Overview of Area Sequence    

The School Psychology master's specialization relies on an ecological framework focusing on the individual child, school, family, community, and culture. Underlying this ecological perspective is a central concern for the preventive aspects of providing psychological services. Our three-year (including internship) program sequence reflects these priorities.

First Year

The initial focus of the professional sequence is an orientation to school psychology as a professional specialty within psychology, as well as the legal and ethical issues relevant to practice and research. During the first year curriculum students also begin to acquire skill in psycho-educational evaluation activities and individualized psychological and educational planning with children and their parents.

Second Year

The focus of the second year is the expansion of assessment skills to include socio-emotional and cognitive behavioral assessment. Counseling skills, cognitive behavioral  intervention, and consultation activities that concentrate on the classroom setting and teachers as instructional, social, and emotional resources to children are also emphasized

Third Year

Students go on school internships during the third year of their specialization. In addition, students take a course on the family and the school as social systems. At the end of this year, students take their licensure exams.

See also Required Courses