School Psychology, Ph.D.

Program Overview

The PhD in School Psychology prepares students for careers as professors, school psychologists, and professionals in organizations serving children, youth, and families. The program emphasizes social justice, research, and applied experience, and is accredited by the American Psychological Association and approved by the National Association of School Psychologists.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

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.

Outline:

The program provides a strong foundation in current and past theories, research findings, and methodologies in school psychology. Students learn to 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. Students also 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. They learn to 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. Students 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. They conduct independent research and analyze and interpret resulting data in school psychology and related fields. Students 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). Students communicate effectively in collaborative work, instructional activities, and/or consultation settings with students and professional colleagues.

Teaching:

The program is taught by a team of experienced faculty members who are experts in their field. The faculty use a variety of teaching methods, including lectures, discussions, seminars, and workshops. They also provide individualized feedback to students on their work.

Careers:

Graduates of the program are prepared for a variety of careers in school psychology, including positions as professors, researchers, and practitioners. They are also well-prepared to work in other settings, such as mental health clinics, hospitals, and private practice.