School Psychology
This program is for individuals who want to be competent, professional psychologists providing the following services in public schools and mental health settings:
- Academic, behavioral, and cognitive interventions
- Consultation with parents, teachers, and other professionals
- Assessment and diagnosis of individual student problems
- In-service training
- Program evaluation
- Applied research
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Students are encouraged to engage in reflective practice utilizing a problem-solving approach from a child advocacy perspective, to engage in preventive as well as remedial practices, and to work with a broad cross-section of the student population, including regular education students.
- Approved by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) and the National Association of School Psychologists (external link)
- Qualify for certification in many states, including Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa
- Eligible to apply for listing in the National School Psychology Certification System.
- With completion of program requirements, including internship and passing the national exam in school psychology, earn an Education Specialist degree in addition to a master's degree.
- To support working professionals, courses are scheduled in the late afternoon or early evening
To become eligible for licensure/certification as a school psychologist, you need to complete the Educational Specialist degree, 66 graduate credits, and all other program requirements. You may be eligible for licensure as a school psychology intern with the completion of your practicum year (56 graduate credits).
To be eligible for national certification in school psychology (NCSP), candidates must complete all program requirements and an application through the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP).
See the NASP web site (external site) for more details. Candidates from UW-River Falls will complete the application for graduates of approved programs.
Required Courses, 35 credits:
SPSY 622 Emotional/Behavioral Functioning: Appraisal and Intervention, 3 credits
SPSY 651 Diversity, Social and Cultural Issues, 3 credits
SPSY 701 Introduction to School Psychology, 3 credits
SPSY 745 Psychoeducational Assessment and Intervention I, 3 credits
SPSY 746 Psychoeducational Assessment and Intervention II, 3 credits
SPSY 795 Directed Research - Proposal, 2 credit
SPED 530 The Exceptional Child, 3 credits
SPED 620 Introduction to Learning Disabilities, 3 credits
COUN 612 Lifespan Human Development, 3 credits
COUN 732 Group Counseling, 3 credits
COUN 753 Counseling Theory and Skills, 3 credits
TED 747 Curriculum K-12, 3 credits.
Required Courses, 31 credits:
SPSY 721 Autism Spectrum Disorders, 1 credit
SPSY 740 Legal and Ethical Issues in School Psychology, 3 credits
SPSY 747 Mental Health Issues, 3 credits
SPSY 769 Psychoeducational Consultation, 3 credits
SPSY 771 Practicum I, 4 credits
SPSY 772 Practicum II, 4 credits
SPSY 775 Internship in School Psychology I, 5 credits
SPSY 776 Internship in School Psychology II, 5 credits
SPSY 796 Directed Research - Statistics and Data Analysis, 2 credit
SPSY 797 Directed Research - Final Manuscript, 1 credit
Additional Optional Courses
SPSY 785 Seminar in School Psychology, 3 credits
SPSY 798 Independent Research, 3 credits
The Education Specialist degree is awarded upon completion of the above required courses and passing the National School Psychology Certification Examination, which is administered by the Educational Testing Service three times per year. The current passing score, adopted by the UWRF School Psychology program, is 660. The examination should be taken during the practicum year.
- A test usage fee (maximum of $100) is associated with certain assessment courses (SPSY 745, 746, 747 and 749).
- Wisconsin and Minnesota require that applicants for teacher certification, including school psychology, submit fingerprints with the certification application. In addition, criminal background checks are required.
- Completion of a certification portfolio as specified by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (external site).
- Completed application for graduate study at UWRF with application processing fee.
- Application deadline is February 1. Students are notified of acceptance usually by April 1. Enrollment begins the following fall term.
- An earned baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution.
- Official transcripts from all institutions attended as an undergraduate student, sent directly to Graduate Studies from the institution.
- An overall undergraduate grade point average of at least 2.75 (on a four-point scale) with 3.0 preferred .
- Letter of interest and three letters of recommendation (see guidelines).
- Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores are not required but will be considered, if available.
College of Education and Professional Studies
Department of Counseling and School Psychology
Web site: http://www.uwrf.edu/csp/schoolpsychprogram.htm
Phone: (715) 425-3889
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