Student Learning Outcomes

The student learning outcomes are to demonstrate profession-wide competence. There are three primary aims that guide the program’s education and training:

1) to prepare psychologists who are knowledgeable and competent in research;

 2) to prepare psychologists who are knowledgeable and competent in the delivery of health service psychology; and

3) to prepare psychologists who are knowledgeable and competent in the specialty area of school psychology. 

To ensure that all students acquire a general knowledge base in science and practice preparation (Aim 1), the field of psychology and health service psychology (i.e., Aim 2) and the specialty area of school psychology (i.e., Aim 3), profession-wide competencies were established.  The program believes that these competencies are integrated and dynamic.  As program graduates enter professional practice, continuous input and improvement will occur, which requires all program graduates to engage in life-long learning.

Program Requirements

The education and training offered in the School Psychology Program is sequential, cumulative, graded in complexity, and designed to prepare students for further education and professional practice in health service psychology.

The Ph.D. requires a minimum of 90 credits of coursework and a series of Milestones. Seven course areas are mandated by NYSED and students do not have the option of substituting courses in place of mandated courses (PSY 614, 677, 617, 682, 653, 894, 655, and 756).

Required Course Work

1) School Psychology Core (33 credit hours)

2) Intervention Models (6 credits)

• PSY 765 - Principles of Behavior Modification 3 credit(s)

• PSY 600:Selected Topics: Child and Family Interventions

3) Psychology Core (27 credits)

4) Research (18 credits)

(18 credits from the following)

• PSY 997 - Masters Thesis 1-6 credit(s)
• PSY 999 - Dissertation 1-15 credit(s)

5) Internship in School Psychology (6 credits)

• PSY 885 - Internship in School Psychology 0-6 credit(s)

Total Credits Required (90 credits)

Milestones

In addition to the required coursework, all students must complete the following milestones:

Master’s Thesis

All students are required to complete a Master’s thesis upon completion of approximately 30 hours of graduate work unless they enter the program with a completed thesis or a Master’s degree.  Students who completed a Master’s thesis elsewhere will be required to complete a pre-doctoral project instead of the Master’s thesis. 

Comprehensive Exam

The comprehensive exam includes two levels: 1) professional examination assessing broad and general preparation for entry-level practice; and 2) integrative program examination assessing research preparation and broad and general preparation for the recognized specialty practice. 

Dissertation

All students are required to complete a doctoral dissertation, and their doctoral dissertation proposal must be defended prior to beginning the pre-doctoral internship.

Internship

The internship is a year-long, organized training program that is designed to provide students with a planned, programmed, sequence of training experiences associated with the practice of psychology and is satisfactory in quality, breadth, scope, and nature.

Optional Concentrations

Admissions

The program is strongly committed to the recruitment of individuals from diverse backgrounds.  Applications are considered for the fall term only, and the deadline for receipt of the completed application is December 1. Only full-time students are considered for admission. 

The program receives approximately 70 applications per year for three to four openings. There are approximately 20 students in the program.  Most students entering the school psychology program have had an undergraduate major in either psychology or education, but the program is not restricted to these majors. However, students with an undergraduate major in other fields may need more study in psychology and education than those who already have the appropriate foundation.  Prior involvement in independent research (e.g., paper presentations) as well as mental health or education-related services (e.g., supervisor evaluations) is recommended.

Financial Support

The department makes a determined effort to offer each student who is in good standing financial support in the form of a stipend and tuition remission. Stipends may stem from several sources including, clinical assistantships, teaching assistantships, research assistantships, fellowships, or clinical internships and externships. Outstanding students are placed into competition for University-wide fellowships. In addition, students are encouraged to apply for available external funding.

Satisfactory Progress

Students’ progress is reviewed by the program faculty in three main areas: (a) academic or course-related requirements, (b) clinical / interpersonal skill development, and (c) research requirements.  Maintenance of a satisfactory GPA (3.0) is necessary for success in the School Psychology Program, but it is not sufficient to guarantee progress toward the doctoral degree. In addition, students are required to earn a grade of B or better in all required courses.

As part of scientist-practitioner training, students must demonstrate satisfactory clinical and interpersonal skills, actively participate in a research group, demonstrate the ability to function independently in all phases of the research process, and make timely progress toward completion of research requirements.

All students who receive department funding as a Teaching Assistant will be evaluated each semester by the faculty member assigned to the course. Each student’s overall performance will be assessed (e.g., teaching effort and performance, attendance, meeting deadlines, following course guidelines and policies, professionalism, etc.). In addition, if the TA assignment includes teaching, the faculty member may conduct an in-class observation to evaluate each student’s teaching skills and individualized feedback will be provided. It is expected that a student’s overall performance each semester, as assessed by the faculty member assigned to the course, will meet or exceed expectations in order for a student to remain in good standing in the program. 

Notes

*The official designation required by the New York State Board of Regents is School Psychologist.