MA/SSP Curriculum
Master’s Degree plus a Specialist in School Psychology (MA/SSP)
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MA/SSP School Psychology Curriculum
MA in School Psychology degree 34 s.h.
- PSYC 6001 – Seminar in Psychology (1)
- PSYC 6333 – Applied Behavior Analysis (3)
- PSYC 6404 – Ethics and Law in School Psychology (3)
- PSYC 6406 – Advanced Developmental Psychology (3)
- PSYC 6407 – Cultural Psychology (3)
- PSYC 6409 – School Assessment I (3)
- PSYC 6410 – School Assessment II (3)
- PSYC 6430 – Statistics and Research Design (3)
- PSYC 6452 – Child and Adolescent Psychopathology (3)
- PSYC 6467 – Psychotherapeutic Interventions with Children & Families (3)
- PSYC 7000 – Thesis (6) or PSYC 6519 & 6520 – Directed Research (6)
Specialist in School Psychology (SSP) degree 36 s.h.
- PSYC 6353 – Behavioral Assessment and Intervention (3)
- PSYC 6402 – School Consultation (3)
- PSYC 7442 – School Interventions I (3)
- PSYC 7443 – School Interventions II (3)
- PSYC 7950 – School Practicum I (3)
- PSYC 7951 – School Practicum II (3)
- PSYC 7992 – School Internship I (6)
- PSYC 7993 – School Internship II (6)
- Educational Foundations Electives (6)
Research Requirement
Students are required to complete a research project under the supervision of a school psychology faculty member. This can be in the form of a Thesis or Directed Research project. In order to successfully complete the Thesis, the student must pass an oral examination (thesis defense) and submit a completed document, which has been approved by their thesis committee, in accordance with current Graduate School requirements. In order to complete the Directed Research project, the student must design and implement a rigorous intervention case study and formally present the results to the School Psychology faculty during an annual in-house poster presentation session. Detailed descriptions of the Thesis and Directed Research options appear in the Student Handbook.
Culminating Assessment
The Portfolio
Students must complete a portfolio for their final evaluation during the internship year that demonstrates their ability to perform skills at the beginning practice level. The portfolio forms one basis for the final grade in the internship and successful completion of the program. The curriculum is designed to foster the achievement of the 10 training competencies identified by the program training goals and philosophy stated earlier. Students are required to compile a portfolio demonstrating their mastery of basic practice areas in school psychology by the end of internship. The documentation consists of work samples developed during the training program, with an emphasis on activities during the internship. These documents are selected by the student and represent one’s best work.
Each portfolio will be reviewed by a team of at least two school psychology faculty members. The overall portfolio will be evaluated on the following bases: (a) Completeness of materials; (b) Professional appearance and organization; (c) Content and clarity of written communication; (d) Adequacy of evidence of proficiency in program competencies. A rubric will be provided to evaluators for the purpose of evaluating each artifact. There must be evidence in the portfolio of measuring the positive impact of school psychological services on children and families. A more detailed description of the portfolio appears in the Student Handbook.
Internship
The School Psychology Internship, the culminating professional experience of the program, occurs during the final (3rd) year of graduate training and consists of a minimum 1,200-hour, full-time, supervised professional experience in a school setting. The internship is designed to give the school psychologist-in-training a comprehensive set of activities, tasks and responsibilities related to the competent provision of psychological services in a school setting. Students may start internship only after all course work, practica, thesis, and specialty examinations have been completed. During the internship the intern identifies him/herself as a School Psychology Intern in person and in reports. See the Student Handbook for the internship site agreement, which provides information about objectives and professional activities for the internship.