Graduate Course Descriptions

Required for students who have completed PSYC 798, 799 and 800 but need additional time to complete the dissertation process. See Catalog for “Continuous Registration.”

Special topics courses in psychology. See course listing each semester for specific titles and descriptions.

The Comprehensive Examination is the capstone project for the M.A. program in school psychology. Content from all concentration courses in the M.A. course sequence is included. All students pursuing the M.A. degree in School Psychology are required to sit for the Comprehensive Examination. Students must pass the Comprehensive Examination in order to be granted the M.A. degree. Students take the Comprehensive Examination in the semester that coincides with their completion of M.A. coursework. Successful completion of the Comprehensive Examination is required before the M.A. degree in School Psychology is awarded. In order to be eligible to take the Comprehensive Examination, the student must secure the chair’s approval and have completed the following requirements: All core courses with at least a B average. The following concentration courses with at least B average: PSYC 610 PSYC 654 PSYC 663 PSYC 664 PSYC 603 PSYC 643 PSYC 644 PSYC 655 (School Consultation) is taken concurrently w

The history and systems of psychology and education, and the processes by which school psychology as a profession has developed its identity, are discussed. Important events and individuals in the history of school psychology are reviewed. Day-to-day roles of the school psychologists, school culture and climate, and individual and systems service delivery models are examined. Future directions of the field are discussed. Applications to various practice settings (including public schools, other school settings, medical/private practice settings, and academic settings, among others) are reviewed. As part of this course, students will shadow and interview a currently-practicing school psychologist.

Review of moderate and serious pathological and diagnostic schemas using DSM, with secondary emphasis on treatment implications. Strategies for assessing and formulating clinical and cultural material are examined. Students are introduced to symptom clusters which distinguish different mental health problems and are presented with a dimensional model for understanding diagnosis within the context of personality styles. Implications for diversity are examined.

Legal definitions and categories of exceptionality are discussed. High- and low-incidence pediatric disorders are reviewed. The impact of health-related issues on students’ functioning in educational settings is discussed. Implications of exceptionalities for family systems, including parent-child communication, parent-school relationships, and sibling issues are examined.

Biological bases of behavior and brain-based theories of learning and cognition will be explored. Neuropsychologically-informed methods of assessment and direct and indirect interventions will be introduced. Neurodevelopmental changes and/or differences associated with various high-and-low incidence disabilities will be reviewed. Ways to examine and adapt curriculum in light of assessment data will be discussed. (Pre-requisite: PSYC 664).

This course will examine factors relating to instruction, assessment, and intervention for culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) learners. The roles of the educational specialist (i.e., school counselor and school psychologist) in supporting CLD learners will be emphasized. Language acquisition processes for monolingual and multilingual learners will be reviewed. Empirically-supported instructional models and practices for working with CLD learners will be discussed. Bias, fairness, and cultural/acculturative factors impacting instruction and assessment will be addressed. Educational, legal, and ethical standards pertaining to CLD learners will be reviewed. Strategies to facilitate communication and collaboration with culturally and linguistically diverse families will be discussed.

Ethical codes relevant to school psychologists (e.g., NASP and APA) and other laws and regulations related to professional conduct are reviewed. Models for ethical decision making are reviewed with attention to multiculturalism and diversity. Important litigation and legislation pertaining to general and special education, disability and exceptionality, civil rights, privacy, and confidentiality are reviewed and applied to professional practice. The role of professional socialization processes, including professional organizations, professional socialization and collegiality, and the importance of life-long learning are examined.

Students will review and practice a variety of socio-emotional and behavioral assessment techniques, including: functional behavioral assessment and analysis; systematic direct behavioral observation; student, parent, and teacher interviews; and norm-referenced socioemotional and behavioral assessment tools. Principles of applied behavioral analysis will be reviewed. School-wide, classroom, smallgroup, and individual interventions will be discussed. Administration, interpretation, and report-writing skills will be developed. Data-based decision-making will be emphasized. Ethical, legal, and multicultural issues will be discussed.