Master of Science in School Psychology

St. John's University's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences offers courses in a challenging master's program in School Psychology at our Oakdale Graduate Center. The cohort style curriculum is taught by a dedicated faculty active in the profession and committed to the University's tradition of academic excellence.

Students entering the program also receive a laptop computer that allows them to take advantage of the fully wireless environment at our Oakdale location

• The M.S. program leads to New York Certification as a School Psychologist. The Certificate is valid for five years from the date of issuance; with the accumulation of two years experience as a school psychologist, a permanent certificate is issued in the field of pupil personnel services.
• The program has established relationships with a wide range of field placements throughout the region to serve as practicum and internship sites.
• In the third year of the program, students must complete a full-time academic year internship under the supervision of a certified school psychologist, which includes a seminar component that has been assigned and approved by the Director of the School Psychology Program.
• The program espouses the scholar/practitioner model of training. All students receive training in the evaluation of scientific research, the basic science of psychology and empirically based practices. We expect all graduates to have the scholarly skills necessary to evaluate current scientific findings in order to develop empirically based models of practice.
• The program requires 66 credits beyond the baccalaureate. Students may attend full or part time. Further, the student must pass a comprehensive examination that is offered in the spring semester of the third year. The student is given two opportunities to pass the comprehensive examination.
• Applicants are required (1) to have completed a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college; (2) to have completed 24 undergraduate credits in psychology (these credits must include an introductory course in psychology, a course in statistics and a research methods course with a lab); (3) to have completed both the general and subject GREs; and (4) to submit two papers that they have written in their undergraduate or graduate education.

Program Requirements
The program requires the satisfactory completion of 66 credits and a comprehensive examination that is offered in the spring semester of the third year. Student must maintain a "B" average and are given two opportunities to pass the comprehensive examination. Students must also achieve a grade of at least "B" in Psy 761, 762, 752, and 753.

63 of the 66 credits will be taken at the Oakdale Campus.  One course will be completed with students from the same program offered at the Queens campus.  This is PSY 752 the capstone course entitled School Psychology Internship Seminar. This course integrates the material covered in other course and covers the professional practice of school psychology.

Level I
Fall
608 - Statistical Design in Research (3 credits)
616 - Principles of Learning, OR
617 - Cognitive Psychology  (3 credits)
661 - Psychoeducational Assessment I  (3 credits)
665 - Introduction to School Psychology  (3 credits)
695 - Research Colloquium
          (12 credits)

Spring
648 - Physiological Psychology  (3 credits)
666 - Interviewing and Case Formulation  (3 credits)
662 - Psychoeducational Assessment II  (3 credits)
671 - Child-Adolescent Personality Assessment  (3 credits)
695 - Research Colloquium
          (Total credits after the first year -24 credits)

Level II
Fall
659 - Psychological Measurement and Scaling  (3 credits)
715 - Assessment, Diagnosis and Remediation of Learning Disabilities  (3 credits)
726 - Psychopathology in Childhood and Adolescence  (3 credits)
761 - Psychological Assessment Practicum I  (3 credits)
622 - Social Psychology, OR
625 - Cross Cultural Psychology  (3 credits)
695 - Research Colloquium
          (39 credits)

Spring
623 - Developmental Psychology I  (3 credits)
749 - Behavior Therapy: Assessment, Treatment and Consultation (3 credits)
716 - Psychoeducational Consultation in the Classroom  (3 credits)
727 - Psychopathology in Childhood and Adolescence II (3 credits)
762 - Psychological Assessment Practicum in School Psychology II (3 credits)
695 - Research Colloquium
          (Total credits after the second year 54 credits)

Level III
Fall
615 - Research Methods in School Psychology (3 credits)
752 - School Psychology Internship Seminar I - at the Queens Campus (3 credits)
695 - Research Colloquium
          (60 credits)

Spring
753 - School Psychology Internship Seminar II (3 credits)
Elective (3 credits)
695 - Research Colloquium
         (Total credits after the third year 66 credits)

Note
Master's comprehensive examination must be taken in the spring of Level III
In order to satisfy the internship requirements (PSY 752, 753), five full days per week, per semester, must be spent in a public school setting or an agency serving children or adolescents under the supervision of a certified school psychologist.

Assistantships
A limited number of Graduate Assistantships and Administrative Assistantships are awarded on an annual basis to qualified graduate students. Graduated Assistants are generally appointed to the Department of Psychology. Additional assistantships are available in both academic and non-academic departments throughout the University. Recipients are required to maintain full-time course of study, and work 18 hours per week in their respective department. The assistantships provide tuition remission for a maximum of 15 credits and in some cases, a stipend. Recipients are prohibited from outside employment for the duration of their contract with the University.

Interested students must complete the Application for Graduate Assistantships. Two letters of recommendation are required. Additionally, applicants must submit the results of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), both General and Subject tests. Generally, Graduate Assistants have been selected based on academic achievement. Individual departments may have specific criteria for the consideration of assistants; the applicant should contact the Graduate Division of St. John's College for more information.

Applicants for assistantships must also complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and a New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) application; both forms are available in the Office of Financial Aid.

Department Contact
Mark Terjesen, Ph.D.
Director
Marillac Hall, Room SB-36
(718) 990-5861
terjesem@stjohns.edu

Graduate Admission Information
Office of Graduate Admission
(718) 990-1601
gradhelp@stjohns.edu

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