School Psychology

Welcome to the Graduate Programs in School Psychology. We are very proud of our doctoral and specialist programs and our long history of educating school psychologists since the 1950s. Our Graduate Programs were the first in Illinois to receive approval from the State Teacher Certification Board. Our training emphasizes the scientist-practitioner model in preparing trainees to fulfill all of the major roles and functions of school psychologists. We have over 600 alumni working throughout the United States.For more information, see our Mission, Vision, and Training Philosophy.

The Doctoral Program strives to educate health service psychologists within the specialty of school psychology who demonstrate discipline specific knowledge pertinent to the field of psychology and professional competencies necessary to deliver high quality services in a range of settings.

Aim I: To prepare competent entry-level school psychologists who possess foundational and integrated knowledge across the basic areas of the discipline of psychology, , which will demonstrated by using basic psychological principles to understand and explain human behavior.

Aim II: To educate school psychologists with the necessary profession-wide entry-level competencies to deliver effective psychological health services to children, adolescents, and families. These services include assessment, intervention, consultation, prevention, and clinical and administrative supervision. The competencies in these areas are exhibited in settings chosen by the graduate, which may include schools, hospitals, university-based clinics, mental health settings or independent practice.

Our Graduate Programs have all available accreditations and approvals based on state and national standards for the education of professional service providers in school psychology. The doctoral program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association (750 First Street, NW, Washington, DC 20002-4242, 202/336-5979). APA accreditation reports are available for review in the Psychology Department Graduate Office or from the program coordinator. The doctoral and specialist degree programs are fully accredited by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), and more information about program data can be found on NASP’s Program Annual Report and Student Outcomes Data website. The doctoral and specialist programs are also approved by the Illinois State Board of Education.

Program accreditation and approval suggests high quality training, comprehensive curricula, and properly supervised field experiences. Our alumni are eligible to sit for the examinations leading to the credentials of Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP), licensed school psychologists in illinois and,with a doctorate degree and appropriate post-doctoral experience, as licensed clinical psychologists in Illinois. Accreditation approval also facilitates the transfer of credentials for employment in other states.

Historically our Graduate Programs have been able to support our graduate students, during on-campus training, with graduate assistantships. Assistantships may include work in the department as teaching or research assistants, on faculty research grants, and practicum or pre-professional opportunities. Graduate assistantships include a monthly salary and tuition waiver for the academic year.