Bilingual Track

  • Students interested in completing the Bilingual Program in School Psychology must take the NY state bilingual tests (one in their second language and another test in English, if foreign born).
  • Evidence of completion of these tests must be provided prior to entering the program or by the completion of the first semester of enrollment.
  • Bilingual courses can be taken by students not officially in the bilingual track with approval of the program director.
  • The change of official track designation will occur only after passing the state mandated test.
  • The curriculum requirements for the bilingual school psychology program meet the requirements for Bilingual Certification by the NYS Education Department in the following manner:
  • Twelve courses (36 credits) in the general school psychology program are also required of students in the bilingual program.
  • The following four courses in the program were altered to reflect material required by the New York State Department of Education for Bilingual Certification:
    • Developmental Psychology (PSY 623) includes more discussion of cross-cultural perspectives in child development.
    • Interviewing and Case Formulation (PSY 666) includes readings in counseling and interviewing culturally diverse children.
    • Child and Adolescent Personality Assessment I (PSY 671) includes instruction on the use of a new personality test standardized with Hispanic youth (e.g., TEMAS).
    • School Psychology Internship Seminar I (PSY 752B) includes instruction on the state education department's regulations concerning the assessment and placement of bilingual children.
  • Practicum I & II (PSY 761B & 762B) provides practicum experience in serving bilingual children and their families for students in their second year prior to their internship. These courses are similar in structure to the courses taken by the regular school psychology program (PSY 761 & 762) with one exception. That is, the students in these courses are supervised by a bilingual school psychologist and trained to provide school psychological services to bilingual children and their families.
  • Three courses (9 credits) are also required for students in the bilingual program. These include: "Psychoeducational Assessment of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Children" (662B), "Cultural Diversity in Psychological Services"(Psy 627), and "Psycholinguistics and the Practice of School Psychology with Bilingual Populations" (Psy 729), Nondiscriminatory Assessment and Field Assessment (Psy 754).