School Program Course Requirements
The School Psychology Training Program Committee has designed the Ph.D. curriculum in accord with various requirements of licensing and national credentialing agencies.
The curriculum is comprised of four basic areas: (I) School Psychology core courses, (II) General Psychology core courses, (III) Education Electives, and (IV) Psychology Electives.
Requirements for the Doctoral degree include:
- Required coursework (78-81 hours, as specified below)
Dissertation credit (12 hours) - Internship credit (2 hours)
- Doctoral Program of Study
- Admission to doctoral candidacy
- Successful completion of the written comprehensive exam
- Successful completion of the oral comprehensive exam
- Successful completion of the dissertation and defense
- Internship
Didactic Courses: (Some didactic courses involve practicum components)
PSYC 714 Psychoeducational Assessment of Children I
PSYC 715 Psychoeducational Assessment of Children II
PSYC 716 Psychoeducational Assessment of Children III
PSYC 742 Theory and Practice of Mental Health Consultation I
PSYC 746 Systems Applications in Psychological Services
PSYC 841A Introduction to Psychosocial Intervention
PSYC 832A Introduction to School Psychology
PSYC 840 Seminar in Professional School Psychology
PSYC 850 Academic Intervention
PSYC 701 Behavioral Assessment and Intervention with Children/Youth
Practica and Internship:
PSYC 832B Practicum in School Psychology (2 semesters)
PSYC 832C Practicum in School Psychology (2 semesters)
PSYC 865 Internship in School Psychology [1 hour each semester]
Statistics (6 hours):
PSYC 709 Quantitative Methods in the Analysis of Behavioral Data
I
PSYC 710 Quantitative Methods in the Analysis of Behavioral Data
II
Research (3 hours plus master’s thesis and dissertation):
PSYC 772 Research Approaches to Human Behavior
Or
EDRM 700 Introduction to Research in Education
PSYC 799 Thesis Preparation (6 credits)
PSYC 899 Doctoral Research and Dissertation Preparation (12 hours)
Learning/Cognition (2-3 hours):
PSYC 711 Survey of Learning and Conditioning
Or
PSYC 702B Foundations of Cognitive Psychology
Or
PSYC 702D Basics of Learning & Motivation
Or
EDPY 741 Basic Processes: Cognition
Psychopathology (3 hours):
PSYC 726 General Psychopathology
Or
PSYC 721 Developmental Psychopathology
Social/Organizational/Cultural (3 hours):
PSYC 745 Organizational Behavior
Or
PSYC 770 Survey of Social Psychology
Or
PSYC 860 Families and Diversity
Or
MGMT 770 Organization Behavior
Or
WGST 705 Race, Class, Gender, and Sex (cross-listed w/ PSYC 751)
Physiological/Neuropsychological (2-3 hours):
PSYC 507 Cognitive Neuroscience (School section only)
Or
PSYC 702A Foundations of Neuroscience
Developmental (2-3 hours):
PSYC 702C Foundations of Developmental Psychology
Or
EDPY 705 Human Growth and Development
Or
EDPY 707 Growth and Development in Children and Adolescents
Or
EDPY 805 Contemporary Research in Human Development and Education
History and Systems (3 hours)
PSYC 524 History and Systems in Psychology
Or
PSYC 705 Psychological Systems and Theories
Or
May be satisfied by enrollment in Psychology 840
Six (6) hours are required in education. Courses in the areas of school law, curriculum, school administration, and remedial methods are recommended.
At least one course in curriculum development is required for all students. Consult your advisor and certification requirements in states in which you wish to gain certification for specific courses.
Relevant courses are listed in Appendix D in the School Program Handbook. Students should consult the course schedule for the availability of courses each semester.
Clinical Practicum Option
It is strongly recommended that students have at least one 3-hour clinical practicum
experience. Courses that qualify for this option consist of (a) applied work in areas
such as child and family therapy, psychotherapy, health psychology, or neuropsychology
with (b) regular supervision by a psychology faculty member. The purpose is to provide
students with applied, supervised experience in a specialized area. The faculty supervisor
must be qualified in the particular area of assessment/intervention. Examples of
practicum courses include:
PSYC 841C Adv Practicum in Psychological Assessment/Intervention
PSYC 782 Child and Family Therapy Practicum
PSYC 784 Clinical Health Psychology Practicum
PSYC 830 Advanced Practicum in Child and Family Therapy
Quantitative Psychology Electives
Statistical course requirements are minimal. It is strongly recommended that students
take one or more advanced quantitative courses (e.g., HLM, SEM, multivariate) beyond
program requirement to further their research skills within their chosen specialty
area.