MASTER OF SCIENCE/EDUCATION SPECIALIST
SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY

All of this information and more (including information about field experiences, graduate assistantships/support, licensure and more ) is available in the 2006-07 School Psychology Program Handbook

Purpose

 This program of study is designed for students who wish to work toward a Master's and/or Education Specialist degree with the goal of becoming certified as a school psychologist. This program is designed to meet the NASP-NCATE standards for training programs in school psychology and the Kansas State Board of Education.  Emporia State University's School Psychology Program is approved by the National Association of School Psychologists, and completion of our program makes a candidate eligible for licensure within both the state of Kansas as well as for the NCSP.

School Psychology Program Overview

 As the first school psychology program offered in the state, the Emporia State University (ESU) school psychology program has a long-standing history of respect by the educators of Kansas.  Beginning in 1952, our candidates began collaboration with Kansas schools, and to this day there are ESU-trained school psychologists on staff in virtually all districts and special educational cooperatives in Kansas.

 At ESU, candidates first learn to be members of multidisciplinary teams by attending classes with other graduate majors in special education.  The initial training occurs in association with members of disciplines including early childhood, gifted education, and adaptive education, as candidates understand characteristics and methods courses related to preschool and school-aged children with developmental disabilities, learning disabilities, mental retardation, autism, serious emotional disturbance, and more.  In other coursework, candidates interact with educators from the fields of special education administration, clinical psychology, art therapy, gifted/talented education, and counselor education.  These classroom experiences enhance candidate’s understanding of the cross-disciplinary nature of the school psychology profession, enhancing their consultation and collaboration skills as needed to successfully complete field training during practicum and internship.

 The school psychology program progresses from the master’s program (M.S.), with its concentrated emphasis on theory and research, to the Education Specialist (Ed.S.), with its increased focus on greater skill application and the practicum field experience.  Upon completion of the Ed.S. degree, the candidate obtains a provisional license which allows them to begin a year-long paid internship, completion of which marks School Psychology Program completion.  With this and achievement of a passing score (660) on the National School Psychology Examination, candidates are eligible to obtain a Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP) credential.

Program Goals

 The Emporia State University School Psychology Program seeks to develop scientist-practitioners capable of delivering comprehensive and effective school psychological services in varied school contexts.  Candidates will promote the cognitive, behavioral, and social development of children, youth and families of diverse characteristics, by being prepared to:

• Make empirically-based decisions and use research-based practices.
• Demonstrate assessment practices which contribute to an understanding of student needs, by being valid, reliable, comprehensive, multidisciplinary, and appropriate for culturally and linguistically diverse populations.
• Link assessment to all other roles of the school psychologist, including intervention, and treatment efficacy.
• Recognize the uniqueness of all students, and create goals developmentally appropriate to their individual characteristics across all relevant domains.
• Implement and evaluate theoretically and empirically sound educational and mental health prevention and intervention programs for school personnel, families and children.
• Work collaboratively with others in problem-solving situation, utilizing eclectic consultation models with school personnel, parents, community and state agencies to systemically address needs.
• Recognize schools as systems, and help structure comprehensive services which acknowledge factors such as school climate, family involvement, special and general education resources, and community influences which contribute to effective learning. 
• Support their profession, pursuing ongoing professional development to promote collegiality as well as to assure they practice according to professional, ethical and legal standards.

Program Objectives

The program is designed to prepare individuals for practice as a school psychologist, primarily in public school settings.  Those who complete the Emporia State University school psychology program are expected to meet the following interrelated objectives:

• Candidates will acquire the knowledge and skills represented in the scientist-practitioner model of school psychology.
• Demonstrate knowledge of learning and development theory and its application
• Demonstrate knowledge of characteristics of exceptional children and methods for promoting their development
• Candidates read and critique scholarly work throughout their coursework and field experiences.
• All work applying to children, teachers, parents, staff, and systems must have demonstrated empirical underpinnings.
• Candidates will acquire the knowledge and skills to become data-based problem-solvers for individual, group, and system level issues.
• Candidates will apply functional behavioral analysis, the response-to-intervention model and other approaches grounded in problem-solving methodology.
• Candidates will develop knowledge and skills of consultation through consultation/collaboration coursework, through practical exercises throughout the school psychology curriculum, and as integral to field experiences.
• Students will use psychometrically-sound assessment techniques.
• Candidates will demonstrate how to evaluate the technical properties of an assessment approach or instrument in order to assure its value for a given purpose.
• Candidates will demonstrate an understanding of comprehensiveness in evaluation and assessment, by assessing all relevant domains, using a variety of procedures including observation, norm and criterion-referenced instruments, interviewing, error analysis, informal and/or authentic assessment, and other approaches as suitable to a situation.
• Candidates will show a connection between assessment procedures, referral issues and recommendations, linking assessment to intervention in written reports, in presentation of case studies throughout their coursework, and in assessments done for purpose of completing field experiences.
• Candidates demonstrate support for and identify with their profession, and show the potential to be lifelong learners.
• Candidates are members of their professional organizations
• Candidates demonstrate ongoing professional development, through conference attendance, in-service training, and development of a professional development plan as active through their field experiences.
• Candidates develop an awareness of, and adherence to, ethical considerations, professional standards, and legal aspects in school psychology
• Candidates demonstrate an understanding of standards and ethics as systematically addressed in seminar and other coursework, as well as addressed in coursework specific to assessment, intervention, consultation, practicum, internship, and other coursework and field experiences.
• Candidates demonstrate an applied understanding of special education law and process, through case analysis, practical application at resolving problem situations, and explaining these processes to others in supervised settings.
• Candidates develop an understanding of and responsiveness to human diversity.
• Candidates show knowledge of characteristics of exceptionality.
• In all core school psychology coursework, candidates complete readings and engage in critical discussion on the topic of diversity.
• Candidates explain how diversity in a given situation affects assessment, intervention, or other school psychological services.
• Through field experiences, candidates will engage in personal and professional interactions with clients and consultees from diverse backgrounds.
• During field experiences, candidates practice in a respectful and sensitive manner when addressing the needs of individuals from diverse backgrounds.
• Candidates develop skills in strategies for prevention and intervention
• Candidates demonstrate practical approaches for prevention and intervention in supervised coursework specifically addressing that topic
• Candidates demonstrate application of these skills during field experiences
• Candidates demonstrate assessment of treatment efficacy for utilized interventions, throughout their coursework and field experiences
• Candidates demonstrate an understanding of the importance of primary prevention approaches, and their application in school settings, to address academic problems, behavioral difficulties, social competence and other issues affecting children.
• Candidates engage in crisis planning.
• Candidates develop communication and consultative skills and the ability to engage in teamwork efforts
• Candidates complete communication/counseling skills development coursework, showing an understanding of theory and practice.
• Candidates complete consultation/collaboration coursework, showing an understanding of current models and their application to school situations
• Candidates complete practical consultation and collaboration exercises throughout the school psychology curriculum, including field experiences.
• Candidates develop skills in research and program evaluation
• Candidates complete advanced work in statistics and applied research design.
• Candidates demonstrate an understanding of critical evaluation techniques in their selection of assessment tools, assessment of treatment efficacy, demonstrate of progress monitoring, and as integral to problem-solving models such as functional behavioral analysis.
• Candidates conduct their own applied research project under the supervision of school psychology faculty.

NASP-Approved Domains of Professional Practice

In attaining the knowledge and skills described in program goals and objectives, school psychology candidates demonstrate entry-level competency in each of the NASP-approved domains of professional practice, as follows: 1) data-based decision making and accountability; 2) interpersonal communication, collaboration, and consultation; 3) effective instruction and development of cognitive/academic skills; 4) socialization and development of life competencies; 5) student diversity in development and learning; 6) school structure, organization, and climate; 7) prevention, wellness promotion, and crisis intervention; 8) home/school/community collaboration; 9) research and program evaluation; 10) legal, ethical practice, and professional development; and 11) information technology.

NASP, NCATE, and KSDE Approval

The Emporia State University School Psychology Program is nationally approved by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education Programs (NCATE), and is approved by the Kansas State Department of Education.  Completion of the M.S. and Ed.S. degrees readies a student for field experiences as needed to complete the full program of study.  Completion of the program includes completion of internship post-Ed.S. and passing of the National School Psychology Examination, and leads to licensure as a school psychologist in Kansas public schools.  It also permits candidates to obtain the credential of Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP), which allows for greater employment mobility in different states.  Concurrently upon degree completion, graduates of the program also meet the educational requirements to sit for the EPPP examination for licensure as a Licensed Masters Level Psychologist via Kansas’ Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board.

Application Procedures / Admission Requirements

 Visit http://www.emporia.edu/grad/appinstr.htm for the on-line graduate application and instructions.

 Students seeking acceptance into the graduate degree programs for Master of Science/Specialist in Education in School Psychology must first be admitted to the Graduate School of the University.  This occurs by meeting the following requirements:

• Submission of an "Application for Admission to Graduate Study" form.
• Submission of all undergraduate and graduate transcripts.
• Completion of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
• A grade point average of not less than 3.0 overall, or a 3.25 on the last 60 semester hours for the masters program, and 3.50 on the masters program coursework for admission to the Education Specialist degree.
• Course prerequisites:  A minimum of 20 semester hours of background work in psychology excluding introductory or general psychology.  This must include work in statistics, developmental psychology, psychological testing, abnormal psychology, personality theory, history of psychology, and/or experimental psychology.  In addition, a 3 semester hour Survey of Exceptionality course and documented experience, with individuals with disabilities is needed.  It is not uncommon that some of this background is missing for applicants, but certain aspects may be met concurrently with School Psychology Program studies.  It is a common misperception that one must first be a classroom teacher prior to becoming a school psychologist:  you do NOT have to have a teaching background/license in order to be a successful applicant, and most school psychology candidates do not possess this experience.
• Scores on either the Graduate Record Examination or Miller Analogies Test
• Three letters of recommendation from professionals in related disciplines
• With this information together, submit it to the graduate office via the mailing address and with the admissions form as detailed at http://www.emporia.edu/grad/appinstr.htm
• With the above available to the department admissions committee, applicants will be contacted to complete a personal interview with a member of the School Psychology Program faculty.
• Although applications are accepted year-round, in order to offer applicants an assurance that an admissions decision and enrollment may begin on the desired schedule, applications should meet specified deadlines.  Applications should be completed by March 1st to assure that a program of study may begin during the fall semester, and October 1st for a program of study which begins during the spring semester. Materials arriving after those dates will be given due consideration, but an admissions decision may not be completed in time for enrollment during the desired semester.
• Application fee of $40

Materials and application fee is submitted to:

                                    Office of Graduate Studies

                                    Campus Box 4003

                                    Emporia State University

                                    Emporia, KS.  66801-5087

Requests for more information and/or questions about the Program or admissions procedures should be directed to Dr. Jim Persinger, at:

                                    School Psychology Program

                                    Department of Psychology and Special Education, Box 4031

                                    Emporia State University

                                    Emporia, KS  66801-5087

                                    620-341-5317

                                    jpersing@emporia.edu

Typical Plan of Study

This sequence assumes all background courses in psychology and education have been completed prior to beginning the school psychology program which leads to the Master's and Specialist's degrees and Kansas State Department of Education School Psychologist Licensure.

Fall - First Year
PY 835 Seminar in School Psychology	3
PY 811 Seminar in Human Growth & Development	3
PY 841 Assessment of Intelligence	3
PY 722 Theories of Learning	3
Total	12
Spring - First Year
CE 810 Pre-Practicum Counseling Skills Development	2
PY 812 Individual Assessment	3
PY 843 Psycho-educational assessment	3
ER 857 Statistical Methods for Education & Psychology II	3
Total	11
Summer - First Year
PY 836 School-Based Prevention and Intervention	3
SD 802 Seminar in Behavior Management	3
SD 860 Administration & Supervision of Special Education	3
Total	9
Fall - Second Year
ER 851 Research Design and Writing	3
PY 806 Personality Assessment	2
SD 800 Consultation/Collaboration	3
SD 700 Characteristics of Students Mild Moderate Disability	3
PY 714 Assessing Young Children with Special Needs	3
Total	14
Spring - Second Year
SD 702 Strategies for Students with Mild Moderate	3
PY 838 Supervised Practice in School Psychology	6
PY 900 Thesis	5
Total	14
Summer - Second Year
PY 850 Characteristics of Individuals with Gifts & Talents	3
PY 709 Introduction to Neuropsychology	1
Elective (From approved list)	1
Total	5
Fall - Third Year
PY 910 Internship in School Psychology I	2
Spring - Third Year
PY 920 Internship in Psychology II	2
Program Completion Total	69

 

Last Updated July 19, 2007