Doctor Of Psychology Degree In School Psychology

Coordinator: Pamela Pressley Abraham, Psy.D., NCSP

*Applications are not being accepted for the Doctor of Psychology degree in School Psychology.

The Psy.D. program in School Psychology is approved by the Pennsylvania
Department of Education. The program is committed to the education and training of certified school psychologists who are seeking doctoral level skills and competencies. The Psy.D. program in School Psychology at Immaculata is a practitioner-scholar program in which students are educated and trained to deliver school psychological services through the direct application of skills and knowledge based on scientific research, scholarly inquiry, and personal reflection and are prepared to make scholarly contributions to the professional community.

The curriculum of the Psy.D. in School Psychology is informed by the educational and training standards of the American Psychological Association (APA), the National Council of Schools and Programs in Professional Psychology (NCSPP), and the National Association in School Psychology (NASP). The Psy.D. program in School Psychology operates from a philosophy that is fully attentive to the systemic, cultural and ecological forces that shape the psychology of children, youth, and families in need of school psychological services. The program seeks to build upon the school psychologist’s understanding of children and adolescents affected by numerous quality-of-life issues impacting growth and development.

With this type of ecological orientation to school psychology practice, the philosophy of the Psy.D. program in School Psychology values and promotes education and training in the areas of ethics, research design and analysis, assessment, consultation, diversity, program evaluation, prevention, and intervention. Program graduates are prepared to take leadership positions as doctoral level school psychologists both in the public and private sectors. These functional domains, applied to school settings, distinguish the focus of the Psy.D. program in School Psychology from the certification program in School Psychology and from the Psy.D. program in Clinical Psychology. The Psy.D. program in School Psychology is distinct from the school psychology certification program in the areas of admissions, range and depth of courses, individualized practicum training, research contribution, and scope of doctoral internship. The Psy.D. program in school psychology is distinct from the Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology in program admission, and by the nature of discipline specific courses and clinical training. School and clinical Psy.D. students take common foundation courses in response to the generic knowledge needs that define psychology as a professional discipline and which are applicable to a psychology license, but are separated by specific tracks in which courses are unique to students in each discipline.

Program Goals And Objectives

1. The Psy.D. program is committed to the goal of nurturing a strong ethical base in its students as applied to the practice of school psychology. The objective is to inform students of psychology ethics and professional standards of conduct.
2. The Psy.D. program is committed to the goal of training students in research strategies that are applicable to program evaluation in schools. The objective is to prepare students to direct and consume research in program evaluation.
3. The Psy.D. program is committed to the goal of training students in the areas of cultural and human diversity, biases, and social processes as they apply to the practice of school psychology. The objective is to deepen student appreciation for human diversity when making decisions related to school psychology diagnosis, intervention, programming, and research.
4. The Psy.D. program is committed to the goal of training students in formal consultation strategies. The objective is to use consultation skills that foster positive interactions in school contexts in order to strengthen alliances between schools, families, and communities.
5. The Psy.D. program is committed to the goal of teaching students individual and group strategies. The objective is to promote prosocial behaviors in school settings.
6. The Psy.D. program is committed to the goal teaching advanced assessment strategies. The objective is to refine skill in diagnosis and intervention of school exceptionalities, and of other conditions related to school psychology practice.
7. The Psy.D. program is committed to the goal of fostering skill acquisition in the areas of diagnosis, program prevention/intervention, and crisis management. The objective is to support the integration of diagnostic understanding with program needs.
8. The Psy.D. program is committed to the goal of teaching the skills necessary to evaluate educational outcomes, including quantitative and qualitative approaches to problem inquiry and investigation. The objective is to develop a sophisticated knowledge base from which to modify program in response to needs and outcomes.
9. The Psy.D. program is committed to the goal of supporting student research, developing technological skills, and professional initiatives. The objective is to foster the motivation and ability to make scholarly contributions.
10. The Psy.D. program is committed to providing students with predoctoral foundation for license eligibility in Pennsylvania. The objective is to support the attainment of a license for independent psychology practice. (This is subject to change based upon changes in licensing requirements in the State of Pennsylvania).

Program Competencies And Expected Outcomes

Upon program completion, students will have demonstrated competency in the following areas:

1. Application of ethical reasoning and legal principles to school psychology settings.
2. Using research strategies applicable to program evaluation in schools.
3. Knowledge and application of cultural diversity, bias and other social processes applied to educational settings and decision making.
4. Understanding and skill in implementation of consultative strategies.
5. Implementing individual and group strategies in practice situations.
6. Understanding of problems through use of assessment techniques; strategies and techniques for evaluating risk for mild and serious disturbances; learning disorders; and other student problems in relation to school adjustment.
7. Program prevention, intervention, and crisis management.
8. Evaluating educational outcomes through data based decision-making.
9. Offering scholarly research contribution, and use of emergent technologies.
10. Understanding foundation bases and skills prerequisite to the independent practice of professional school psychology.