information including links to jurisdictions is available on the ASPPB’s website . For questions about the PhD in School Psychology as it relates to doctoral psychology licensure, please contact the Director of Clinical Training, Jessica B. Edwards George , PhD.

Degree type: – School Psychology PhD Modality: – On-ground – Full-time

Application Deadline: Dec 1

Credit Hours: 97 semester hours

Program Length: Typically 5-6 years from BA admission

The PhD program in school psychology requires a total of 97 semester hours, including a full-year internship. Students entering with a Bachelor’s degree typically complete the program in 5-6 years. We prepare school psychologists who think systemically and who are aware of the profound effect culture and the environment has on the learning and emotional health of children.

Please see the program requirements in the  university catalog . 

Professional Identity and Social Conscience

Our students have a strong professional identity and social conscience. In addition, many of our alumni have assumed leadership roles in state and national organizations.

Practice-Oriented Education

Consistent with the mission of the university, real-world projects, and work experiences are integrated into coursework throughout the program.

Interdisciplinary Collaboration

Our students learn how to work on teams in delivering services, and how to draw upon the rich resources of professionals from related disciplines.

Supportive Learning Environment

We view ongoing support and feedback as critical for students’ learning and professional development. Faculty members take pride in mentoring and advising students and incoming students receive peer mentorship from advanced students.

Core Requirements

A grade of B or higher is required in all coursework.

Comprehensive examination Annual review Mentored research project Dissertation committee Dissertation proposal Dissertation defense

Handbooks and Manuals

Sample curriculum.

Sample curriculum,  subject to change.

• Professional
• Elective Course
• Dissertation

CAEP 6365 Seminar in School Psychology

CAEP 7702 Scholarship, Teaching, and Leadership in Applied Psychology

CAEP 7732 Legal and Ethical Issues in Community and Educational Settings

CAEP 6206 Learning Principles

CAEP 6218 Infant, Child, and Adolescent Development

or CAEP 6220 Development Across the Life Span

CAEP 6390 History and Systems of Psychology

CAEP 7750 Biological Bases of Behavior

CAEP 7755 Cognitive and Affective Bases of Behavior

CAEP 7756 Social Psychology in an Organizational and Ecological Context

Complete a total of 3 semester hours with faculty advisor’s prior approval.

Multicultural Competency

CAEP 6203 Understanding Culture and Diversity

CAEP 6394 Advanced Multicultural Psychology

Assessment and Intervention

Coursework CAEP 6247 Child and Adolescent Psychopathology

CAEP 6345 Promoting Youth Academic Success in Schools

CAEP 6347 Behavior Management

CAEP 6350 Introduction to Cognitive Assessment

CAEP 6353 Curriculum-Based Assessment and Data-Based Decision-Making

CAEP 6354 Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Assessment

CAEP 6360 Consultation and Program Evaluation

CAEP 6401 Counseling Children and Adolescents in Schools

CAEP 6402 Promoting Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Success in Schools

Practicum CAEP 6400 Prepracticum in School Psychology

CAEP 6999 Practicum Continuation

CAEP 8415 Practicum in School Psychology 1

CAEP 8416 Practicum in School Psychology 2

Fieldwork Complete a minimum of 2 semester hours required per course, for a total of 8 semester hours: CAEP 7741 Advanced Fieldwork 1

CAEP 7742 Advanced Fieldwork 2

CAEP 7743 Advanced Fieldwork 3

CAEP 7744 Advanced Fieldwork 4

Internship Complete 3 semester hours. Prior to beginning the internship consult with the director, DCT, and/or the Doctoral Internship Seminar instructor. CAEP 7798 Doctoral Internship

Research CAEP 6202 Research, Evaluation, and Data Analysis

or NRSG 7712 Quantitative Research Methods

CAEP 6328 Single-Case Research Design

CAEP 7703 Grant Writing in the Health Professions

CAEP 7711 Measurement: Advanced Psychometric Principles

CAEP 7712 Intermediate Statistical Data Analysis Techniques

CAEP 7716 Advanced Research and Data Analyses

CAEP 9990 Dissertation Term 1

CAEP 9991 Dissertation Term 2

Program Credit/GPA Requirements

97 total semester hours required Minimum 3.000 GPA required

Admissions Requirements

Candidates for admission are expected to meet the following requirements:

Strong undergraduate record

Strong graduate record, if applicable

TOEFL or IELTS; GRE is optional

Personal statement of prior experience and professional goals

Three letters of recommendation

Personal interview with faculty and current students

Graduation Requirements

• GPA 3.00 or better
• Mentored research project
• Passing grades on all comprehensive portfolio Sections
• Completed internship
• Completed dissertation

Measures Of Satisfactory Progress

• Satisfactory progress in field placements (Practicum, Advanced Field Work, Internship)
• Satisfactory progress on Comprehensive portfolio
• Satisfactory completion of the mentored research project
• Development/approval of dissertation proposal
• Satisfactory completion/defense of dissertation

Got questions?

Please reach out to us.

Dr. Jessica Edwards-George Director of Clinical Training 617-373-3681

Dr. Robin Codding   Program Director 404  Int’l Village 617-373-2485

Virtual Information Sessions

November 16, 2023 3 – 4 PM

It is preferable for prospective students to have an undergraduate major or minor in psychology. At a minimum prospective students should have taken the following undergraduate courses: (1) Introduction to Psychology; (2) Child Development; (3) Abnormal Psychology; and (4) Research Methods and Statistics. Prospective students should have prior experience working with children and conducting research.

The program faculty reviews your credentials to assess the likelihood of your successful completion of the program and your potential for contribution to the field of school psychology and the community at large.

Admission is based on the evaluation of demonstrated academic performance, quality of recommendations, previous relevant experience, and your fit within our program.

Students are accepted into the program based on undergraduate grades and GRE or MAT scores, which are reviewed by the program director. Applicants who do not hold an undergraduate degree from a U.S. institution and whose native language is not English must also take the TOEFL or IELTS.

Important Information

Fieldwork training for the PhD Program in School Psychology consists of a 75-hour pre-practicum, a 200-hour practicum in a school, two years of advanced fieldwork (600 hours each year, or approximately 20 hours/week) in a school with the possible option to be in a non-school setting, and one year of an approved full-time, pre-doctoral internship, all with corresponding on-campus seminars where they receive university supervision and benefit from the experiences of their peers.

Pre-Practicum

As its name denotes, the pre-practicum occurs prior to the practicum. Students complete the 75-hour pre-practicum in May and June in their first year of study. The purpose of the pre-practicum is for students to gain observational experiences and to learn about school ecology. In addition to school- based observational experiences, students participate in a one-semester hour pre-practicum seminar on campus, which is taught by one of the core school psychology faculty members.

Students complete 200 hours of field experience in school psychology during their second year in the program. Prior to beginning practicum, students must have a contract signed by their site and Northeastern University. Practicum begins in September and continues until the end of the public school year in June. Practicum supervision and mentoring must be provided by a state credentialed school psychologist with a minimum of three years of experience. Students should receive at least one hour of face-to-face supervision per week during their practicum.

Students should receive at least one hour of face-to-face supervision per week during their practicum. Students should complete between 3-6 assessments during their practicum year with at least two comprehensive psycho-educational assessments. The comprehensive assessments should include multiple reliable and valid methods that assess multiple domains of functioning, and the choice of instruments should be derived from the presenting concerns / referral questions.

Note: the second-year practicum experience for doctoral students involves less than half of the hours completed by students in our C.A.G.S. program in their second year. Doctoral students should not exceed the 200-hour guideline as this will have a negative impact on their research development and the demands placed on them by their challenging coursework.

Course Work :  Practicum students in the PhD program will have already taken the following courses:

• Learning Principles
• Infant, Child & Adolescent Development
• Seminar in School Psychology
• Understanding Culture and Diversity
• Behavior Management
• Research, Data Analysis, and Evaluation
• Cognitive Assessment
• Clinical Skills in Counseling Psychology
• Pre-practicum Seminar
• Advanced Psychometric Principles
• Biological Basis of Behavior

During the practicum year students will take the following courses, some of which have associated fieldwork (see requirements below*) that must be completed in a school-based field site:

Fall Semester

• Social, Emotional, and Behavioral assessment
• Counseling Children and Adolescents in School
• Intermediate Statistics
• Practicum Seminar

*Fall Course-Based Requirements

Spring Semester

• Advanced Research and Data Analysis
• Consultation and Program Evaluation

For the Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Assesment Course, students are required to complete a comprehensive assessment including (a) systematic direct observations (b) teacher, student, and parent interviews, and (c) broad and narrow band rating scales.

For the Counseling Children and Adolescents course sequence, students (a) must be able to counsel an individual and group for the semester and (b) write two comprehensive case summaries (“treatment plans”) for each (See Portfolio Guidelines for details of the requirement).

For the Consultation course, students (a) must identify a teacher who would be willing to meet four times and (b) implement strategies in the classroom

Advanced Fieldwork

Students complete 600 hours of Advanced Fieldwork during years 3 and 4 of the program. Students typically meet the requirement by completing 20 hours of fieldwork over the course of the academic year (September-June). Fieldwork sites typically offer the opportunity for several different types of psychological services including assessment, intervention, consultation, and systems-level prevention. In all cases, the first 600-hour Advanced Fieldwork placement must occur in a K-12 school. Although it is possible for the second 600-hour Advanced Fieldwork placement to be completed in a non-school setting, students who wish to pursue this in their second year of AFW must receive approval from the program faculty prior to applying to non-school sites. Decisions regarding whether students are able to pursue AFW placements in non-school sites will be made based on the breadth and depth of the student’s prior school-based experiences.

Field Supervision:

Field supervisors in school sites must have a Massachusetts educator’s license (certification) as a school psychologist and a minimum of three years of experience as a school psychologist. Practicum and Advanced Fieldwork supervision consists of a minimum of one hour per week, in a face-to-face format. In non-school sites, supervisors must be licensed health providers in the state of Massachusetts and a minimum of three years experience as a psychologist.

University Supervision:

Students are enrolled in a seminar course, instructed by a (a) certified school psychologist during the practicum year and (b) licensed psychologist during the Advanced Fieldwork years. The university supervisor maintains contact with the field supervisor through two site visits and phone calls when necessary. At the end of the year, the field and university supervisors determine if the student has progressed adequately in core areas and is ready for the subsequent fieldwork experience.

The following list includes examples of where current and former students have done their pre-doctoral internship.

• AHRC New York City, NY
• Center for Effective Child Therapy at Judge Baker Children’s Center, Boston, MA
• Devereux, Villanova, PA
• Franciscan Hospital for Children, Boston, MA
• Hawaii Psychology Internship Consortium (Kauai School District), Kauai, HI
• Mailman Center for Child Development
• May Institute, Randolph, MA
• Milton Hershey School, Hershey, PA
• Newton Public Schools, Newton MA
• Primary Children’s Hospital, Salt Lake City, UT
• University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM
• Washburn Center for Children, Minneapolis, MN

Northeastern University’s School Psychology MS/CAGS and PhD Programs offer an optional concentration in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) that provides students with the opportunity to apply to sit for the BCBA exam upon completion of the concentration. This optional sequence includes additional coursework from Northeastern University’s Certificate Program in ABA under the direction of Dr. Nicole Davis. Three of the courses are already part of the regular school psychology curriculum (CAEP 6206 Learning Principles, CAEP 6328 Single Case Design, and CAEP 6347 Behavior Management).

Students take four additional online courses that are part of Northeastern University’s Certificate Program in ABA (CAEP 6326 Behavioral Concepts and Principles, CAEP 6327 Behavior Assessment, CAEP 6329 Service Administration, CAEP 6336 Systematic Inquiry in Applied Research). In addition, students have the opportunity to gain supervised experience hours by taking CAEP 8417 Intensive Practicum in ABA I and CAEP 8418 Intensive Practicum in ABA II. These two courses fulfill 50% of the required supervised experience hours. The ABA courses are independently offered by the School Psychology PhD Program and are not required for the program.

None of the online courses are permitted to substitute for courses in the required PhD curriculum. If students are interested in pursuing the ABA concentration, they should inform the ABA and School Psychology program directors of their interest at the start of the program because this choice will have implications for their coursework and fieldwork in year 1 of the program.

(i) Research

• Demonstrate the substantially independent ability to formulate research or other scholarly activities (e.g., critical literature reviews, dissertations, efficacy studies, clinical case studies, theoretical papers, program evaluation projects, and program development projects) that are of sufficient quality and rigor to have the potential to contribute to the scientific, psychological, or professional knowledge base.
• Conduct research or other scholarly activities.
• Critically evaluate and disseminate research or other scholarly activity via professional publication and presentation at the local (including the host institution), regional, or national level.

(ii) Ethical and legal standards

• Be knowledgeable of and act in accordance with each of the following: (1) The current version of the APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct, (2) Relevant laws, regulations, rules, and policies governing health service psychology at the organizational, local, state, regional, and federal levels, (3) and Relevant professional standards and guidelines.
• Recognize ethical dilemmas as they arise, and apply ethical decision-making processes in order to resolve the dilemmas.
• Conduct self in an ethical manner in all professional activities.

( iii) Individual and cultural diversity

• An understanding of how their own personal/cultural history, attitudes, and biases may affect how they understand and interact with people different from themselves.
• Knowledge of the current theoretical and empirical knowledge base as it relates to addressing diversity in all professional activities including research, training, supervision/consultation, and service.
• The ability to integrate awareness and knowledge of individual and cultural differences in the conduct of professional roles (e.g., research, services, and other professional activities). This includes the ability to apply a framework for working effectively with areas of individual and cultural diversity not previously encountered over the course of their careers. Also included is the ability to work effectively with individuals whose group membership, demographic characteristics, or worldviews create conflict with their own.
• Demonstrate the requisite knowledge base, ability to articulate an approach to working effectively with diverse individuals and groups, and apply this approach effectively in their professional work.

(iv) Professional values, attitudes, and behaviors

• Behave in ways that reflect the values and attitudes of psychology, including integrity, deportment, professional identity, accountability, lifelong learning, and concern for the welfare of others
• Engage in self-reflection regarding one’s personal and professional functioning; engage in activities to maintain and improve performance, well-being, and professional effectiveness.
• Actively seek and demonstrate openness and responsiveness to feedback and supervision.
• Respond professionally in increasingly complex situations with a greater degree of independence as they progress across levels of training.

(v) Communications and interpersonal skills

• Develop and maintain effective relationships with a wide range of individuals, including colleagues, communities, organizations, supervisors, supervisees, and those receiving professional services.
• Produce and comprehend oral, nonverbal, and written communications that are informative and well-integrated; demonstrate a thorough grasp of professional language and concepts.
• Demonstrate effective interpersonal skills and the ability to manage difficult communication well.

(vi) Assessment

• Demonstrate current knowledge of diagnostic classification systems, functional and dysfunctional behaviors, including consideration of client strengths and psychopathology.
• Demonstrate understanding of human behavior within its context (e.g., family, social, societal, and cultural).
• Demonstrate the ability to apply the knowledge of functional and dysfunctional behaviors including context to the assessment and/or diagnostic process.
• Select and apply assessment methods that draw from the best available empirical literature and that reflect the science of measurement and psychometrics; collect relevant data using multiple sources and methods appropriate to the identified goals and questions of the assessment as well as relevant diversity characteristics of the service recipient.
• Interpret assessment results, following current research and professional standards and guidelines, to inform case conceptualization, classification, and recommendations, while guarding against decision-making biases, distinguishing the aspects of assessment that are subjective from those that are objective.
• Communicate orally and in written documents the findings and implications of the assessment in an accurate and effective manner sensitive to a range of audiences.

(vii) Intervention

• Establish and maintain effective relationships with the recipients of psychological services.
• Develop evidence-based intervention plans specific to the service delivery goals.
• Implement interventions informed by the current scientific literature, assessment findings, diversity characteristics, and contextual variables.
• Demonstrate the ability to apply the relevant research literature to clinical decision making.
• Modify and adapt evidence-based approaches effectively when a clear evidence-base is lacking.
• Evaluate intervention effectiveness, and adapt intervention goals and methods consistent with ongoing evaluation.

(viii) Supervision

• Demonstrate knowledge of supervision models and practices.
• Apply supervision knowledge in direct or simulated practice with psychology trainees, or other health professionals. Examples of direct or simulated practice examples of supervision include, but are not limited to, role-played supervision with others, and peer supervision with other trainees.

(ix) Consultation and interprofessional/interdisciplinary skills

• Demonstrate knowledge and respect for the roles and perspectives of other professions.
• Demonstrates knowledge of consultation models and practices.

Student Admissions Outcomes and Other Data

Accelerated information.

Northeastern’s School Psychology PhD Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association (APA). Students who graduate from an accredited program are eligible for licensure.

Questions related to the program’s accredited status should be directed to the Commission on Accreditation:

Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation American Psychological Association 750 First Street, NE Washington, DC 20002 Phone: (202) 336-5979/E-mail:  [email protected]

Web:  www.apa.org/ed/accreditation

Northeastern’s School Psychology MS/CAGS Program is also fully accredited by the National Association of School Psychologists. For more information click on the following link:  NASP Approved Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes northeastern’s school psychology programs special.

Both the MS/CAGS and PhD programs are distinct for a number of reasons, including strong faculty mentoring relationships with students, a supportive learning community, a rigorous curriculum with excellent applied training in both research and practice, an ecological and multicultural approach to learning with a focus on family, school and community systems, culture, and diversity, a strong network of practice sites for field placements in urban schools and academic medical centers, and opportunities to develop leadership skills.

Does my undergraduate major need to be psychology to apply to the program?

No. Although most applicants to the program were psychology majors in college, some are not. Our program does require the following four undergraduate psychology courses as prerequisites: (1) Introduction to Psychology (2) Research Methods and Statistics (in psychology or in another social science field) (3) Developmental Psychology (4) Abnormal Psychology.

What is a CAGS degree?

CAGS stands for Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study and is the equivalent to an Educational Specialist (EdS) or 6th year degree. Our program prepares students for National Certification in School Psychology (NCSP) and Massachusetts licensure in school psychology.

See more FAQs

School Psychology Program FAQs .

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College of Education

School psychology doctoral program.

The University of Houston's School Psychology doctoral program is home to faculty and students committed to impacting the academic, behavioral and social-emotional functioning of children. Our faculty teaches students how to apply the core principles of school psychology inside and outside of schools. They challenge students to develop innovative solutions that connect the systems in which children and their families exist.

• PHLS Faculty
• Mission & Values
• Student Profiles
• Graduate Profiles
• Newsletters

About the Program

Our goal: Develop professional school psychologists who are engaged in applied research and ecologically sensitive evidence-based practice. To accomplish this, the School Psychology program adheres to a scientist-practitioner training model, and students learn to conceptualize according to an ecological-behavioral theoretical model. We aim to instill an awareness of diversity issues into our students, a task made easier considering the University of Houston’s status as one of our nation’s most culturally and linguistically diverse research institutions. That diversity extends to the program itself: almost one-half of our doctoral students claim non-Caucasian ancestry.

Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation American Psychological Association 750 First Street NE Washington D.C. 20002-4242 Phone: (202) 336-5979 TDD/TTY: (202) 336-6123 Fax: (202) 336-5978 [email protected]

• Accredited by the American Psychological Association
• Approved by the National Association of School Psychologists
• 5 - 6 years to complete program without transferable graduate credit
• 4 - 5 years to complete program with prior graduate credit
• School Psychology Student Handbook
• Student Admissions, Outcomes, and Other Data
• UH Graduate School

What will I learn while attending the school psychology program?

• Scholarly inquiry, research, writing and presentation skills
• Application of critical analysis and inquiry to existing research and the ability to identify, select, implement and evaluate evidence-based practices.
• Sensitivity to ecological, diverse and developmental considerations and concern for client preferences
• Exposure and supervised experience with diverse populations, conditions, professionals, settings and procedures.
• Understanding of the scientist-practitioner model which emphasizes an integrated, hierarchical sequence of coursework, practica, internship and research experiences

What can I do with my degree?

A doctoral degree in School Psychology prepares graduates for professional work as psychologists in academic and non-academic positions. Students who complete the program are prepared to apply for the following credentials:

• Licensed Psychologist
• Licensed Specialist in School Psychology
• National Certified School Psychologist
• Designation as a Health Service Provider by the National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology
• Diplomate in School Psychology.

School Psychology Faculty

The following is a list of current school psychology faculty:, dr. jorge e. gonzalez.

School Psychology

Faculty Profile | Email

Dr. Kristen Hassett

Dr. elizabeth jelsma, dr. milena keller-margulis, dr. michael matta, dr. sarah s. mire.

Associate Professor — School Psychology

Dr. Bradley H. Smith

• PHLS Homepage
• Our Programs

The School Psychology faculty's research ranges from Autism Spectrum Disorder and language development to student assessments and multilingual classrooms. Visit the PHLS Research Portal to learn more about our diverse interests and discover faculty pursuing answers to the questions that matter to you.

Feel free to contact faculty directly to learn more about their research. You can find contact information in the Research Portal or by visiting the COE Faculty Directory .

• PHLS Research Portal

Financial Aid

All School Psychology doctoral students are encouraged to apply for scholarships through the UH and the College of Education. To learn more about how to fund your graduate studies, visit the Graduate Funding page .

Graduate Tuition Fellowship

Graduate Tuition Fellowship (GTF) provides tuition remission for 9 credit hours, during the academic year, to students who enroll in at least 9 credit hours. During the summer term, GTFs are contingent upon available budget. Not all years in the graduate program may be covered by this program.

Assistantships

Graduate appointments are usually available to students during the first two years of graduate studies. The program doesn't cover mandatory fees or course fees. Not all years in the graduate program are covered by this program. 

To learn more about funding your education, contact the COE's College of Graduate Studies at  [email protected]  or call 713-743-7676.

• COE Financial Aid and Scholarships
• UH Graduate Funding
• UH Graduate Financial Information

Houston, Texas

Houston is the fourth largest city in the United States and one of the nation's most diverse cities. This fact benefits our students and faculty both personally and professionally. Home to more than 100 different nationalities and where more than 60 different languages are spoken, Houston is the perfect environment to practice what you're learning in the classroom. The city also boasts more than 12,000 theater seats and 11,000 diverse restaurants featuring cuisines from around the globe (Don't know where to start? Just ask a Houstonian, and they're sure to bombard you with at least a dozen places to eat.) 

Houston is bustling with culture, energy and offers something for everyone inside and outside the classroom.

(Background photo: “ Metropolis ” by eflon is licensed under CC BY 2.0 .)

• Student Housing & Residential Life
• Greater Houston Partnership - Welcome to Houston

Ready to Apply?

Are you ready to apply to the University of Houston School Psychology doctoral program ? Yes? You can learn more about the application process by visiting the College of Education's Graduate Admissions page  or jump right into the application process by visiting the UH's How to Apply to Graduate School page .

If you need more information about the School Psychology program, we are here to help. You can always contact the COE Office of Graduate Studies by phone at 713-743-7676  or by email .

The School Psychology doctoral program is a member of UH's Psychological, Health, & Learning Sciences department .

Program Director:  Dr. Brad Smith

UH College of Education Stephen Power Farish Hall 3657 Cullen Blvd., Room 491 Houston, TX 77204-5023

Undergraduate: [email protected] or 713-743-5000 Graduate: [email protected] or 713-743-7676 General: [email protected] or 713-743-5010

School Psychology, Ph.D.

The University of Maryland School Psychology Program is a research-intensive, Ph.D. program in professional psychology that embodies the scientist-practitioner orientation. Faculty and students represent a breadth of theoretical orientations, research and professional interests. Program graduates pursue academic/research and practice-oriented careers. Graduates of the Program are eligible for licensure as professional psychologists in Maryland and other states. Graduates also are eligible for the Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP) credential, awarded by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). Because the training program is approved fully by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), graduates are automatically eligible for MSDE certification as a School Psychologist.

We accept both those with or without previously earned master’s degrees. All Program students without a previously earned master’s degree must earn an M.A. with thesis prior to advancement to doctoral candidacy. The Program essentially subsumes a typical “specialist” (M.A. plus Advanced Graduate Specialist Certificate) program that corresponds to NASP standards for training of specialist-level school psychologists, such that doctoral students typically earn the MA/AGS (or AGS only in the case of doctoral students with previously earned master’s degrees) within their doctoral programs.

The School Psychology Program is embedded within the Counseling Psychology, School Psychology, and Counselor Education (COPE) Program Area within the Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education (CHSE) Department.

Video: School Psychology- An Overview of the Profession and Training Program at UMD

Graduates of the University of Maryland Ph.D. School Psychology Program are prepared to pursue a variety of career paths including academic, research or practitioner careers.

Why Choose School Psychology at Maryland?

Our Program stresses the application of psychological knowledge from a variety of theoretical orientations to address educational and mental health issues of students and schools. Program and Departmental faculty are diverse in terms of research interests and theoretical perspectives. Faculty members model a scientist-practitioner approach in the application of psychological knowledge to address school-related prevention, academic, developmental, and mental health issues. Students are encouraged to think simultaneously as researchers and practitioners. Admissions offers are made to applicants judged to have the potential to develop competencies in both research and professional practice.

The Emphasis of our Program The Program's curriculum includes several especially strong components that mark the Program's graduates. In particular, we provide intensive experiences in both the research and practice components of the discipline. We combine an emphasis on psychological research and the use of research to inform practice with intensive clinical training. Our program includes: an assessment model that integrates both cognitive and personality dimensions; an emphasis on the theory and practice of consultation at multiple levels; and commitment to personal and individual diversity through specific coursework, infusion in the curriculum, and field experiences with culturally diverse populations.

Accreditation Status

The University of Maryland Ph.D. School Psychology Program is accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA; next site visit scheduled for 2028), and we are fully accredited by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP; next review scheduled for 2030). The training program is housed within the College of Education, which is accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). All of the College of Education’s school professional preparation programs are approved by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE).

Accreditation organization contact information is as follows: American Psychological Association Office of Prog. Consultation and Accreditation 750 First Street, NE Washington, DC 20002-4242 E-mail: [email protected] Phone: 202.336.5979 Fax: 202.336.5978  Web-based listing of APA-accredited programs: www.apa.org/ed/accreditation/programs/accred-school.aspx National Association of School Psychologists 4340 East West Highway, Suite 402 Bethesda, MD 20814 E-mail: [email protected] Program Approval Board Phone: 301.657.0270 Fax: 301.657.0275 Web-based listing of NASP-approved programs: Program Annual Report and Student Outcomes Data

School Psychology Student Organizations

Student Affiliates of School Psychologists (SASP)

Our doctoral students have the opportunity to join SASP, a student-run organization that fosters growth and professionalism among the students in the School Psychology program at the University of Maryland. SASP facilitates an awareness and understanding in the school psychology profession by providing support and developmental opportunities. By providing students with the opportunity to be involved in social activities and conducting research with faculty, SASP refines and strengthens the program's overall mission for maintaining and training quality school psychologists. More Information on SASP

Program Goals and Objectives

The following goals and objectives operationalize the program’s mission of integrating foundational scientific knowledge, clinical practice, and research experiences.

Scientific Knowledge

Goal: Students will develop foundational knowledge and become well-versed in profession-wide competencies via the required course sequence.

• Obejective 1a: Students will be well-versed in foundational scientific knowledge including: (a) history and systems of psychology; (b) affective, biological, cognitive, and social aspects of behavior; (c) research methods, statistical analysis, and psychometrics. 
• Objective 1b: Students will gain knowledge regarding professional competencies including (a) research, (b) ethical/legal standards; (c) individual and cultural diversity; (d) professional values and attitudes; (e) communication/interpersonal skills; (f) assessment; (g) intervention; (h) supervision; and (i) consultation.

Clinical Practice

Goal: students will demonstrate entry-level competence, provide evidence-based school psychological services, and develop identities as professional psychologists..

Sub-goal 1: Students will demonstrate entry-level competence as specified by the American Psychological Association with respect to “discipline-specific knowledge, profession-wide competencies and learning/curriculum elements required by the profession.”

• Objective 1a: Students: (1) will demonstrate knowledge of theory and research pertinent to mental health service delivery in regard to: (a) psychodiagnostic, psychoeducational, and educational assess­ment, (b) interventions to address academic and social behavior issues, and (c) individual and group counseling of school-age students; and (2) will demonstrate the ability to apply their knowledge in the foregoing areas to the solution of identified client problems.
• Objective 1b: Students: (1) will demonstrate knowledge of theory and research in regard to: (a) case- and consultee-centered consultation, (b) team-based support systems, and (c) systems-level consultation; and (2) will demonstrate the ability to apply their knowledge in the foregoing areas to the solution of identified client or systems-level problems.

Sub-goal 2: Students will be able to provide evidence-based school psychological services in the context of a multicultural, pluralistic society such that inter-individual differences and differences in culture, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status and sexual orientation are understood and respected.

• Objective 2a: Students will demonstrate knowledge of inter-individual differences (e.g., temperament, learning abilities, personality attributes, disability status) and knowledge of the influences of social, cultural, ethnic, experiential, socioeconomic, gender-related, and linguistic factors on students’ development and learning.
• Objective 2b:     Students will apply knowledge of such differences in their assessment, consultation, counseling and other professional work in order to ensure effective, equitable, and respectful school psychological services to all of their clients and other service recipients.

Sub-goal 3: Students will develop identities as professional psychologists specializing in school psychology, and practice in accord with professional practice standards and a scientific knowledge base.

• Objective 3a: Students demonstrate knowledge of the historical development of psychology and of school psychology in the context of current developments in the discipline.
• Objective 3b: Students will demonstrate professional identities as psychologists through their membership and participation in professional and scientific organizations, and through their expressed research and professional goals.
• Objective 3c: Students will demonstrate knowledge of, and adherence to, ethical and legal guidelines in all aspects of their professional work.

Research Component

Goal: Students will understand, generate, and disseminate research in order to contribute to the scientific knowledge base.

• Objective 1a: Students will have an ongoing involvement in all stages of the research process with increasing independence over time.
• Objective 1b: Students will engage in conducting original research and disseminating psychological science via completion of the master’s thesis, doctoral dissertation, and comprehensive requirements.

Research Labs

Emotions, Equity, & Education Lab (Dr. Colleen O'Neal) Temperament & Narratives Lab (Dr. Hedy Teglasi)   Bullying Prevention and Mental Health Promotion Lab (Dr. Cixin Wang)  Risk, Resilience, and Culture Lab (Dr. Chunyan Yang)

Our AGS and PhD graduates meet MSDE requirements for certification as a school psychologist. Our graduates are also eligible for the NCSP, Nationally Certified School Psychologist, through NASP.

Per new US Department of Education regulations regarding state licensure disclosure, a determination has not been made as to whether this program meets the requirements for professional certification in any particular state or territory other than Maryland. We are in the process of reviewing state certification requirements and will update this page when more information is available.

For more information visit the  graduate admission requirements  webpage. Select an area of interest from the various offerings in the College of Education to determine the admission requirements and deadlines.  If you are unsure of your area of interest you may request information by submitting an  Inquiry Form . 

Admissions Information

Information about applying to the School Psychology program can be found  here . 

Also, please refer to the University of Maryland  Guide to Applying  for guidance on the steps to follow and how to apply for graduate admission. If you have questions or concerns about the administrative process, we ask you to first review their list of  Frequently Asked Questions .  For questions about the application process, or to check on the completion of your application please contact:

Judy Foster,  Coordinator of Graduate Admissions Office of Student Services, College of Education (301) 405-2359                   

After you apply for graduate admission you may check your application status by logging into the  online graduate application  using your user name and password.  Graduate faculty in the Academic Department you applied to will review your completed application for graduate admission. 

Please refer to the Guide to Applying  for instructions on how to apply for graduate admission. If you have questions or concerns, we ask you to first review our list of  Frequently Asked Questions .  International applicants should visit the International admissions webpage for additional information.  For questions about the application process, or to check on the completion of your application please contact:

Judy Foster, Coordinator of Graduate Admissions Office of Student Services, College of Education (301) 405-2359                  

After you apply for graduate admission you may check your application status by logging into the  online graduate application  using your user name and password.  Graduate faculty in the Academic Department you applied to will review your completed application for graduate admission.  Questions regarding application reviews and decision recommendations should be directed to Department of Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education (CHSE).  Please contact:

Carol Scott , Coordinator of Graduate Studies Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education (301) 405-8384

Please contact the Office of Student Services, [email protected] , or (301) 405-2364.

Academic advisement for graduate students is provided by the graduate faculty in the Department of Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education (CHSE).   For advising information, please contact the Coordinator of Graduate Studies, Carol Scott at (301) 405-8384 or [email protected] .

For a list of the College of Education Scholarship opportunities visit:  /admissions/ financial-aid-scholarships .  For information about additional funding opportunities, including the Graduate School Fellowship and Graduate Assistantship availability visit:  https://gradschool.umd.edu/funding/fellowship-information .    

For information about other student financial aid, review the Office of the Student Financial Aid website .

Required Coursework

The curriculum requirements are designed to ensure adequate preparation in reference to the Program's goals. A total of 74 coursework credits are required, with an additional 21-27 credits being required for research and fieldwork/internship. The Program typically requires four years of full-time, resident graduate study in coursework and fieldwork prior to the pre-doctoral internship. Students are required to have an approved dissertation proposal prior to beginning internship. The Program Handbook includes a detailed listing of course requirements. Those entering the program with advanced degrees may have some requirements waived based on previous graduate work, as described in the Program Handbook

Required Course Sequence here

Typical Course Sequence here

Practicum/Fieldwork Requirements

The School Psychology Program provides a sequence of experiential coursework and field placements starting in the first year with pre-practicum laboratory experiences, practicum, fieldwork, and the pre-doctoral internship. Lab experiences and practicum courses have on- and off-campus components. Post-practicum fieldwork typically occurs during the fourth year and internship during the fifth year. Practicum experiences are closely supervised and directed by program faculty. Post-practicum fieldwork and the pre-doctoral internship allow for a greater degree of independent functioning by the student under field-based supervision, with oversight by the program faculty.

Fieldwork Experiences

Typically completed during a student’s fourth year, fieldwork experiences call for an assignment of 10 hours per week gaining experience in school psychology science and practice in an education-related setting, with field-based supervision and support by a faculty member.  Students may choose a variety of activities, based on their interests. For example, a student may work in assessment or consultation in a school or school system; conduct program evaluations for school, school system, or educational agency programs; engage in consultation or research for a school system; or engage in an administrative or advocacy role in a school psychology-related organization.

Pre-Doctoral Internship

A paid, pre-doctoral internship equivalent in length to full-time work for either one K-12 school year or one calendar year, totaling at least 1750 hours, is required after the completion of all coursework. The internship must be completed in no longer than a 24 month period. Internships must either be APA-accredited or conform to the CDSPP Internship Guidelines . Pre-doctoral internships are either: (a) a full-year, school-based internship, or (b) a full-year internship in a consortium arrangement in which at least half is in a school setting. Alternative internship placements are available for students who either: (a) have previously completed a 1200-hour specialist-level school psychology internship, or (b) whose combination of previous internship and work experience as a school psychologist are judged to be equivalent to the required specialist-level internship. Specific requirements for the internship, and policies and procedures pertaining thereto, are detailed in the Program Handbook

Research Requirements

Research involvement is an integral part of the School Psychology Program.  Accordingly, students become involved in research activities during their first semester, and continue their involvement continuously prior to their internship year. Students are required to make at least one presentation at a national conference and to submit at least one manuscript for publication prior to earning their Ph.D.

Master's Thesis

The master's thesis is the culminating requirement for the master’s degree. All students must complete a formal master's thesis in order to earn the M.A.

Research Competency

Doctoral students entering with a master's degree who have not completed an acceptable research project must demonstrate research competency in lieu of doing a master's thesis.  This research competency project must be completed and approved by the Program prior to advancement to doctoral candidacy.  The Program Handbook includes criteria for evaluating students’ previous research work.

Doctoral Dissertation

The doctoral dissertation is a major research project designed to both demonstrate the student's research competence and to make a substantive contribution to the research literature.  An approved dissertation proposal is due prior to beginning the pre-doctoral internship.

Summary of Comprehensive Requirements here

Waiver of Program Requirements for Students with Previous Graduate Work

The school psychology program welcomes applicants who have done previous graduate work. Inevitably, individuals with previous graduate work are interested in how such work will affect the require­ments of their program. The program's policy on waivers of curriculum requirements is guided by two considerations: (a) that students not be required to engage in needless repetitious coursework when they have satisfactorily acquired the knowledge and skills embodied in a particular requirement, and (b) notwithstanding the first consideration, that graduates of any program in psychology are regarded and evaluated by the professional community on the basis of completion of their most advanced degree. Therefore, it is the Program's responsibility to ensure adequate development of the knowledge and skills that are required of all professional school psychologists.

Coursework: A specific course may be waived by the Program Faculty under the following conditions:

• the previous course for which the student desires credit was a course taught at the graduate level and restricted to graduate students only at a regionally accredited college or university;
• the student earned a grade of A or B in the course;
• review by an instructor of the course to be waived for comparability of content, where applicable; and
• approval by the student's advisor.

Internship: In accordance with accreditation and licensure standards, all students must complete a full-year (or equivalent) pre-doctoral internship regardless of previous professional experience or training. However, the nature (e.g., emphasis of activities, type of setting) of the internship may be modified based on the student's professional background and experience.

Research: A student who has completed a previous master's thesis that involved the collection and analysis of empirical data has satisfied the pre-dissertation research competency requirement. Students who have completed other research projects (including non-empirical master's theses), published or unpublished, will be waived from the research competency requirement if the student's involvement in the research project was equivalent to all of the aspects of the research competency requirement.

Waiver vs. Transfer: Coursework, fieldwork, or research requirements for which a student obtains a waiver do not appear on the student's University of Maryland transcript. Although credits do not appear on the student's transcript, waivers of courses reduce the total number of credits required at Maryland; it is not necessary for students to make up these credits with substitute courses.

Note to Those with Completed Specialist Training in School Psychology: Although individual circumstances vary, students who have previously completed specialist-level preparation as a school psychologist may expect programs that require four years of full-time study at Maryland (including internship); in unusual cases the program for such students can be completed in three years total. The internship year does not, necessarily, require the student to remain in the Baltimore/Washington metropolitan area.

Program Contacts

Dr. Cixin Wang, Program Director ( [email protected]  )

Ami Patel, Graduate Assistant  ( [email protected] )

Carol Scott, Coordinator ( [email protected] )

Program Faculty

The School Psychology Program faculty is composed of four core full-time members responsible for administering the Program (Drs. O’Neal, Teglasi, and Wang) but other faculty members from the CHSE Department and other Department in the College and University teach courses and serve on thesis and dissertation committees for our students. The core faculty members typically supervise our students’ research and practicum experiences as well as teach. Brief biographies of core faculty are provided below.

Colleen O’Neal, Ph.D.,  Associate Professor, is a graduate of Long Island University’s APA-accredited clinical psychology Ph.D. program. She earned a B.A. in psychology at Cornell University and a masters in child development at Auburn University. She completed an NIH postdoctorate in mental health statistics at NYU and continued at the NYU School of Medicine Child Study Center as an assistant professor conducting school-based intervention research. She recently received a Fulbright Alumni Award, as a team co-leader, to study the prevention of Burmese refugee minority child mental health and promotion of academic competence in Malaysia. She currently serves on the Fulbright refugee higher education and peer review committees for Southeast Asia. She is also the co-coordinator of the emotions preconference at the Society for Research in Child Development. The overarching goal of her research is mental health service equity for minority children. In addition to international mental health prevention among refugee children, her research focuses on the longitudinal study of emotional development, stress, and the prevention of anxiety and depression among low-income, minority children in the U.S.

Hedy Teglasi, Ph.D.,  Professor, is a graduate of Hofstra University's APA-accredited psychology program, and is Board Certified in School Psychology of the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) and a Fellow of the APA (Div. 16), Society for Personality Assessment, and the American Academy of School Psychology. She has held elected office in the American Academy of School Psychology and served as Chair of the American Board of Professional School Psychology. She completed her internship in a public school system, a university-based psychological evaluation and research center, and a family clinic serving the judicial system.  She has served as associate editor of the School Psychology Quarterly and as member of several editorial boards, including Psychological Assessment. Dr. Teglasi's research has focused on the impact of temperament and social-information processing schemas on social and emotional adjustment as these relate to assessment and interventions.  Her publications include chapters and articles on assessment (including parent conferences and report-writing), temperament, social information processing, and programs for interventions (including bullying, and enhancing social-emotional competence).  She is the author of two recent reference texts on the use of storytelling techniques in personality assessment.

Cixin Wang, Ph.D.,  Assistant Professor, received her Ph.D. in School Psychology from University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2011. She then completed a two-year postdoctoral training at Kennedy Krieger Institute/Johns Hopkins University in 2013. Her research interests focus on bullying prevention and mental health promotion among children and adolescents. Her research seeks to: (1) better understand different factors contributing to bullying/ victimization and mental health difficulties, including individual, family, school, and cultural factors; (2) develop effective prevention and intervention techniques to decrease bullying at school; and (3) develop school-wide prevention models to promote mental health among students, especially among culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students.

Chunyan Yang, Ph.D., Associate Professor, focuses on understanding the risk and resilience experiences of PreK-12 students and other school members (e.g., educators, parents, and school leaders) in the contexts of school-wide SEL implementation, universal pre-K policy implementation, and bullying/school violence prevention. Her scholarship has contributed to the fields of school psychology, developmental psychology, educational psychology, teacher education, international psychology, and the interdisciplinary field of school violence. Across the above fields, she has published over 70 scholarly works and given more than 80 presentations at national and international conferences. Her work has been funded by the Spencer Foundation, Jacobs Foundation, the William T. Foundation, and the Society of the Study of School Psychology. Dr. Yang received her Ph.D. in Education with a specialization in school psychology from the University of Delaware. Prior to joining the faculty at the UMD, she served as an assistant and then associate professor of school psychology at the University of California Santa Barbara and the University of California Berkeley, respectively. She also worked as a school psychologist in the district-wide Multicultural Assessment and Consultation Team in northern Colorado. Dr. Yang was the recipient of the National Academy of Education/Spencer Postdoctoral Fellowship in 2020, the Outstanding Early Career Psychologist Award from APA Division 52: International Psychology in 2021, and the Lightner Witmer Early Career Award from APA Division 16: School Psychology in 2022. 

Emeritus Faculty

Emeritus faculty includes those who have been long-standing core members of the school psychology faculty, but who are now retired. Emeritus faculty may continue to advise students who began their work with them, continue an active program of research and scholarship, and serve on thesis and dissertation committees. These valued faculty members do not accept new advisees.

William Strein, D. Ed., Associate Professor Emeritus, graduated from the APA-accredited school psychology program at the Pennsylvania State University.  He is a Fellow of APA (Division 16 – School Psychology). Prior to joining the program in 1981, he worked for several years as a school psychologist in public schools in Pennsylvania and Virginia, and served as a visiting faculty member in the school psychology program at UNC-Chapel Hill.  He is actively involved in professional organizations both nationally and in Maryland.  His research focuses on children's social-emotional learning, particularly children’s self-perceptions of competence. His publications also have addressed work on professional issues in school psychology, including prevention and the application of population-based models to school psychology.

Gary Gottfredson, Ph.D . , Professor Emeritus, earned his PhD in psychology from the Johns Hopkins University.  He was principal research scientist and directed the School Improvement Program and the Program in Delinquency and School Environments at the Johns Hopkins Center for Social Organization of Schools.  He is a fellow of APA Divisions 5 and 17 (Evaluation, Measurement and Statistics; Counseling Psychology), the Association for Psychological Science, and the Society for Experimental Criminology; has served on the APA Task Force on Victims of Crime and two National Research Council committees; chaired the APA Committee on Employment and Human Resources, been president of the APA Division of Population and Environmental Psychology; and has been a member of MSDE's Achievement Initiative for Maryland's Minority Students Steering Committee.  His research and publications have focused on educational program development and evaluation, school-based prevention of problem behavior, the assessment of school environments, and psychological assessment. 

Sylvia Rosenfield, Ph.D ., Professor Emerita, graduated from the school psychology program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  Previously, she was a school psychologist in the Madison (WI) public schools and a faculty member at Fordham and Temple Universities. She has served as treasurer and president of the APA Division of School Psychology, as well as a member of the APA Board of Educational Affairs.  She is a Nationally Certified School Psychologist. Her awards include the NASP Legends Award, the NASP Lifetime Achievement Award, and the APA Distinguished contributions to Education and Training Award; she is a Fellow of APA and AERA. Her research and multiple publications have focused on training and practice in indirect services, particularly consultee-centered and instructional consultation, and school psychology.  Recent publications include co-authorship of the Blueprint for Training and Practice III, published by NASP, and a co-edited book on implementation of evidence based practices in schools.

In addition to working with Program faculty, students take courses and may do research with other nationally recognized graduate faculty members in the CHSE Department, and in other departments such as Psychology or Human Development and Quantitative Methods.

Academic deadlines are provided by the Office of the Registrar for the academic year. Students should refer to the deadlines listed in Important Dates  prior to the beginning of the degree completion semester.  

Students should check with their Department or Program for any deadlines it may have.  Please contact:

Visit the School Psychology program  handbooks and forms  page.

The Graduate Student Life Handbook provides information on academics, campus resources, finances, health, job opportunities, and information on how to get involved as a graduate student. 

Graduate students in the College of Education are responsible for meeting University and the Graduate School policy, and for meeting Program requirements.   The Graduate Catalog  is the official listing of Policies governing graduate education at the University of Maryland.  The schedule adjustment policy is available from the Office of the Registrar and provides information on adding and dropping courses, penalties, and refund schedules.

Graduate students are required to submit various forms at specific points in the program and as part of the degree clearance process.  Please refer to Steps Toward Graduation to determine the steps and forms that are required.    The  forms for use by graduate students are available here. 

Education & Human Development

Educational psychology, how to apply.

The Department OF Educational Psychology

The Department of Educational Psychology (EPSY) is home to a variety of interrelated disciplines and degree options focused on human development and well-being in educational and community contexts. Our undergraduate programs prepare students to work with children and youth in a variety of community and school contexts. We also offer a range of professional master’s degrees geared towards professionals in schools, communities, and the corporate world. For those interested in doctoral studies we offer Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Educational Psychology, Counseling Psychology, and School Psychology.

Program Areas to choose from

Educational psychology, us news & world report 2021, number of online courses available, former student highlight, michele sheppard.

“When I started at A&M, it was unlike any other, they push you to be your very best. Being a single mom and going back to school was not always easy but you can do it!”

Master’s →

Bachelor’s →

Certificates →

Emphasis Areas

Educational psychology programs.

UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES

EPSY offers a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Education and University Studies, with one of three focuses.

Undergraduate Studies

Graduate Programs

The department of Educational Psychology offers a range of professional graduate degree programs.

ONLINE EDUCATION

EPSY offers a wide variety of online programs and courses to many the diverse needs our students.

Online Education

Certificates

Undergraduate students have the opportunity to complete certificate programs while completing their degree requirements.

FROM OUR FORMER STUDENTS

“I came to the conclusion that being a special educator is less about whom you teach and more about what you teach.”

– Stephanie Haetchen ’12 Special Education Programs

Upcoming Events

View all upcoming EPSY events

Doctorate in:

School psychology.

Ph.D. in School Psychology

Our Ph.D. in School Psychology is designed to give candidates a thorough and comprehensive knowledge their professional field and training in methods of research, as well as competencies required for practice.

This degree is awarded based on a candidate’s grasp of subject matter in a broad field of study, a demonstrated ability to do independent research, and demonstrated competencies for practice as a health service professional. In addition, candidates must have acquired the ability to express thoughts clearly and forcefully in both oral and written languages.

This degree is not granted solely for the completion of coursework, residence and technical requirements, although these must be met.

• For a student who has completed a master’s degree, a DDS/DMD, DVM or MD at a U.S. institution, a minimum of 64 hours is required on the degree plan for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
• For a student who has completed a baccalaureate degree but not a master’s degree or a U.S. DDS/DMD, DVM or MD , a minimum of 96 hours is required on the degree plan for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

Students gain the knowledge and skills for:

• Research • Assessment • Intervention • Consultation • Supervision • Ethical and Professional Practice

Program graduates work in a variety of private and institutional settings, including:

• Public and private schools • Hospitals and medical clinics • Community-based health and educational organizations • University settings

Disclosure of Education & Training Outcomes

SPSY 2023 Student Admissions, Outcomes, and Other Data is for informed decision-making by prospective students, as well as others.

Where are our Graduates?

A recent evaluation of program graduates over the last 10 years, from the academic year 2010-2011 to 2019-2020, finds our graduates are currently in the following work settings:

School District

Hospital/medical centers, community mental health clinic, independent practice, other: dod schools (consultant), other: community agency, university academic setting (non-medical) teaching/faculty, chosen unemployment, admissions deadlines.

• Applications are currently closed and will reopen on August 1, 2024.

RECOMMENDED GRE/GPA SCORES

Recommended gre/gpa scores.

• 1000 (old scoring system) or
• 310 (new scoring system)
• Undergraduate (and Graduate, if applicable) GPA could impact admission.
• GRE scores are not required for 2022 applicants.

SUBMISSION CRITERIA

Submission criteria.

• Letters of reference from professors and employers.
• Membership in professional organizations.
• Involvement in research activities.
• Relevant job experience.
• Personal characteristics such as bilingual status or experience working with individuals with disabilities.
• Essay outlining goals, research interests, and skills.

Application reviews occur in December. Full program faculty and a graduate student select students for interviews in early January. On-campus interviews start at the beginning of February.

Admission Interviews

• Expect a formal interview, informative sessions, and interaction with both faculty and graduate students. Applicants also will have the opportunity to see the campus, clinics, and community.
• For out-of-state students, we try to subsidize the cost of travel.

Post-Interview Process

• Admitted students must notify us in writing by April 15 of their intent to enroll the following fall.
• Students who enter the program are assigned a student mentor and a temporary advisor.

Program Details

Degree: Ph.D. in School Psychology Degrees Offered: Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Credit Hours: minimum 104-112 hours

• Students completing the program obtain the Doctorate of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in School Psychology.
• For students entering with a baccalaureate, the program requires  a non-thesis option M.Ed. after completion of the first 36 credits . The doctoral degree plan includes a minimum of an additional 64 credits for all students including internship.
• The program meets criteria for the state and national credentials for practice in the schools and licensure as a psychologist in most states.

Select School of Education and update credit hours.

Accreditation

The School Psychology Program at Texas A&M University is fully accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) .

Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation 750 First Street, N.E. Washington, DC 20002-4242 (202) 336-5979

Our Program has been approved by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) .

Program Requirements

• Students engage in coursework and field experiences that are sequential and increase in complexity.
• All students must complete the core curriculum.
• Students choose an area of more in-depth coverage as they progress through the program.

Read the School Psychology Student handbook for details about our mission, required coursework, field experiences, and student performance evaluations.

Consideration for Prior Graduate Credit

In recognition that some students enter the program with a master’s or specialist’s degree in School Psychology or related field, the program has established the Direct to Doctorate  process.

Degree Requirements

Review the School Psychology degree requirements associated with time commitment and acquiring residency.

Research Apprenticeship

Students participate in mentored research activities beginning in their first year. They present as part of research at the regional, national and international convention and publish with faculty mentorship.

Scientific inquiry (i.e., research) is the most powerful and prominent method for creating new knowledge and testing extant theories. The skills and attitudes of scientific inquiry are essential to the development and delivery of sound professional services, and directly benefit the clients and constituencies served.

We believe that the Ph.D. degree in School Psychology should indicate the student’s ability to generate and disseminate (e.g., through professional conferences and journals) new knowledge that contributes to our understanding of important theoretical and/or practical issues and questions in the area of psychology. This requires that students are well versed in the knowledge base in their specialty area, and have developed facility with all aspects of the research process. Our graduates are able to function as researchers both independently and collaboratively in clinical and research settings.

Expectations

Our program is designed to foster doctoral students’ continuous involvement in research. Students are expected to participate in mentored research activities from the start of their doctoral training by joining existing research teams led by faculty mentors. At early stages, involvement in research may include assistance with data collection, study management, and data entry or organization. As students’ skills develop, opportunities for conducting data analyses, designing new studies, producing scholarly products (e.g., conference presentations, journal articles), and mentoring in grant writing may be available.

Through these mentored research opportunities, students will develop the full spectrum of research skills necessary for formulating their dissertation and conducting research independently. Research involvement and competence will be reviewed annually by the student’s doctoral committee and/or program committee to provide written feedback about their progress toward meeting program research expectations.

Program Assessments

Annual evaluation.

Annual Evaluation of School Psychology Student

Practicum Student Evaluation

Practicum Student Evaluation Form

Annual Review of Departmental and Clinical Expectations

Practicum Directory

Practicum opportunities.

Elective Practicum Opportunities

Program Handbook

Notice to students pursuing programs that may lead to a professional license or certification required for employment:

The following programs may lead to a professional license or certification that is required for employment. Professional licensure/certification requirements vary from state to state, which may affect a student’s ability to apply for a professional license/certification upon the completion of the program. The U.S. Department of Education regulation,  34 CFR 668.43 (a) (5) (v) , requires an institution to disclose whether the program will fulfill educational requirements for licensure or certification for each state. The administrative departments that offer the programs have made the following determination regarding their curriculum.

Additional conditions explained

* The School Psychology Doctoral program is aligned with requirements for the License as a Psychologist (LP) and Licensed Specialist in School Psychology (LSSP) in the State of Texas and the National Certification as a School Psychologist (NCSP). The curriculum is consistent with accreditation by the American Psychological Association and as such provides required coursework and training for most states; however, students should be aware that state licensure and educational certification requirements change and vary by state. In particular, some states (i.e., California and Michigan) require specific didactic courses or supervisory provisions (i.e., New Jersey and Virgin Islands) not required in Texas or other states for licensure/certification. As such, students are encouraged to investigate the requirements in other states to identify additional courses they may need. For a fuller summary of the requirements for licensure in each state, please visit the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Board .

** North Dakota Board of Examiner’s specifies that telepsych may not replace face-to-face individual supervision. During the COVID pandemic, the TAMU School Psychology program utilized telepsych practices to engage in supervision. We advise students interested in licensure in ND to consult with that psychology board regarding these special circumstances if we continue this approach for safety reasons.

Contact Advisors

Peggy Brigman

Academic Advisor IV

View Directory Profile

Program Faculty

Sara Castro-Olivo

Associate Professor

Daniel Hajovsky

Clinical Assistant Professor

Justin Allen

Assistant Professor

Frequently Asked Questions

• Doctoral 10

List of Bachelor Degree Equivalencies

Please view a brief  List of Bachelor Degree Equivalencies by Country . If you do not find your country listed and are unsure of your degree equivalency, please contact the Office of Admissions at  [email protected] .

Can my Application fee be waived?

Yes. This fee may be waived only in exceptional cases for low-income applicants and McNair Scholars. To receive the waiver, you must submit an awards letter from your current school’s financial aid office showing the award of a Pell Grant. Your Student Aid Report (SAR) from a current FAFSA can also be submitted to show financial need. McNair Scholars must submit a letter from their McNair Program Director verifying their status as a McNair Scholar in good standing to receive the fee waiver. Submit this information to the Academic Affairs Business Office and include your major of interest and term of application. Waiver of application fee is not available for international students.

Statement of Purpose Essay

All applicants must complete the Essay, Statement of Purpose and explain the following:

• Why you applied to this program
• Academic background and training
• Potential for graduate study
• Research experience
• Other relevant professional experiences

I want/need a Graduate Assistantship/Fellowship – how do I apply?

Please note that we cannot guarantee any financial assistance to any student. We will contact all admitted students about the process for applying for all available assistantships. This is a separate process from applying for admission. The department and programs will choose students to be nominated for Graduate Diversity or Graduate Merit fellowships. These fellowships are only open to U.S. citizens. Please do not ask to be nominated for one of these fellowships as the program will determine which students are competitive for these awards.

How do is submit my letters of Recommendation?

The  GraduateCAS  online application includes a Recommendations section where you must add your recommenders’ information. Once you have saved the recommendation requests, GraduateCAS will contact each recommender via email to request the completion of the recommendation form and letter of recommendation. We require three letters of recommendations and they must be submitted directly by recommenders through the electronic system.

Is there an admissions cycle for Spring semester?

No. For our Ph.D. programs we only have admissions in fall semesters.

What are the typical program costs?

Check out the cost of attendance estimator.

Please note, you must update the program hours.

For a better understanding of your total cost of attendance (COA), please visit our cost and tuition rates webpage ( https://aggie.tamu.edu/billing-and-payments/cost-and-tuition-rates ). This webpage will provide you with an opportunity to review estimated COA information for undergraduate, graduate and professional students, as well as other resources such as the tuition calculator and billing and fee explanations.

Can you guide me through the application process?

How to Apply: Master’s Application Information | Doctoral Application Information

I live out of state. Do you accept out-of-state applicants?

Yes, we accept in-state and out-of-state applicants.

Is there any opportunity for financial assistance?

Yes, there are opportunities for financial assistance through the following departments: Office of Graduate Studies Financial Aid

Request Information

Tuition & fees.

For a better understanding of your total cost of attendance (COA), please visit our cost and tuition rates webpage ( https://aggie.tamu.edu/billing-and-payments/cost-and-

tuition-rates). This webpage will provide you with an opportunity to review estimated COA information for undergraduate, graduate and professional students, as well as other resources such as the tuition calculator and billing and fee explanations.

Can't find what you are looking for?

Enter a Search Term

School psychology, phd.

• New York City

Striving for excellence as a professional training program, it is fully intended that this new PhD Program will attain contingent-APA accreditation status, and ultimately, full APA accreditation status.

Promote Childhood and Adolescent Development

With a PhD in School Psychology, you’ll be ready to address educational and developmental problems bearing upon school achievement, adjustment, specific disabilities/disorders, chronic or acute situations or conditions that influence learning or mental health, school crises, and difficult social conditions that influence development. You’ll also develop skills to carry out research and to professionally communicate research findings. On graduation, you will be eligible to apply for New York State certification in School Psychology and to sit for the New York State Licensing Examination for the professional practice of psychology.

Rigorous Preparation

• Train to provide a range of psychological services such as assessment and evaluation, health promotion, intervention, prevention, and program development and evaluation services—with a special focus on the developmental processes of children and youth.
• Develop and implement research methods that are pertinent to the recognition of, distinctions among, and effective preventions and interventions for young individuals facing the many types of risk (e.g., academic, biological, environmental, experiential, psychosocial) that compromise developmental potential.
• Learn to analyze efficacy in systems including education and pediatric health care, and inform policy creation in education and mental health care.

Take Courses Like…

The PhD in School Psychology curriculum carefully and sequentially develops competencies through an integrated framework that combines scientific and professional coursework with practicum and other fieldwork experiences

• PSY 721 Tests and Measurement
• PSY 727 Learning Disabilities-Diagnosis/Remediation
• PSY 734 Consultation

Add Opportunities and Experiences

Competency based training.

Pace University’s PhD in School Psychology program is designed to provide education and training in school psychology within a scientist-practitioner model. As a student, you’ll be required to complete one year of on-site supervised cognitive-behavioral practicum experience through Pace University’s Thomas J. McShane Center for Psychological Services. You’ll also undertake four years of additional supervised fieldwork experience, including school and clinic or community placements that involve training in assessment, consultation, remedial interventions, psychotherapeutic interventions, and program development and research. You’ll also be required to complete a dissertation, a scholarly undertaking in the area of school psychology, which may be in the form of original research, a program evaluation, or another project of a scholarly nature approved by the dissertation committee.

Choose Your Career

You’ll be prepared to immediately make an impact in a variety of settings, such as developmental centers, hospitals, integrated health and mental health centers, schools, and universities. 

Career Options

Career options for graduates of the PhD in School Psychology program include working as a certified school psychologist and/or licensed psychologist in a wide variety of settings.

What You Need to Know

Students may undertake the program on a full or part-time basis, but the program must be completed within 10 years. Class hours permit fieldwork and generally allow for limited part-time employment in the first four years of study. A minimum of three years of residency at Pace University is required, including one year of full-time study. Admission is open to qualified holders of a bachelor’s and/or master’s degree from an accredited institution. The admissions deadline is January 1.

For more information, view the Graduate Catalog .

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Doctoral Degrees

Disability & psychoeducational studies, school psychology ph.d..

The School Psychology Ph.D. program is designed to prepare students for leadership positions in school psychology and related disciplines. More specifically, it is designed to prepare graduates for positions of leadership that involve applying psychological principles to improve student outcomes. Students in the program are provided with a range of training and research opportunities that aim to increase their competence in school psychology and their ability to function as effective professionals who collaborate well with individuals from different disciplines and celebrate diversity. The program leads to Arizona certification and is known for its strong emphasis on research, scholarship, and professional practice.

The program has been accredited since 1979 by the American Psychological Association and since 1991 by the National Association of School Psychologists. Questions related to the program’s accredited status should be directed to the APA’s commission on accreditation:

Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation American Psychological Association 750 1st. St. NE, Washington, D.C. 20002. Phone: (202) 336-5979 / Email: [email protected] apa.org/ed/accreditation NASP program data on student admission, student outcomes, and other information are available .

Study and analyze theories and methodologies to investigate social behavior

Learn to use a problem-solving approach when working with children and adolescents

Graduate prepared for supervisory, leadership, and service roles in the field of school psychology

Program aims.

• Prepare graduates to provide school psychological services and engage in scholarly activities within a culturally diverse society.
• Prepare students to use a problem-solving approach when working with children and adolescents.
• Prepare graduates for lifelong learning who are skilled in the interface between science, theory, and practice.
• Prepare graduates for supervisory, leadership, and service roles in the field of school psychology.
• Prepare graduates in the APA and NASP ethical principles, professional practices, and relevant laws associated with the delivery of school psychological services to children and adolescents.
• Prepare graduates to exhibit professional attitudes, values, effective communication, and interpersonal skills in their provision of health service activities and conduct of research.

Learn more about student admissions, outcomes, and other data.

Graduates of the program are prepared to assume roles that may involve research, scholarship, or practice. They may function as academic school psychologists, licensed psychologists who work in schools, certified school psychologists, educational consultants, or private practitioners. Graduates will be qualified to pursue becoming credentialed as nationally certified school psychologists (NCSPs) as well as licensed psychologists in Arizona.

For more information about the program, contact Program Director Desiree Vega .

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PhD in School Psychology

Using data-driven solutions to enhance equality across the education system.

With a PhD in School Psychology, you will work directly with PK-12 students, while also publishing change-making research, that will help improve equity and inclusion in schools.

See important statements and positions from the School Psychology faculty

Our commitment to you

Upon graduation with a PhD in school psychology from Loyola, you will possess the following knowledge, skills, and professional values necessary to commence work as both a practicing school psychologist and researcher.

You will become a scientist-practitioner who understands and can implement evidence-based assessment, intervention, and consultation practice from a social justice perspective. Plus, you'll understand the history of school psychology, the impact of historical discrimination and inequity on educational and psychological functioning, and  individual differences and social/cultural influences on development and adjustment.

You'll conduct evidence-based direct counseling and mental health interventions, as well as indirect consultative interventions in applied settings. You will also be trained to carry out comprehensive psychoeducational assessments to support decision-making regarding special education eligibility and development of individual education plans (IEPs). On the research side, you'll critically evaluate research (i.e., designs, data analysis, and data interpretation) from a methodological, as well as ethical and social justice, perspective. Using research methodological skills and statistical expertise, you'll complete original dissertation research, present at psychological and educational conferences, and prepare manuscripts for publication.

Professional Values

Our graduates represent the scientist-practitioner ideal of a person who not only applies psychological knowledge within the context of their professional practice, but also a person who can generate new, applications-oriented knowledge through their research and scholarly activities and the application of such in the service of others through a social justice framework.

Program Faculty

Our dedicated  School Psychology Faculty  are experts in the field of School Psychology. They conduct research on topics such as equity in school mental health, discipline policy, early childhood development, family collaboration, school consultation, student identity development, and other scholarship that advances social justice in education. PhD students work on faculty research teams trhoughout their training. Additionally, faculty advisors support students throughout each stage of the program.

Accreditation

Loyola's PhD in School Psychology has been accredited by the  American Psychologist Association (APA)  and approved by the  National Association of School Psychologists (NASP).

APA Student Admissions Outcomes Reporting Measures

APA Student Admissions, Outcomes and Other Data (2023)

Program Features

All students begin in the first year with an introductory professional orientation course, beginning research courses, pre-requisite courses that lead to a second-year school-based practicum, and engagement with the community through the completion of a school-based, pre-practicum experience.

In the second year of the program, students complete two semesters of a structured school-based practicum, in which they spend two days a week in a school setting and complete structured activities tied to the practicum, while also taking additional courses in research methods/statistics, counseling, consultation, and assessment.

In the third year of the program, students complete an advanced practicum, more advanced research courses, and work on their dissertation proposals.

In the fourth year of the program, students apply for a calendar-year-long doctoral internship through the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC), an APA-accredited doctoral internship match system for doctoral students in Health Service Psychology programs.

In the fifth year, students are required to complete a calendar-year internship under the direction of a licensed psychologist and certified school psychologist.

Transfer Credit

Students with a master’s degree may be able to transfer up to 36 credit hours into the PhD program. However, a minimum of 63 credit hours and a minimum of 2 years of coursework must be completed at Loyola University Chicago.

Program Length

This is a full-time program. Students complete the course work for the program in four years, including summers. Time for degree completion, including the dissertation, is five years.

Continuous Enrollments Doctoral students in School Psychology are required to maintain continuous enrollment during their program of studies. A formal leave of absence may be granted upon request and with the approval of the Graduate School’s Associate Dean.

Admission Requirements

Interested in applying? Check out the  PhD i n School Psychology application requirements .

• For  application  related questions,  contact Graduate Enrollment Management . 
• For  program structure and academics  related questions, contact:  Ashley Mayworm , Program Chair

Tuition, Financial Aid and Scholarships

The School of Education and Loyola's Financial Aid Office are committed to helping students secure the necessary financial resources to make their education at Loyola affordable. You can learn more on the  Financial Assistance  page.

What is the difference between a PhD and EdS in School Psychology?

The EdS degree will allow you to be credentialed in Illinois as a licensed school psychologist through the State Board of Education and also prepares you to become a Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP). This credential allows you to practice as a school psychologist in the public schools. The PhD program also prepares students to become credentialed school psychologists, but additionally provides research and clinical training that allows for careers in research and University-level teaching.

Does the School Psychology PhD program prepare me for licensure?

In Illinois, the PhD degree qualifies you to become licensed as a school psychologist by the Illinois State Board of Education, which is required to work in the schools. Graduates of the PhD program are also eligible to pursue clinical licensure (as a clinical psychologist) through the Illinois Department of Professional Regulations (IDPR). In Illinois, graduates of our School Psychology PhD program meet the educational requirements to pursue their clinical psychology license, but must meet IDPR requirements for internship, postdoctoral training, and exams; each case is reviewed by IDPR. Outside of Illinois, each state has its own credentialing requirements and individuals need to check with the state in which they want to practice school psychology for the particular state's credentialing requirements.

Do I need to take any licensure examinations?

All candidates must successfully pass the Illinois State School Psychology Content Examination prior to beginning internship. All candidates must also pass the PRAXIS School Psychology Examination to obtain NCSP status (National Certified School Psychologists). For doctoral graduates pursuing their clinical license in Illinois, they must also meet IDPR exam requirements (e.g., passing the EPPP).

How do I apply for state licensure?

Visit the  Placement and Licensure page  for details. 

I have taken graduate courses at another university. Will any of these courses transfer to Loyola's School Psychology program?

Because of the rapid changes in the field of education and school psychology, courses will only be transferred to Loyola if they have been taken during the five years prior to your admittance to the school psychology program. If you do not have a master's degree, then six semester hours may be transferred. If you have a master's degree, up to 36 semester hours may be transferred into the PhD program at Loyola.

How long does it take to complete the PhD in School Psychology?

Full-time students can complete the coursework and field placements in a minimum of four years by taking courses during the summer. A full-time 12-month internship must be completed during the last year of study. All coursework and the dissertation proposal must be completed prior to beginning an internship. Completion of coursework and dissertation typically takes five years.

Can I complete the PhD in School Psychology degree by taking courses part time?

The program is full-time only and requires attendance during the summer.

Is there a residency requirement?

As full-time students, all PhD students automatically satisfy the residency requirements.

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IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 SITE VISITS: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, site visits for the majority of programs scheduled to be visited in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 have been shifted. Please note that the “next site visit date” listed for each program does not represent an expiration of accreditation. It represents a timeline for a program’s next periodic review. The accreditation status of the 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 programs will not be impacted by site visit delays. Cycle shifts are listed here . 

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RIC School Psychology Graduate Program FAQs

School psychology program faqs - printable version, about the field of school psychology.

School Psychologists are experts in learning, behavior, mental health, and school systems.

They Provide

• academic and behavioral interventions
• mental health supports
• evaluation, assessment, and data analysis
• consultation with teachers and families
• culturally responsive services
• crisis prevention and response

They Support

• struggling and diverse learners
• academic achievement
• positive behavior and mental health
• safe and supportive learning environments
• school-family-community partnerships
• school-wide data-based decision-making

They Serve In

• public and private schools
• early childhood centers
• universities
• juvenile justice facilities
• clinics and hospitals
• independent practice

The vast majority of school psychologists work in K-12 public schools. School psychologists can make a positive, lasting difference in children’s lives. They are a vital part of the effort to unlock each child’s potential for success. School psychology is an ideal career for individuals that are interested in:

• Working directly with children and adolescents
• Supporting students with mental health needs by providing counseling, skill instruction, and learning and support plans
• Assessing and evaluating individual differences to identify intervention strategies
• Working collaboratively with parents and teachers to support children’s success
• Changing practices and policies to improve school outcomes
• Engaging in challenging and diverse activities that change from day to day
• Using research to inform practices
• Developing strong team member and leadership skills
• Promoting appreciation and support for human diversity
• Demonstrating the highest standards for ethical and professional behavior
• Helping students thrive at home, in school, and in life

(NASP, 2023)

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2022) reports that the national average annual salary for School Psychologists is $87,550. The average salary for school psychologists in Rhode Island is $84,230, and the average salary in Massachusetts is $92,730.

National Wage Estimates for School Psychologists U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2022)

We recommend visiting the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) website for an overview of the field. Our program courses and training experiences align closely with NASP Standards and the 2020 NASP Practice Model.

About the RIC School Psychology Program

Yes, our program remains fully accredited by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) through 2030. Graduates of NASP-approved and NASP-accredited programs receive quality preparation across all domains of practice and can have a streamlined process for applying for the Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP) credential.

Yes, our program was “Approved with Distinction” by the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) in 2016 and again in 2023.

The employment rate is 100% for graduates of the RIC School Psychology program.

Contact the program’s graduate assistant at [email protected] or the program director, Shannon Dowd-Eagle, at [email protected] . If interested, you can ask to be connected with a current student (via email or phone) to learn more about the program from a student’s perspective. Information sessions are held during the Fall semester. Check the program website for dates and locations ( www.ric.edu/schoolpsychology ).

Our RIC School Psychology Instagram account is run by current students and includes photos and information about our program from the perspective of current students: @ricschoolpsychology, https://www.instagram.com/ricschoolpsychology/

Classes & Schedule

Classes are scheduled once per week in the evenings (4pm - 6:50pm or 7pm - 9:50pm) during the Fall and Spring semesters. Summer 1 and Summer 2 session classes are scheduled twice per week (3pm - 6:35pm or 7pm - 10:35pm).

Most of the required classes are 100% in-person (once per week 3-hour classes). However, some courses are also offered in a “Hybrid” format (half in-person, and half online).

Full-time graduate study is a significant investment of both time and money. We expect it to be the primary focus of our students in order to get the most out of the education and training experience. That said, many students are able to continue their work during Year 1 of the program consistent with the flexibility of their work hours and time needed to fully engage in graduate study. Year 2 students are required to spend two full days at their practicum site in a school, in addition to evening courses, so most students are not able to work full-time. In Year 3 students complete a full-time internship in a school (5 days per week) and receive a stipend of $10,000.

Most students enroll full-time across three years, and we prefer students to enroll full-time. Part-time enrollment is possible during Year 1 of the program, but full-time enrollment is required during Practicum and Internship.

Below is a sample based on 2023-2024 courses. The schedule is subject to change.'

YEAR 1, Foundational Courses

Fall Semester (September – December)

• CEP 532 – Monday, 4–7 pm
• CEP 534 – Wednesday, 4–7 pm
• CEP 601 – Thursday, 4–7 pm
• CEP 603 – Thursday, 7–10 pm

Spring Semester (January – May)

• TESL 539 – Tuesday, 4–7 pm
• CEP 604 – Wednesday, 4–7 pm
• CEP 533 – Wednesday, 7–10 pm
• CEP 551 – Thursday, 4–7 pm

Summer I Semester (May – June)

• CEP 536 – Monday, Wednesday, 3–6:35 pm
• CEP 538 – Monday, Wednesday, 6:35–9:48 pm

Summer II Semester (July – August)

• CEP 531 – Tuesday, Thursday, 3–6:35 pm
• CEP 537 – Tuesday, Thursday, 6:35–9:48 pm

YEAR 2, Practicum Year

• CEP 651 – Wednesday, 4–7 pm
• CEP 675 – Wednesday, 7–10 pm
• CEP 605 – Thursday, 4–7 pm
• SPED 534 – Monday, 4–7 pm
• CEP 554 – Tuesday, 7–10 pm
• CEP 602 – Thursday, 4–7 pm
• CEP 605 – Thursday, 7–10 pm

(No Summer Courses in Year 2)

YEAR 3, Internship Year

YEAR 3 Fall Semester (September – December)

• Full-time internship in a school setting, during school hours
• CEP 629 – Friday, 1–3 pm

YEAR 3 Spring Semester (January – June)

We allow non-matriculating students to enroll in the following courses: CEP 532 Theories and Methods of Counseling, and CEP 531 Human Development across Cultures. Completing these courses does not ensure acceptance into the program. Once accepted into the program, these course credits would apply to the M.A. in Counseling /C.A.G.S. in School Psychology.

No. Non-matriculated students are not eligible to enroll in any of the following core school psychology courses: CEP 601, CEP 603, CEP 551, CEP 604, CEP 533, CEP 651, CEP 605, CEP 675, CEP 602, and CEP 629. These courses are designed to be taken sequentially over the course of three years of training (this applies to both M.A/C.A.G.S.. and C.A.G.S.-only applicants).

Financial Questions

Link to RIC Graduate Tuition and Fees information: Graduate Tuition and Fees 2023-2024 | Rhode Island College (ric.edu)

2023-2024 Tuition

The In-State Tuition cost per credit is $533, Northeast Neighbor cost per credit is $781, and the Out-of-State cost per credit is $1002. Applicants from MA, CT, ME, VT, and parts of NY, NJ, and PA can attend RIC at a 40% discount. As a leader in social mobility, RIC extends this offer of more than $10,000 off of out-of-state tuition to our Northeast Neighbors . Note that the table above does not include the $10,000 stipend that students receive during Fall/Spring of Year 3 (internship year).

For information about applying for financial aid, please contact the Financial Aid Office   401-456-8033 .

Yes. Applicants are eligible to apply for Graduate and Teaching Assistantships in various RIC programs and departments. To learn more about available assistantships and to apply see here . The application deadline for assistantships is March 15th. To be considered for an assistantship, applicants are encouraged to apply prior to acceptance into the program.

Full-time Graduate and Teaching Assistants receive an annual stipend of $3,150. Half-time GA’s receive $1,575. Full-time positions are accompanied by a waiver of all tuition for courses at Rhode Island College for the academic year and for one summer (the summer previous to or following the appointment). Students with half-time positions receive a waiver of half tuition for courses at Rhode Island College for the academic year and one summer.

Application Requirements

As stated on our program webpage , the following must be provided by February 1st:

• A completed application form accompanied by a $50 nonrefundable application fee.
• Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate records.
• A résumé or curriculum vitae.
• A professional goals essay.
• Three letters of recommendation accompanied by candidate rating forms.
• Performance based evaluation.

After you submit the email addresses for each of your references, they will receive an email prompt to submit their letters of recommendation. Within the system they will be prompted to complete a candidate rating form (you do not provide this to them, they will see it when they submit your letter online).

The performance-based evaluation could be a review from an employer, supervisor, or professor regarding the quality of your work. A performance-based evaluation measures your ability to perform a task or series of tasks in real time. It can be a work evaluation or applied task from a class such as service learning or a research project presentation.

No. As of 2022, the GRE and/or MAT are no longer required.

No, the Psychology GRE is not required.

Transfer Credits

Applicants can transfer up to 13 credits, with the approval of program faculty. With the 13 credits that can be transferred towards the C.A.G.S degree, the courses must have been taken within 6 years. The RIC Graduate Studies Manual (2022, p. 8) states:

E. Transfer Credits A candidate may request credit for work taken at other regionally accredited institutions of higher learning. Candidates must successfully complete a residency requirement of a minimum of 4/5 of the credit hours of the graduate degree program at Rhode Island College. In considering a request for transfer credit, the student’s advisor will review the program of study, carefully evaluate the relevance of the proposed courses to the Plan of Study, and consider the availability of courses to fulfill credit requirements. Transfer credit is granted only when approved by the student's adviser, the Program Director and Academic Dean. In order to qualify for transfer credit, the following conditions must be satisfied: 1. The student must have earned a grade of B or better for graduate-level coursework. 2. The graduate-level coursework approved to be included in a Plan of Study may be from a candidate’s previously completed graduate degree. 3. Transfer credit for courses taken more than six years prior to awarding of the Master's degree need to be approved by the Program Director and Academic Dean. 4. The work must have clear and unquestioned relevance to the student's Plan of Study. 5. A student enrolled at Rhode Island College may receive transfer credit for work subsequently taken at another institution under the provisions cited above only if approval is obtained in writing from the appropriate Academic Dean before the student enrolls for the course. 6. Any credits transferred from another institution of higher learning will be so indicated on the student's transcript. However, the grade earned at that institution would not be recorded or used in computing the student's GPA. (edits approved by Graduate Committee April 2019) To determine 4/5 of transfer credits refer to Form A-20 here .

Questions Specific to Applicants Who Already Have a M.A. in Counseling

Note: The following questions are specific to applicants applying with a M.A. in Counseling degree, who wish to complete the C.A.G.S. in the school psychology program.

For applicants with a M.A. in Counseling, the program faculty will review previous transcripts and degree(s). The following courses comprise the M.A. in Counseling with a concentration in Educational Psychology: CEP 531, CEP 532, CEP 534, CEP 536, CEP 537, CEP 538, CEP 554, CEP 533, CEP 551, and CEP 602. Program faculty will review the applicant’s transcript to identify missing courses. CEP 533, CEP 551, and CEP 602 are not typically completed as part of a M.A. in Counseling Degree, so C.A.G.S-only students must take these courses upon acceptance to the program.

No. This is not required for applicants who have successfully completed a M.A. in Counseling.

No. C.A.G.S-only students take fewer courses than M.A./C.A.G.S students, but the timeline remains three years to program completion. Courses and training experiences are developmentally sequenced over a three-year period within a cohort model.

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Ph.D. in Cognition & Perception

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The Program in Cognition & Perception spans multiple subareas of psychology, such as perception, attention, memory, categorization, language, emotion, decision-making, development, motor control, and cognitive neuroscience. How do we identify the letter "a"? How do we perceive depth and shape? What representational resources are innate? How do human cultures, and individual children, go beyond innate representational capacities? How do toddlers make decisions about their world? How are explicit and implicit memories coded in the brain? How do we inhibit inappropriate responses? How are sentences understood? How are new concepts acquired? How does attention affect perception?

The Program in Cognition and Perception spans two campuses: NYU in New York and in Abu Dhabi. Our Cognition and Perception faculty page lists the faculty associated with each campus. A Ph.D. student for NYU in New York typically spends five years in New York taking courses and carrying out research. A Ph.D. student for NYU in Abu Dhabi will typically spend two years primarily in New York with multiple visits to Abu Dhabi. During those two years, students complete all or most of their coursework as well as carrying out research in collaboration with an NYU Abu Dhabi advisor and a co-mentor in New York. The subsequent three years are spent in Abu Dhabi completing the dissertation research and any remaining course requirements. For more information on the Global Ph.D. program, click  here .

In the Program in Cognition & Perception, students and faculty investigate how people perceive, think, and act. Research is central in our graduate training. Students are exposed to a broad range of knowledge in cognition and perception and they are trained to think creatively and to develop independent research careers. Students and faculty work closely with researchers in other departments and research centers:  ( Neural Science ,  Computer Science , Data Science ,  Linguistics , and  Philosophy ). Every week there are journal club discussions and talks by leading researchers that take place within the Psychology Department, in other NYU departments, and at other nearby schools in New York City (see Events link). Ready access to researchers at several great universities and to incredible cultural resources makes New York City a great place to study perception and cognition.

Our graduate students begin research immediately. Research includes behavioral methods as well as measurements of motor responses (arm and eye movements, locomotion), brain responses (using fMRI, MEG and EEG), perturbation of brain responses (using TMS) and other physiological measurements (e.g., hormone levels). Students typically work with one faculty mentor, although lab rotations and cross-lab collaborations are also frequent and encouraged. Ours is a highly collaborative Program with many research projects that combine the expertise of more than one faculty member. Students benefit from interaction with their faculty advisers and the lively exchange of research ideas among students, postdocs, and faculty at theCognition and Perception Area Seminar, many other research seminars and journal clubs in several research areas (Development, Decision-making, Concepts and Categorization, etc.)  and our annual Miniconvention. As a result of this focus on research, our students publish regularly in high-impact journals and go on to become researchers at the best research universities and industrial laboratories.

Students in Cognition & Perception follow a rigorous, highly quantitative/computational curriculum of courses.  Our curriculum is designed to help students master the skills required to accomplish high quality research. Within the first two years, most students have completed the bulk of our primary course requirements. We require students to three courses in Core Content areas, such as Memory, Perception, Attention, Cognitive Development, Psycholinguistics and Cognitive Neuroscience. In addition, we require all students to take at least two courses in quantitative methods, chosen from a wide array of options such as probability theory, simulation, advanced statistical methods, etc. In addition, there are advanced seminars in areas related to the research areas of the faculty and students. The complete curricular requirements for the PhD are listed here .

A key aspect of our program is its strength in cognitive neuroscience. A key aspect of this is our full set of on-site, research-dedicated facilities for cognitive neuroscience research, including fMRI, EEG, MEG, TMS, etc.  The  Center for Brain Imaging  and other cognitive neuroscience resources are designed to allow students the training and opportunity to become experts in cognitive neuroscience. Through a combination of course work and hands-on experience, students receive training in the techniques of cognitive neuroscience and apply these techniques to their chosen research questions.

The department is strong in graduate mentorship. Together with faculty from the Center for Neural Science and the Department of Neuroscience at the School of Medicine, faculty from the Department of Psychology participate in the monthly event series " Growing up in Science " (featured in Science ), in which guests tell their life stories with an emphasis on struggles, detours, doubts, and failures. Many of our PhD students attend. The series organizer, Prof. Wei Ji Ma, is faculty in our department. The students learn outside of courses and labs, including several journal clubs (most student-organized). We also have developed a policy that encourages summer internships (e.g., in industry). Many students also participate in science advocacy through the Scientist Action and Advocacy Network . As a program and as a department we encourage student participation at all levels, including student representatives to Psychology and Program faculty meetings and faculty search committees.

Students join a laboratory and begin to design and carry out a research project in their first semester. Students are required to write up and present their research in our annual Miniconvention at the end of the first and second years, and also present their research in our Area Seminar during the fourth year. We encourage students to collaborate with more than one faculty member, including doing a full laboratory rotation or two. Students may work with primary Cognition & Perception faculty or with affiliates from other programs (e.g., Social Psychology) or departments (e.g., the Center for Neural Science).

We consider the best experience that students can have to become productive researchers is to carry out, write up, and present their research projects. The 1st- and 2nd-year research requirements emphasize this goal. The content and methods courses are designed to provide students with the context and tools they need to produce world-class research on their own. By and large our students are highly successful once they complete the Ph.D. Some students remain in academia, continuing on to postdoctoral research positions and faculty jobs. Because of the particularly string quantitative and computational training they receive, our graduates are in high demand for jobs in Data Science (mostly in New York and the San Francisco Bay Area) as well as other industry positions (e.g., with virtual/augmented-reality companies). After graduating, most of our students have gone on to research careers (see Alumni )

All students accepted into our graduate program are fully funded through the Henry M. MacCracken Program or the NYUAD Global PhD Fellowship.

MacCracken funding is provided through a combination of teaching assistantship, research assistantship, and fellowship, in proportions to be determined. The award package typically includes a full tuition scholarship, comprehensive health insurance and a stipend. Funding is typically guaranteed for five years, although students with substantial graduate credits or a Master's degree may only be guaranteed four years of support.

NYUAD Global PhD Fellowships include full tuition scholarship, health insurance, travel benefits, and a stipend. Funding is for five years, which typically includes two years or less of course work in New York and the remaining at least three years or more of dissertation research in Abu Dhabi. Campus housing in Abu Dhabi is provided free of cost and is available to all Global Fellows.

There is a very limited supply of subsidized housing available for graduate students in New York which is generally used for a subset of each entering class to provide them the opportunity to get settled in New York City during their first year of residence.

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Which psychology field is right for me?

May 15, 2024

Reading time: 4 minutes

Are you interested in using theory, analysis and evidence-based approaches to understand how people think, learn, develop and behave and to help them thrive? If you want to explore new ways to make a difference, the options for discovering your professional path in psychology may seem endless – and you may have found that you need advanced knowledge and skills to take the next step.

What skills can I develop with a psychology degree?

The specific skills that can be useful in the field of psychology will vary depending on the area of study you pursue and your degree level. Some of the broad skills that are important to develop include:

• Communication: Strong communication skills are an asset for helping individuals, groups or organizations, conveying research findings or working with colleagues.
• Ethical awareness: You may be required to handle sensitive information, which means respecting confidentiality.
• Analysis and critical thinking: When you conduct research or work with your stakeholders, you should be able to interpret data and understand how to apply what you know to different situations.
• Patience: Making progress toward specific goals takes time, whether it’s discussing solutions with a patient or conducting research on a study.
• Empathy and active listening: Understanding and recognizing the feelings of others starts with giving your full attention and knowing how to recognize verbal and nonverbal cues.
• Inclusivity: Recognizing the diverse perspectives of people and their communities and examining your own biases can help you adapt your approach to different needs.

Which area of psychology is right for me?

As you explore areas of psychology, these questions may help you figure out your interests:

• Who do you want to help?
• Are you more interested in clinical or applied areas of psychology?
• What issues do you want to focus on?

Your answers to these questions can help you find paths to explore, including degree options that could help you pursue your professional goals. You will need to conduct your own research to understand what opportunities may be available to you. Note that some professional paths may require you to have previous experience, licensure,* certifications or other designations along with a degree.

While Capella cannot guarantee that a graduate will secure any specific career outcome – such as a job title, promotion, salary increase or other career outcome – we encourage you to research requirements for your job target and career goals.

*It is important to understand all educational and individual requirements for licensing. Capella University cannot guarantee licensure, certification or endorsement. State regulations vary regarding professional licensure. It is your responsibility to understand and comply with requirements for your state.

What can you do with a psychology degree?

Based on where your interests lie, explore some fields of psychology and degree options offered by Capella.

Clinical psychology:  Study human behavior and help people build wellness and emotional resilience.

• BS in Psychology Pre-Counseling & Therapy
• MS in Clinical Psychology
• PsyD in Clinical Psychology

Behavioral health:  Treat populations in distress to improve emotional, social and mental health.

• BS in Psychology, Applied Behavior Analysis
• MS in Applied Behavioral Analysis
• PhD in Behavior Analysis

Developmental psychology:  Promote positive development, social growth and emotional changes throughout all stages of life.

• MS in Psychology, Child & Adolescent Development
• PhD in Psychology, Developmental Psychology

Educational psychology: Study how people learn and retain knowledge.

• MS in Psychology, Educational Psychology
• PhD in Psychology, Educational Psychology

School psychology:  Apply principles of educational and developmental psychology to meet behavior and educational needs in a learning environment.

• MS in School Psychology
• EdS in School Psychology
• PsyD in School Psychology

Industrial/organizational psychology:  Support leaders and organizations through an understanding of human behavior to help create efficiencies and advance team performance.

• MS in Psychology, Industrial/Organizational Psychology
• PhD in Psychology, Industrial/Organizational Psychology  

Learn more about Capella’s  bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral psychology programs and graduate certificates.

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School of Psychology

College of sciences, search form, college of sciences announces new minors, ph.d. program and curriculum additions.

This fall, the College of Sciences will debut three new minors, a new Ph.D. program, and a new “4+1” B.S./M.S. degree program. 

The announcement follows curriculum updates for the 2023-24 academic year, including the launch of the Minor in the Science of Mental Health and Well-Being in the School of Psychology and the creation of three new bachelor of science degrees in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. 

“We are excited to announce these additions to the College’s portfolio of academic opportunities for our students,” says David M. Collard , senior associate dean in the College of Sciences and professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry . “The updates reflect our College’s growth and respond to our students’ interest in pursuing advanced study.”

The additions for the 2024-2025 academic year include: 

“4+1” B.S./M.S. Degree Program

The College offers several options for undergraduate students to earn both a bachelor of science degree and a master of science degree as a part of a “4+1” program. Students may apply to the B.S./M.S Degree Program after being at Georgia Tech for about one year. This allows them to tailor their undergraduate and graduate academic requirements to complete both degrees in a timely manner. 

Computing and Cognition Minor 

The Minor in Computation and Cognition is a highly interdisciplinary program that combines advanced computational training with the study of human cognition. Students will learn about the computational mechanisms underlying human cognition and use computational methods to better understand human cognition. Established by the School of Psychology in collaboration with the College of Computing and with support from the Schools of Physics and Mathematics , the minor is open to all students starting this fall.

There are several new courses in the School of Psychology supporting this minor, including PSYC 4690 (Sensation and Perception: A Computational Perspective) and PSYC/PHYS 4745 (Physics of Cognition). These two classes are offered as special topics this fall but will have permanent course numbers in Spring 2025. More new courses in computation and cognition are planned for the next year and beyond.  

Neuroscience and Neurotechnology Ph.D. Program, Neuroscience Minor

The new Ph.D. and minor offerings build on the recently launched Neuro Next Initiative in Research and the Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience , respectively. 

The new Neuroscience and Neurotechnology Ph.D. Program is a joint effort across the Colleges of Science, Computing and Engineering. It is focused on educating students to advance the field of neuroscience through an interdisciplinary approach, with scientists and engineers of diverse backgrounds — ultimately integrating neuroscience research and technological development to study all levels of nervous system function. The program expects to enroll its first graduate students in Fall 2025.

Approved by the Board of Regents in 2017, the interdisciplinary B.S. in Neuroscience degree enrolled more than 400 undergraduate students in 2022, and has been the fastest growing undergraduate major at Georgia Tech. The Minor in Neuroscience is set to become available during the 2024-25 academic year.  

Quantum Sciences and Technology Minor

In response to the explosion of research, development, investment, and hiring in quantum information science taking place across academia, national labs, and private industry, the School of Physics is now hosting a new Minor in Quantum Sciences . 

Available starting this fall, the program is open to all students, regardless of major, who are interested in learning more about quantum information theory, applications of quantum information to measurement, quantum materials, quantum computation, quantum algorithms, quantum communication, or any other quantum science related topics. The coursework includes basic training in quantum mechanics and quantum information, and a choice of quantum-related electives in physics, math, chemistry, computer science, and electrical engineering. 

The minor was established by the School of Physics in partnership with the School of Mathematics and the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry in addition to the Colleges of Computing and Engineering.

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