School Psychology (M.S.), Frequently Asked Questions

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Where can I find more information about the School Psychology M.S. Program?
To find more information about the School Psychology M.S. Program, visit our program page.

Is the School Psychology program NASP approved?
The School Psychology M.S. Program is fully approved by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) through December 2019.

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?
No. We do not permit transfers to the PsyD program as these are two distinct programs with different requirements (although some courses are identical). MS students in their 3rd year and MS program alumni can apply to the Advanced Standing PsyD program for consideration. Admission to this program is highly competitive; often, no Advanced Standing students are admitted to the program during an application cycle.

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 professors are extremely easy to talk to and make every effort to be approachable whether in-person, or by phone or e-mail. A hallmark of the program is the focus on collaboration among individuals including students and professors.

Where can I find a description of the courses?
To view the course sequences you can find them here:

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. Mascolo, that solely works closely with students to assist in finding, applying to, and monitoring placements. Dr. Mascolo ensures that all placements and supervisors meet our program requirements, along with certification requirements. She also assists students as problems arise in internship placements.