The Ph.D. program in school psychology adheres to the scientist-practitioner model of graduate education in health service psychology. The training is designed to prepare students for the practice of health service psychology based on the scientific method, and to promote the commitment to a career of research directed toward the advancement of the science of psychology. Given this mission, the aims are to prepare psychologists who are knowledgeable and competent in:

1. research with relevance to psychology and the specialty area of school psychology
2. the practice of health service psychology; and
3. the specialty area of school psychology.

These aims facilitate preparation of health service psychologists who will practice in schools or other educationally related settings that will meet the professional employment demands for the following: psychologists in psychoeducational research; mental health research specialists in child psychology; psychologists in child treatment agencies, hospitals, and private practice; and professionals in higher education committed to preparing educators and clinicians in psychoeducational services. The program is accredited by the American Psychological Association and as such complies with the guidelines and principles for accreditation of programs in health service psychology as outlined by the American Psychological Association. Although the program is designed to be at least four academic years of full-time study, students typically take four to five years from the baccalaureate degree to complete all doctoral requirements. This involves a minimum of 110 semester hours of coursework, including 15 hours of dissertation research, and a 1500-hour internship that meets the requirements for school psychology.

Location

• Storrs Campus

Modality

• In Person

Requirements

Dissertation Proposal

All dissertation research must be directed by a member of the core faculty as the major advisor. Preparation and acceptance of the dissertation proposal should follow current Department and University guidelines. The student must orally present and defend the proposal to the advisory committee.

General Examination

Typically, the general exam is completed near the end of their third or beginning of fourth year, and no later than within five years after beginning their doctoral study. The examination is under the jurisdiction of the student's faculty advisory committee, with at least five faculty participating in the examination.

Required Courses

In addition to the courses required for the Master of Arts degree/Sixth-Year Certificate listed above, all Ph.D. students must also satisfactorily complete the following courses:

Course List

Course	Title	Credits
EPSY 5318	Human Growth and Development over the Lifespan: Implications for Counselors	3
EPSY 5455	History and Systems of Psychology	3
EPSY 5607	Quantitative Methods in Research II	3
EPSY 5610	Applied Regression Analysis for the Education Sciences	3
EPSY 6194	Doctoral Seminar (for a total of 24 semester hours across eight semesters)	1-3
EPSY 6491	Doctoral Internship in School Psychology	3-6
EPSY 6494	Doctoral Practicum (for a total of 24 semester hours across eight semesters)	24
GRAD 6950	Doctoral Dissertation Research	1-9
PSYC 5140	Foundations in Neuropsychology	3
PSYC 5570	Current Topics in Cognitive Science	3
or PSYC 6750	The Social Psychology of Stigma
Total Credits		47-60

Required Assessments for M.A. and Ph.D. Students

Portfolios

The portfolio requirements and review process are described in detail in pre-internship and internship portfolio manuals. The pre-internship portfolio consists of work samples completed throughout the program in coursework and practica, professional documents, practicum and self-evaluations, and other relevant program-related documents.

Examinations

Students must pass the Master’s examination prior to being awarded the Master’s degree. The examination occurs near the end of the student's first year and after the student's plan of study has been approved by the Executive Committee of the Graduate School. The Master’s examination is constructed under the jurisdiction of the school psychology faculty and other Departmental faculty who were involved in the student’s first year of course instruction.

The Praxis Series

The Praxis Series - School Psychologist (code 5402) is administered by the Educational Testing Service. Students take the examination after admission to the Sixth-Year program; after completing approximately 42 hours of their coursework in the Master's/Sixth-Year program; and prior to beginning their internship. The standardized examination provides an assessment of content in concert with national standards and allows for the evaluation of our students relative to a nation-wide reference group.

Clinical Requirements for M.A. and Ph.D. Students.

M.A. and Ph.D. students must complete the following clinical requirements.

Practica Requirements

The practica sequence was developed in accordance with American Psychological Association (APA) and National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) guidelines that require planned supervised experiences that include direct service and formally scheduled supervision. The field experiences are coordinated with coursework to allow students ample opportunity to combine their theoretical and practical knowledge in a supervised situation. Practicum experiences in a school or related educational setting are a required component of program completion and graduation. Students should refer to the “Program Handbook” and “Practica Syllabus” for information on practica hour requirements.

Internship Requirements

The internship in school psychology complies with APA and NASP standards. The internship is designed to enhance the development of competencies and professionalism and to be the culminating experience in the student’s program. The full description of the internship requirements is outlined in the document entitled “School Psychology Program Internship Manual.” To be eligible for internship, the student must have met all the following requirements prior to signing any contract or internship agreement with an internship site: completed all required coursework with no remaining incomplete courses; passed the Master's Degree Qualifying Examination; completed all practica requirements; passed the Praxis-School Psychology Examination; passed the Pre-Internship Portfolio; for doctoral students, successfully defended their dissertation proposals.

Learning Objectives

1. Research and Evidence-Based Practice: a. Formulate independent research or other scholarly activities (e.g., critical literature reviews, dissertation, efficacy studies, clinical case studies, theoretical papers, program evaluation projects, program development projects) that are of sufficient quality and rigor to have the potential to contribute to the scientific, psychological, or professional knowledge base. b. Conduct research or other scholarly activities. c. Critically evaluate and disseminate research or other scholarly activity via professional publication and presentation at the local (including the host institution), regional, or national level.
2. Ethical, Legal and Professional Standards: a. Be knowledgeable of and act in accordance with each of the following areas: the current version of the APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct; relevant laws, regulations, rules, and policies governing health service psychology at the organizational, local, state, regional, and federal levels; and relevant professional standards and guidelines (NASP Principles for Professional Ethics). b. Recognize ethical dilemmas as they arise, and apply ethical decision-making processes to resolve the dilemmas. c. Conduct self in an ethical manner in all professional activities.
3. Individual and Cultural Differences: a. Understand how their own personal/cultural history, attitudes, and biases may affect how they understand and interact with people different from themselves. b. Apply current theoretical and empirical knowledge to address diversity across research, training, supervision/consultation, and service. c. Integrate awareness of individual and cultural differences in professional roles, including working effectively with individuals from unfamiliar or conflicting backgrounds. d. Understand the requisite knowledge base, articulate an approach to working effectively with diverse individuals and groups, and apply this approach effectively in their professional work.
4. Professionalism, Communications, and Interpersonal Skills: a. Behave in ways that reflect the values and attitudes of psychology, including integrity, deportment, professional identity, accountability, lifelong learning, and concern for the welfare of others. b. Engage in self-reflection, maintain well-being, and improve professional effectiveness. c. Actively seek and demonstrate openness and responsiveness to feedback and supervision. d. Respond professionally to complex situations with increasing independence. e. Develop and maintain effective relationships with colleagues, supervisors, supervisees, students, families, and communities. f. Communicate clearly and effectively in oral, nonverbal, and written forms; manage difficult interactions skillfully. g. Maintain punctuality, attendance, professional appearance, and self-care across all activities.
5. Assessment, Intervention, and Data-Driven Decision Making: a. Demonstrate and apply knowledge of diagnostic systems, functional and dysfunctional behaviors, and client strengths and psychopathology. b. Understand human behavior in its family, social, societal, and cultural context. c. Establish and maintain effective relationships with recipients of school psychological services. d. Select and apply assessment methods based on empirical evidence and psychometric principles, using multiple sources while considering diversity. e. Interpret assessment results according to research and professional standards to guide case conceptualization, classification, and recommendations, minimizing bias. f. Communicate assessment findings clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing, for diverse audiences. g. Develop, implement, and adapt evidence-based interventions aligned with service goals, assessment findings, diversity, and contextual factors. h. Apply relevant research to clinical and educational decision making and evaluate intervention effectiveness, adjusting goals and methods based on ongoing data. i. Understand principles and research related to risk and resilience factors in learning and social, emotional, and behavioral health and well-being. j. Apply multi-tiered (universal, selected, indicated) prevention strategies and evidence-based crisis prevention, preparation, and response.
6. Consultation, Collaboration, Supervision, and Systems Support: a. Understand the roles of school psychologists, school systems, and other professionals. b. Understand and apply consultation models and collaborate effectively with students, educators, families, communities, and systems. c. Respect and collaborate with other professions to develop and implement practices and strategies to create and maintain effective and supportive learning environments. d. Promote family and community collaboration and implement evidence-based practices that support children’s development. e. Understand and apply supervision models and practices.
7. Consultation, Collaboration, Supervision, and Systems Support: a. Understand the roles of school psychologists, school systems, and other professionals. b. Understand and apply consultation models and collaborate effectively with students, educators, families, communities, and systems. c. Respect and collaborate with other professions to develop and implement practices and strategies to create and maintain effective and supportive learning environments. d. Promote family and community collaboration and implement evidence-based practices that support children’s development. e. Understand and apply supervision models and practices.
8. Discipline-Specific Knowledge: Demonstrate a general knowledge base in the field of psychology, broadly construed, to serve as a foundation for further training in the practice of health service psychology. a. Demonstrate a foundational understanding of the origins and development of major ideas in the discipline of psychology (History and Systems of Psychology). b. Demonstrate a foundational understanding of the affective aspects of behavior. c. Demonstrate a foundational understanding of the biological aspects of behavior. d. Demonstrate a foundational understanding of the cognitive aspects of behavior. e. Demonstrate a foundational understanding of human development across the lifespan. f. Demonstrate a foundational understanding of the social aspects of behavior. g. Demonstrate the ability to integrate multiple (at least 2) basic discipline-specific content areas (i.e., affective, biological, cognitive, social, or developmental aspects of behavior).