About the Program
Where can I find more information about
the School Psychology M.S. Program?
To find more information about the School Psychology M.S. Program,
please go online to http://www.stjohns.edu/schoolpsych/ms.
Is the School Psychology program NASP
approved?
The School Psychology M.S. Program is fully approved by the
National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) until December
2016.
Is the Master of Science (M.S.) program a
terminal degree?
The M.S. program, or Specialist Level, is a terminal degree.
Completion of the 66-credit Master of Science program in School
Psychology allows the student to qualify for a provisional New York
State Certification that authorizes practice as a school
psychologist.
Are students certified as school
psychologists following completion of the program?
Yes. All graduates of the M.S. program can be provisionally
certified as school psychologists in the state of New York.
Permanent certification as a school psychologist can be obtained
after two years of full-time employment as a school
psychologist.
What if I complete the M.S. program but
want to live and work in another state?
Several of our previous graduates have successfully completed the
M.S. program and later moved to another state with little or no
problems. In addition to becoming certified as a school
psychologist in New York, graduates of our programs can also become
nationally certified by the National Association of School
Psychologists (NASP). This does NOT mean students are nationally
certified in any state; rather, it means they have met a national
standard of quality. However, about 50% of U.S. states currently
accept national certification for state certification. As such,
students graduating from the M.S. programs who desire to live and
work in states other than New York have not had significant
problems doing so.
What is the procedure if I attended a previous graduate program and
already have graduate credits?
A student may transfer a maximum of twelve (12) credits from
another accredited university with the approval of the Program
Director and Dean. Requested transfer credits must not have
fulfilled requirements for another degree. Catalog descriptions and
an official transcript copy must be presented to the Program
Director for the graduate courses for which transfer credit is
requested. The Program Director will forward all information to the
Dean's office for final approval. If the grade obtained was below a
"B,” no transfer credit will be allowed. No credit will be given
for pass/fail courses. To request transfer credit, students must
have already completed a minimum of twelve credits in the graduate
program at St. John's. The entire review process takes one to two
months. Transfer of credit must occur before the semester in which
the student will be applying for the comprehensive examination
(first semester of third year).
Can I enroll in the M.S. program and then
transfer into the Psy.D. program?
Some students do choose to apply to transfer from the M.S. program
to the Psy.D. program. This is permitted in their second year (if
space in the Psy.D. class permits). In order to apply to transfer,
students are required to follow the procedure outlined for new
applicants. Typically, about one to three students are accepted
into the Psy.D. program from the M.S. program. After completing the
M.S. program Students may also apply for admission to the Psy.D.
program, with advanced standing status.
Do your students come straight from undergraduate or do they
typically get experience working or researching before
applying?
Our program has a mix of both. Many of our students do apply
straight from undergrad, but we also have several students in each
year that have one to more years of work experience
Are classes taught in the summer?
The core program courses are taught during the fall and spring
semesters. Students may find some foundation or an elective course,
which they may wish to take during the summer.
How often are classes taught?
Unlike most undergraduate colleges and universities, graduate
classes are typically held once per week for approximately two to
three hours.
How many classes do students take each semester?
Students typically take four classes during the fall and spring
semesters.
What are the professors like?
The majority of the professors are extremely easy to talk to. There
is a large focus on collaboration among individuals, regardless of
whether the person is a student or professor. Most professors make
every effort to be approachable and leave phone numbers and e-mail
information.
Where can I find a description of the
courses?
To view the course sequences you can find them here:
M.S. General Track Full-Time,
M.S. General Track Part-Time,
M.S. Bilingual Track Full-Time, and
M.S. Bilingual Track Part-Time.
For a more detailed descriptions of the courses, please see our
student handbook.
Are your programs research
oriented?
There are no research requirements for the M.S. students. However,
many of our students engage in further research on their own, with
fellow students, and in collaboration with faculty. Our faculty are
involved in
research and all of our students are encouraged to participate
in research projects, attend conventions, and present at
conventions. St. John’s School Psychology Programs are known for
having a large presence at the national conventions (APA, NASP and
ABCT) every year, in terms of number of students attending and
number of students presenting. To read about and see the types of
research students and faculty are presenting at conventions, please
click
here.
What is an Internship?
The third-year field placement for M.S. students is a full-time
internship that is the capstone experience of the program. The
student is expected to work throughout the entire academic school
year of the district. Students must have their placement approved
by the Program Director or the Coordinator of Field Placements. In
addition, the field placement coordinator will advise and help
students obtain internships. To see a list of students’ internship
placements please click
here.
Who helps students with internship
placements?
We have a field based coordinator, Dr. Bobrow, that solely works
closely with students to assist in finding, applying to, and
monitoring placements. Dr. Bobrow ensures that all placements and
supervisors meet our program requirements, along with certification
requirements. She also assists students as problems arise in
internship placements.