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.

The faculty are committed to interaction with candidates in a way which encourages their professional identity with the profession of school psychology. The intent is to create candidates who will promote the cognitive, behavioral, and social development of young children and adolescents, working with youth and families of diverse characteristics.

To do so effectively, we believe that candidates should be 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, population-based educational and mental health programming 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.

Advocate for the needs of individual students, and for environments which promote the health and well-being of all children.

Support their profession, pursuing ongoing professional development to promote collegiality as well as to assure they grow into a reflective practitioner who always understands and follows contemporary professional, ethical and legal standards.

The Emporia State School Psychology program supports the Nondiscrimination and Equal Opportunity Policy developed by the National Association of School Psychologists. NASP’s long standing commitment to the just and fair treatment of all persons is underscored by the inclusion of diversity as a core value in the strategic plan. Diversity in development and learning is one of the 10 domains of school psychology practice and is considered one of the foundational knowledge sets for the profession: “School psychologists ensure that their knowledge, skills, and professional practices reflect the understanding and respect for human diversity and promote effective services, advocacy, and social justice for all children, families, and schools (NASP, 2010).” It is with these principles in mind that the NASP Delegate Assembly adopted the Nondiscrimination and Equal Opportunity Policy in 2011.

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. Candidates seeking entrance into the Ed.S. respecialization program utilize the same admissions procedure.

Candidates then seek admission to the program by completing the following:

Apply to ESU's Graduate School. This will require you create an account in our application system.

Submission of all official undergraduate and graduate transcripts from regionally-accredited institutions. EdS applicants must have a completed masters degree.

Three letters of recommendation from professionals who can comment on the applicant’s potential for completing advanced graduate studies. Additional letters (e.g., from friends or family members) which address issues the candidate believes relevant may also be submitted, but the application is not complete without the three letters from professionals that provide the information requested in the form. If you've completed the MS Psychology/School Psychology Degree from Emporia State University you do not need the letters of recommendation.

A statement of purpose or letter of intent, which helps the admission committee understand the context of the application and facilitates admissions decisions.

-Introduce yourself to the committee

-Detail your understanding of the profession of school psychology and your academic background, maturity and diligence to succeed in the program

-Discuss any experience or background relevant to your interest in pursuing school psychology as a profession

*For respecialization candidates, it should make clear your intent is bypassing the MS degree and direct admission to EdS studies as a respecialization candidate. It should also make clear whether you will be working full-time while pursuing the program.

These items are all required: Applications are not considered complete and will not be reviewed until all of these elements have been received.

A final requirement is completion of an admissions interview, which often occurs prior to the application being complete (e.g., while respecialization applicants are seeking advising) but which otherwise will occur once application materials are submitted. The interview may be done via phone/Skype/Zoom with a member of the School Psychology Program core faculty.

Application deadlines

Although applications are accepted year-round, in order to offer applicants assurance that an admissions decision and enrollment may begin on the desired schedule, applications should meet specified deadlines. Applications should be completed by March 1 to assure a program of study may begin during the fall semester, and October 1 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.

Questions specific to the School Psychology Program should be sent to the program's director, Dr. Kaira Hayes, 620-341-5317. Most questions will probably be addressed in the latest program information, included in the Candidate Handbook.

Graduate School Application

Upon filling out the application, one has the choice to choose a concentration to supplement their Master's Degree. If one does not desire to choose a concentration, then leave that section blank on the application.

*Official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended

*Statement of objectives

*Three reference forms

Submitting Application Materials

The following items must be provided/completed at the time of application submission through the Application Portal:

*Unofficial bachelor's degree transcript

*Statement of objectives

*Three references or the names and emails of three recommenders

Official transcripts

Students must submit official bachelor’s degree transcripts containing at least 60 credit hours of coursework and final grades. Any additional transcripts from college credit accumulated after the bachelor’s degree MUST be submitted if you will be using these credits for transfer credit or for last 60 GPA. Transcripts are considered official when they arrive in the Graduate Office in a sealed envelope from the issuing institution or are received through a secure electronic transcript service to gradinfo@emporia.edu.

If the transcripts need to be mailed, send to:

Emporia State University
Graduate School
Campus Box 4003
Emporia State University
1 Kellogg Circle
Emporia, KS 66801-5415

To be eligible for the program, you need to have the following:

*an MS degree in a related area. The typical respecialization candidate has an MS in adaptive education, clinical psychology, counseling psychology, social work and similar education or mental health related fields

*To be considered related, at least 15 hours of the degree should be equivalent to courses in our traditional program of study. The average candidate has 30 credit hours in common.

*earned a minimum of a 3.25 GPA in your MS coursework. Any course with a grade below a B or not taken for graduate credit cannot count toward a license

*optimally, hold a license from KSDE or BSRB, though on occasion somebody without a license is admitted (but not eligible for the work authorization process, see below). Besides KSDE endorsements, other licenses commonly held by respecialization candidates include the LMLP, LPC, and LMSW.

*typically but not necessarily, you would have extensive experience in your related area. It is common that our respecialization candidates have 10-20 years of experience in the public schools or related profession. Candidates with little experience will not be excluded from eligibility, but may not be as competitive for admissions in some years

*met all other admissions requirements as listed in the program overview, including course prerequisites

Before applying, potential applicants are encouraged to email the program director and respecialization coordinator, Dr. Kaira Hayes. Please include in your email a discussion of your background, degrees, credentials, work circumstances and location, and informal copies/scans of all transcripts. If you intend to practice outside of Kansas, be clear in what state you hope to license.

The Ed.S. is the terminal degree in school psychology, as required to earn a license. At ESU, the School Psychology Program progresses from a 36 credit-hour Master of Science (MS) earned in passing, to the 30 credit-hour Educational Specialist (EdS). Unlike some programs, we award traditional candidates an M.S. along the way to school psychology licensure, as it sometimes has implications for where they start on the salary scale. These degree programs are NASP-aligned but not NASP-approved; details here.

If you already have an MS from another School Psychology program, or an MS in a related field, such as adaptive education or clinical psychology, you may be eligible to apply directly to our EdS respecialization program. Candidates for this program have to demonstrate they have the equivalent of all of our program’s MS course work before they are eligible for EdS degree candidacy, which may be completed concurrently with EdS coursework as approved in content and sequence by a program advisor, our graduate dean, and licensure officer.

Whether in the traditional or the respecialization program, upon completion of the EdS degree and a passing score on the Praxis II National School Psychology Examination, candidates obtain an initial license from KSDE. This allows them to begin a four credit-hour, year-long internship in the schools at a full professional salary. After that academic year, the program is complete, and means the individual will have eligibility for a regular EC-12 school psychologist license from KSDE, which is reciprocated in most states. Candidates may then apply to receive the Nationally Certified School Psychologist credential via the route for those from non-approved programs, a process taking three to four months after program completion.

We are proud of our program and its legacy of service to the children of Kansas. If you would like to visit campus to check out the program, talk with an advisor, or even arrange to sit in on a class, contact us (details below)! We’re also happy to set up an appointment to talk by phone or Zoom/Skype to answer any questions.

To find out more information about the Ed.S. school psychology program, please contact Kaira Hayes.

To find out more information about the M.S. with a concentration in school psychology, please contact Kylea Shoemaker.

Candidates should be 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, population-based educational and mental health programming 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.

Advocate for the needs of individual students, and for environments which promote the health and well-being of all children.

Support their profession, pursuing ongoing professional development to promote collegiality as well as to assure they grow into a reflective practitioner who always understands and follows contemporary professional, ethical and legal standards.

At ESU, you first learn to be members of multidisciplinary teams, completing initial training in association with students from disciplines such as adaptive education, early childhood, school counseling, educational administration, and clinical psychology. During this time, you will learn theory, characteristics and methods related to preschool and school-aged children with developmental disabilities, learning disabilities, intellectual deficiency, autism, emotional disturbance, and more.

These course experiences include campus-based, hybrid, and online courses. They enhance your understanding of the cross-disciplinary nature of the school psychology profession. Concurrently with this coursework, you will take core school psychology courses to help you understand the foundations of your chosen profession.

Later in the program, you will conduct research, undertake evaluations and assessments of clients, become immersed in prevention science related to school-based mental health and multi-tiered systems of supports, and complete field-based training during supervised practicum and internship experiences.

The School Psychology Program is approved by the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE).

Completion of the M.S. degree and Ed.S. candidacy readies a candidate for the practicum field experience. Upon completion of practicum and all other requirements to receive the Ed.S., and passing of the Praxis II National School Psychology Examination at the cut score established by the state of Kansas, the candidate may apply for the initial school psychologist license.  Receipt of the initial license makes one eligible for the internship field experience, which in Kansas involves a full professional salary and is typically completed full-time during one regular academic year. Completion of the program requires completion of internship (post-Ed.S.), and makes one eligible to apply for their regular 5-year license to work as a school psychologist in Kansas public schools.

School psychology training programs meet their state’s licensure requirements, and because each state has their own credentialing requirements, there is never a perfect assurance that completing a training program in one state will allow one to practice in any other state.  In practice however, virtually every year for decades, some of our candidates pursue a credential to practice in other states.  Since at least 2002, every candidate who sought to undertake their internship, or practice after internship, in another state attained the necessary credential to do so.  This is facilitated by KSDE licensure standards and therefore ESU’s program standards being the national (NASP) standards.  The process has typically involved the candidate receiving their Kansas license, and using that to establish they meet licensure requirements in another state, though sometimes additional elements are required.  In recent years, our candidates have used their Kansas credential and successfully provided any other elements required to attain a school psychologist credential in Missouri, Oklahoma, Colorado, Nebraska, Texas, Minneapolis, Wyoming, DoDEA (Department of Defense) schools in multiple countries, and more.

If you intend to work in another state, you can review that state’s credentialing requirements at this NASP link.  A year before intending to work in another state, you should work with your advisor and/or ESU’s licensure officer to successfully attain the necessary credential.

Program completers may apply to the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) for the credential of Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP) via the process for graduates of non-NASP approved programs. The NCSP credential recognizes school psychologists who meet rigorous national standards for graduate preparation and continuing professional development.

Additional information about the NCSP can be reviewed at http://www.nasponline.org/certification/becomeNCSP.aspx

The following plan of study leads to the master's and specialist's degrees and Kansas State Department of Education School Psychologist Certification. See the Candidate Handbook for additional information and to review the notes associated with some of the courses listed.

This sequence assumes all background/prerequisite courses in psychology and education, as detailed in admissions requirements, have been completed prior to beginning the School Psychology Program. This plan of study assumes a candidate has entered into the MS program with no transfer credit and no probationary requirements, and who elects to complete an EdS thesis rather than an EdS project.

This plan will vary significantly for those accepted directly into the EdS program, dependent upon the characteristics of their MS degree course work, and which courses taken earlier are acceptable MS or EdS equivalents for purpose of licensure, transfer credit and/or substitution on degree plan. The Candidate Handbook has additional information. In particular, use Appendix U as a checklist of what course work must be documented for you to obtain licensure.

This information is subject to change, speak with your advisor or email program director Jim Persinger for current information.

Fall-first year

ER 752

Analysis of Research

3 hrs

PY 835

Seminar in School Psychology

3 hrs

PY 714

Assessing Young Children with Special Needs

3 hrs

SD 700

Characteristics Mild/Moderate Disability

3 hrs

PY 703

Counseling in School Psychology

3 hrs

Total

15 hrs

_________________________________________________________________________________

Spring-first year

PY 722
Theories of Learning (or EA773 Advanced Ed Psych)

3 hrs

PY 841

Assessment of Intelligence

3 hrs

ER 752

Analysis of Research or ER851 Research Design (thesis track)

3 hrs

PY 812

Foundations of Assessment in Sped / Student Support

3 hrs

Summer-first year

PY 703

Multiculturalism in School Psychology

2 hrs

PY 836

School-Based Prevention and Intervention

3 hrs

PY 801

School Psychological Consultation

3 hrs

PY 860

Leading Processes to Meet Diverse Student Needs

3 hrs

_________________________________________________________________________________

Fall - Second Year

PY 811

Advanced Human Growth and Development

3 hrs

PY 843

Psycho Educational Assessment

3 hrs

SD 850

Characteristics of Individuals with Gifts & Talents

3 hrs

Elective

Educational Administration elective (i.e., EA 830 School Leadership Theory, EA 849 Educational Law and Regular, EA 888 School Systems Management)

3 hrs

Total, 12 hrs

You are eligible to have your MS in School Psychology awarded at the end of this fall semester, meaning you can “walk” in the fall commencement ceremony if you wish. This assumes you have filed your intent to graduate in a timely manner, have a degree plan on file with your advisor, and passed comprehensive examinations.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Spring - Second Year

PY 838
Supervised Practice in School Psychology

6 hrs

ER 857
Statistical Methods for Education & Psychology II or PY 520 Statistics I

3 hrs

PY 844

Ed.S. Project (or earlier PY 900 thesis enrollment for thesis track)

3 hrs

Total 12 hrs

_________________________________________________________________________________

Summer - Second Year

PY 820
Response to Intervention in School Psychology

3 hrs

Elective from approved list

3 hrs

Total 6 hrs

You are eligible to have your EdS in School Psychology awarded at the end of this summer semester, meaning you can “walk” in the spring commencement ceremony if you wish. This assumes you have filed your intent to graduate in a timely manner, have a degree plan on file with your advisor, and have completed thesis or project research requirements.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Fall - Third Year

PY 910
Internship in School Psychology I

2 hrs

Spring - Third Year

PY 920
Internship in School Psychology II

2 hrs
_________________________________________________________________________________

PROGRAM TOTAL
69 hrs