Students are given preparation in foundations of psychology and education, practices and methodologies of school psychology, the multicultural context of the school, and research inquiry techniques through coursework and practical experience.  Practicum and experiential aspects of the profession begin from the first semester of enrollment, and students will have a variety of opportunities to expand and apply acquired skills.  Practica are offered concurrently with theoretical and applied course work.  Practicum is required each semester.  Students may receive credit for prior graduate work, depending on relevance to the curriculum.  A one-year, full-time internship is required, which typically is completed in the third year.  A minor is required, with counseling being the most frequent selection.  This program leads to licensure as a school psychologist in Indiana (see the section titled “Licensure Program”), as well as in other states.  Graduates of this program provide psychological services in public or private school settings. 

Degree Requirements

Major Requirements (36-40 cr.)
This is the area of specialization, 18 of these credit hours must be taken on the campus awarding the degree.  Each program area office has a document that specifies which courses are to be taken in this category.  Required courses include:

• P655 Cognitive Assessment and Intervention (4 cr.)
• P656 Practicum in School Psychology (4 cr.)
• P657 Academic Assessment and Intervention (4 cr.)
• P670 Behavioral Analysis and Consultation for School Psychologists (3 cr.)
• P680 Ethical, Legal, and Professional Issues in School Psychology (3 cr.)
• P681 Psychology of Cultural Diversity (3 cr.)
• P682 Developmental Psychopathology of Childhood and Adolescence (3 cr.)
• P691 Personality Assessment and Intervention (3 cr.)
• P692 Seminar in Therapeutic Interventions with Children (3 cr.)
• P695 Practicum in Personality and Behavioral Assessment (2 cr.)
• P696 Practicum in Therapeutic Interventions with Children (2 cr.)
• P596 Internship in School Psychology I (2-6 cr.)

Inquiry (6 cr.)

• Y502 Intermediate Statistics Applied to Education (3 cr.)
  • Must be taken concurrently with Y500.
• Y520 Strategies for Educational Inquiry (3 cr.)

Psychological Foundations Requirements (12 cr.)*

Human Development (3 cr.)

• P514 Lifespan Development: Birth to Death (3 cr.)

Social Bases of Behavior (3 cr.)
Select one course from the following:

• P622 Social Development (3 cr.)
• P566 Social Psychology in Education (3 cr.)
• G656 Social Bases of Behavior (3 cr.)

Cognitive/Learning Bases of Behavior (3 cr.)
Select one course from the following:

• P540 Learning and Cognition in Education (3 cr.)
• P544 Applied Cognition and Learning Strategies (3 cr.)

Counseling Course (3 cr.)

• Select a counseling course in consultation with advisory committee. (3 cr.)

Minor Requirements (12 cr.)
The minor must have integrity in its own right and must complement the major. The minor field must demonstrate wholeness within itself and contribute to the student's overall doctoral program. Minors are normally formulated within a single program area. However, an interdisciplinary or individualized minor is also possible. Interdisciplinary or individualized minors require a written description of the minor's underlying theme along with a rationale for each course's contribution to that theme through the Minor Justification form. This form should be submitted and approved by the Graduate Studies Office prior to enrolling in the minor courses.  Major area courses may not be used in the minor.

Most students select counseling for their minor, which provides a foundation for internships in school settings.  The minor should be selected to prepare for internship and professional positions upon graduation. 

Elective Requirements (2-12 cr.)
Electives may be taken in fields inside or outside the School of Education.  Students may take electives in any area of interest to complement their program of study.  Elective courses must be approved by the advisory committee and must be relevant to the field of School Psychology.  The electives category may be used to add to the major, research/inquiry, or minor components to bring the total program credits earned to at least 65 hours.

Capstone Project or Comprehensive Examination
Students develop and maintain a Professional Development Portfolio throughout their program.  At the end of the second year, the portfolio will be reviewed and evaluated by the advisory committee during an oral examination that includes coverage of coursework, practica, and ethics.

The Ed.S. program is approved by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), which provides the graduate with the opportunity to become a Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP).  Students are required to take and pass the National School Psychology Examination (Praxis II) as a condition for graduation.  This examination is most often taken in June of the second year of study, just prior to the start of the internship.

Ed.S. Internship
Upon completion of course work and the oral examination, students are ready to complete an internship.  The internship is overseen by a site supervisor and a university-based supervisor.  The internship is a minimum of 1200 hours or the equivalent of a full time (nine-month) academic year.  Students are expected to complete the internship under conditions established by the internship site.  After the internship is completed satisfactorily, graduation occurs.  Because the internship timeline is beyond the regular IU academic year, official graduation is most often in June of the third year, and graduates should be able to obtain a license to work in the schools the following year.         

• P596 Internship in School Psychology I (2-6 cr.)