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Admission | Curriculum
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Ph.D. Program Accredited by the American Psychological Association
Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation
750 First Street, NE
Washington, DC * 20002-4242
Phone: 202-336-5979
Email: apaaccred@apa.org
http://www.apa.org/ed/accreditation
This is a 113 credit hour Ph.D. program which
includes coursework, practica, dissertation and
internship. Completion of this program leads to
an M.S.Ed. in Child Psychology, Ph.D. and Certification
in School Psychology by the Pennsylvania Department
of Education and prepares graduates to apply for
licensure by a State Board of Psychology. In addition
to practicing psychology in schools, child clinics
and child service agencies doctoral-level school
psychologists can become licensed for the independent
practice of psychology and work as a university
professor. Upon completing this program and successfully
passing the Praxis School Psychology Exam, graduates
may be credentialed as Nationally Certified School
Psychologists (NCSP).
Program Model
Scientist-Practitioner
Program Competencies 1.
Legal/Ethical Practice and Professional Development:
Develop a knowledge base and understanding of
the various roles and functions of practicing,
academic, and supervising school psychologists,
and be able to selectively deliver services from
a variety of alternative models. Develop a knowledge
base of federal and state laws, professional ethics,
and professional standards and the skills to apply
them in public and private educational agencies.
Develop the skills to adhere to due process guidelines
in major decisions affecting all students. Develop
the skills to adhere to ethical practices for
conducting research in school psychology.
2. Organization and Operation of Schools:
Develop an understanding of the organization and
administration of public schools as systems and
the cultural, ethnic, religious and geographic
diversity of the students, families and staff
served by school psychologists. Develop an awareness
of community resources and the roles of other
professionals in helping children, parents and
school personnel. Develop the skills to foster
and facilitate interagency partnerships among
family, school, health care, and community agencies
to create and maintain safe, supportive, and effective
learning environments. Develop the skills to conduct
effective program evaluations of services.
3. Assessment: Develop the
skills to select, administer, score, and interpret
psychoeducational tests for individuals of different
ages, exceptionalities, and cultural backgrounds.
Develop competence in the use of interviewing,
functional behavioral assessment, and curriculum-based
assessment methods for problem-solving and identifying
evidenced-based interventions. Develop the skills
to integrate psychological and educational assessment
data to develop academic and behavioral interventions
and to communicate those data in a variety of
ways.
4. Biological Basis of Behavior:
Develop a knowledge to select, administer, interpret,
and evaluate psychological tests of brain-behavior
relationships. Develop a knowledge to integrate
information derived from such tests into psychoeducational
reports, recommend school-based interventions,
and evaluate intervention outcome.
5. Counseling: Develop a counseling
and mental health knowledge base and the evidence-based
interventions to work with students who have educational,
emotional, and/or behavioral problems to mitigate
the emergence of enduring, unhealthy patterns
of behavior. Develop a knowledge base and skills
to help students, families and schools deal with
crises, such as school violence, suicide and loss.
Develop the skills to evaluate the effectiveness
of services.
6. Consultation: Develop a
knowledge base of behavioral, mental health, and
collaborative consultation. Develop the skills
to collaborate with school professionals and families
to provide direct and indirect services. Collaborate
in the design, implementation, and evaluation
of evidence-based interventions. Develop the oral
and written communication and interpersonal skills
necessary to communicate effectively with children,
families, and school personnel from varied cultural,
ethnic, religious, and geographic backgrounds.
Develop the interpersonal skills to function as
team leaders in school-based multidisciplinary
teams. Develop the skills to conduct program evaluations
of school psychological services.
7. Intervention: Develop a
knowledge base and the skills to identify controllable,
causal aspects of social, emotional, and academic
difficulties and design, implement, and evaluate
through progress monitoring evidence-based interventions.
Develop the skills to provide prevention and intervention
programs that promote the mental health and physical
well-being of students. Recognize the importance
of implementing evidence-based interventions for
primary prevention and management of academic,
behavioral difficulties.
8. Student Diversity in Development and
Learning: Develop a knowledge base of
individual differences, abilities, and disabilities
and of the potential influence of biological,
social, cultural, ethnic, experiential, socioeconomic,
gender-related, and linguistic factors in development
and learning. Demonstrate the sensitivity and
skills needed to work with individuals and families
of diverse characteristics and to implement strategies
selected and/or adapted based on individual characteristics,
strengths, and needs. Recognize the family as
a system and its impact on student learning.
9. Science of Psychology & Education:
Develop an understanding of the value of science
for the practice of psychology and education and
the value of practice for the science of psychology
and education. Develop the skills to utilize an
empirical basis for all methods involved in psychological
and educational practice. Become educated consumers
of research relating to school psychology and
be able to apply these research findings to the
development of solutions for educational and psychological
problems. Be able to disseminate information to
colleagues and families from the school psychology
knowledge base to promote healthy school environments.
Develop competence in progress monitoring and
program evaluation techniques to determine outcomes.
10. Emerging Technology: Develop
a familiarity with technical advances and the
skills to identify the potential applications
of these advances as they relate to the practice
of school psychology. Develop competence in using
technology to advance the practice and science
of school psychology.
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