About the School Psychology Graduate Program
Preparing students for certification as a school psychologist (full-time on-campus program).
Opportunities in School Psychology
School Psychologists work in schools or related settings in meeting the mental health and educational needs of children and adolescents. Through graduate training and applied experience, school psychologists develop skills that allow them to perform activities such as assessment and classification, consultation with parents and teachers, direct interventions (e.g., counseling, social skills training, behavior management), and research or program evaluation. The job outlook for school psychologists is currently very favorable in most regions of the U.S. There is currently a nationwide shortage of school psychologists which is expected to continue for a number of years.
Training in Emotional and Behavioral Disorders
Although training received in the school psychology program enables students to be proficient in many different skill areas, the program currently specializes in preparing students to work with children and adolescents who are exhibiting significant emotional and behavioral problems. More specifically, students are trained in interventions which are behaviorally-based to prepare them to work with children and adolescents exhibiting a wide variety of emotional and behavioral problems. Education and training in this area allows students to develop professional skills that are becoming an increasingly high priority within the public school system.
Program Approval and Certification
The USU School Psychology Training Program is approved by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) and the Utah State Office of Education for preparation of school psychologists. Completion of the program will not only satisfy school psychology educational licensure requirements for Utah and most other states, but will also allow graduates to pursue the National School Psychology Certification (NCSP).