School Psychology

What is a School Psychologist?

The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) describes the profession as follows:

“School psychologists work with students individually and in groups. They also develop programs to train teachers and parents about effective teaching and learning strategies, techniques to manage behavior at home and in the classroom, working with students with disabilities or with special talents, addressing abuse of drugs and other substances, and preventing and managing crises… They collaborate with educators, parents, and other professionals to create safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments for all students that strengthen connections between home and school.”

Furthermore, they list five main components to School Psychology:

1. Consultation

2. Evaluation

3. Intervention

4. Prevention
5. Research and Planning

The Job Market

NASP and AllPsychologySchools.com have this to say,

“It is believed that a majority of current practitioners will be reaching retirement age within the next ten years, hence opening the door for a new generation of school psychologists. According to US News and World Report, school psychology continues to be one of the “best careers” for 2008.”

“In addition, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that school psychology will be one of the fastest growing careers through 2014.”

School Psychology Versus School Counseling

Again, from NASP:

“In the school setting, counselors typically work with the total school population regarding a variety of issues – family and academic problems, career planning, course schedules and problem solving around course selection and scheduling, etc.”

“Relative to counselors, school psychologists are more likely to have training in behavioral analysis, mental health screening and diagnosis, research methods (and application of research to classroom practices), and specific disability areas.”

“School psychologists may overlap the duties of counselors and social workers, and often will work jointly with these other professionals by co-leading social skills groups and jointly serving on crisis support teams.”

School Psychology at the College of Saint Rose

Our graduate program at Saint Rose consists of 69 credits, which includes supervised field experiences in practicum and internship settings. The program provides students with an interdisciplinary curriculum that integrates school psychology, educational psychology, counseling, and special education.

Our program follows a cohort model, and as such, only admits students in the fall semester. The application deadline is February 15. Beyond normal application requirements, applicants to the School Psychology program will attend an admissions workshop, which includes group and individual interviews and a writing exercise.

If you want to help to give every student a chance to succeed in a safe and supportive environment, and are ready for the challenge, you may want to consider a career in School Psychology.

Please find more information about the School Psychology graduate program at the College of Saint Rose here