Training and Learning Activities

The Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) Program in School Psychology prepares graduates to review the theoretical and empirical literature on a professional topic and draw conclusions concerning how research will drive professional practice and to conceptualize psychological problems of children, and adolescents and their families, and construct professional assessment or treatment plans to resolve their problems.
Graduates will be able to answer professional questions with the collection of empirical data, develop programs that meet the educational and mental health needs of children and their families, and base all professional activities on sound scientific theory and data.

Graduates will perform all professional activities with the highest professional standards in compliance with ethical principles, be committed to service to the community, and appreciate and consider the diversity of social and cultural experiences that influence human behavior.

The program will prepare graduates to:

Demonstrate effective consultation and collaboration skills, using consultative models for problem-solving.

  • Demonstrate satisfactory performance in working individually with parents, teachers, or the schools to address a student’s behavioral, social/emotional, psychological, or academic difficulties.
  • Justify the reason for a referral and indicate the different perspectives of the school administration, teachers, parents, and child.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of community resources and assist with recommendations.
  • Communicate assessment conclusions and recommendations to other agencies.

Demonstrate efficient development of cognitive/academic skills.

  • Demonstrate competency in constructing Individual Education Programs (IEPs),
  • Conduct Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBAs) by working directly with children to remediate areas of academic deficiency.

Demonstrate understanding of student/client socialization and life skills development.

  • Demonstrate knowledge of the diagnostic criteria for varied psychological disorders and their long-term implications
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the framework for conceptualizing behavior and the strategies used to increase adaptive behaviors in children/adults.

Demonstrate knowlege of cultural and linguistic diversity and its impact on the many functions of the school psychologists.

Demonstrate understanding of school and systems organization, policy development, and climate.

  • Demonstrate knowledge of responsibilities, impact of the profession, ethical standards, and legal issues that need to be considered in the practice of school psychology
  • Identify strengths and barriers in the school system and the community that may have an impact on the efficacy of an intervention.

Demonstrate effective skills in prevention, crisis intervention, and mental health.

  • Demonstrate skills in early identification and prevention of behavioral and academic problems.
  • Demonstrate competency in administering intellectual, academic, personality, behavioral, family and systemic assessment instruments, and in conducting classroom observations.
  • Score assessment instruments and integrate findings in a psychological report.
  • Demonstrate proficiency in using data to develop interventions and recommendations through direct and indirect learning experiences
  • Demonstrate competency in making treatment and placement recommendations based on the assessment data.
  • Write reports that present, integrate, interpret assessment data, and offer recommendations.

Demonstrate effective collaboration between school, home, and community.

  • Demonstrate an understanding of the impact of various ecologies on student learning, using a multi-systemic approach.
  • Demonstrate competency in providing feedback on the results of evaluations and recommendations to parents, teachers and when appropriate, the child.
  • Demonstrate skills in consulting with parents and teachers.

Demonstrate skills in research and program evaluation.

  • Demonstrate skills in critical evaluation of research in a specific area.
  • Demonstrate knowledge and skills in using information technology in research and course work.
  • Evaluate the psychometric properties of various academic, intellectual, and behavioral assessment instruments and psychotherapeutic interventions.
  • Demonstrate effective selection of assessment strategies, inventories, and interviewing techniques to complete a comprehensive psychological evaluation.

Demonstrate an understanding of school psychology practice and development.

  • Demonstrate knowledge of the ethical and legal standards of the profession and of ethical practice.
  • Demonstrate strategies for resolution of ethical conflicts that may occur in providing psychological services.
  • Participate in professional seminars

Demonstrate proficiency at the doctoral level

  • Present doctoral dissertation projects that demonstrate knowledge of varied approaches to data collection, analysis, interpretation, and application
  • Complete doctoral dissertation project