Description

This is a state-approved teacher education program that is currently undergoing revision in response to a change in Florida Administrative Code (State Board of Education Rule 6A-5.066). Students enrolled in this program should remain in close contact with their adviser to keep informed of any program changes implemented to comply with new state requirements.

The School Psychology Program is designed for students who wish to become certified School Psychologists. This specialist degree has very specific programming to meet the respective licensing requirements for school psychologists.

The School Psychology Program is a unique specialization in psychology and education. This program is based on two assumptions. School psychologists can apply relevant knowledge and skills from a variety of disciplines to the learning and adjustment problems of preschool and school-age children. Also, relevant knowledge and skills can be transmitted through a variety of services including (a) consultation with teachers and parents, (b) direct and indirect services to children and young adults, and (c) direct and indirect services to school and community organizations. School psychologists may practice in public or private schools, colleges and universities, rehabilitation centers, hospitals, mental health clinics, government agencies, child guidance centers, penal institutions, and may develop private practices. Applicants with backgrounds in education, psychology or other closely related undergraduate majors may qualify for the School Psychology degree program.

The program involves formal preparation and practical experiences focusing on psychological foundations (human development, learning and motivation), psychoeducational assessment, exceptional students, remediation or intervention techniques, counseling skills, as well as full-time supervised internship of two semesters in the public school setting. Graduates are certifiable at the state level and the program is approved and accredited by NASP/NCATE.

SPS courses are only open to students in the School Psychology Program.

Degrees Offered

Education Specialist in School Psychology

Admission

For information on general UCF graduate admissions requirements that apply to all prospective students, please visit the Admissions and Registration section of the Graduate Catalog. Applicants must apply online. Please be sure to submit all requested material by the established deadline(s).

Requirements for consideration for admission to the program include the following:

• Attend an orientation meeting prior to applying to the program (call 407-823-2401 for meeting dates)
• Meet minimum admission requirements for advanced graduate students in the College of Education
• Complete a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution (usually in Education or Psychology)
• Have an undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) for the last 60 attempted Credit Hours
• Attain a competitive GRE score (verbal and quantitative scores combined)
• Submit three letters of recommendation (one from a faculty member)
• Receive a favorable recommendation for admission by the School Psychology Review Committee

This program can accommodate only a limited number of students; therefore, there is a possibility of being denied admission even when all criteria are met. Admissions to this program will occur only in the fall term. Information concerning specific admissions policies and procedures can be obtained from the program website: pegasus.cc.ucf.edu/~schpsy/admissi.html. All other questions will be answered during the orientation meeting that prospective students are required to attend.

Note: Applicants graduating in spring and who might be experiencing difficulty in having complete transcripts sent to UCF by March 1 must request a letter from the Registrar of the institution granting the degree (to be submitted before the deadline) stating: (1) type of degree, (2) date of graduation, (3) major, and (4) final GPA.

Application Due Dates

All application materials must be submitted by the appropriate deadline listed below.

All students applying for fellowships must apply by the Fall Priority deadline date.

U.S. Applicants

Program(s)	Fall Priority	Fall	Spring	Summer
Education Specialist in School Psychology	Jan 15	Mar 1

 

International Applicants

Program(s)	Fall Priority	Fall	Spring	Summer
Education Specialist in School Psychology	Jan 15	Jan 15

 

International Transfer Applicants

Program(s)	Fall Priority	Fall	Spring	Summer
Education Specialist in School Psychology	Jan 15	Mar 1

Education Specialist in School Psychology

Total Hours Required for Ed.S.—Minimum of 86 credit hours beyond the bachelor’s degree

The School Psychology Ed.S. requires a practicum as well as research report at the completion of studies.

Area A: Core—12 Credit Hours

• EDF 6401 Statistics for Educational Data (3 credit hours)
• EDF 6481 Fundamentals of Graduate Research in Education (3 credit hours)
• EEX 5051 Exceptional Children in the Schools (3 credit hours)
• EDP 6056 Advanced Educational Psychology (3 credit hours)

Area B: Specialization—56 Credit Hours

• SPS 6601 Introduction to Psychological Services in Schools (3 credit hours)
• SPS 6606 School Consultation Techniques (3 credit hours)
• SPS 6608 Seminar in School Psychology (3 credit hours)
• SPS 6801 Developmental Basis of Diverse Behaviors (3 credit hours)
• SPS 6225 Behavioral and Observational Analysis of Classroom Interactions in Schools (3 credit hours)
• SPS 6703 Child and Adolescent Deviant Behavior and Treatment (3 credit hours)
• SPS 6931 Ethical and Legal Issues in School Psychological Services (3 credit hours)
• MHS 6400 Theories of Counseling and Personality (3 credit hours)
• MHS 6401 Techniques of Counseling (3 credit hours)
• SPS 6191 Individual Psychoeducational Diagnosis I (4 credit hours)
• SPS 6192 Individual Psychoeducational Diagnosis II (4 credit hours)
• SPS 6125 Infant Development Assessment (3 credit hours)
• SPS 6194 Assessment of Special Needs (3 credit hours)
• SPS 6206 Psychoeducational Interventions (3 credit hours)
• SPS 6175 Cultural Diversity and Nonbiased Assessment (3 credit hours)
• SPS 6909 Research Report I and II (6 credit hours)
• RED 5147 Developmental Reading (3 credit hours)

Area C: Practicum and Internship—18 Credit Hours

• SPS 6946 Practicum in School Psychology I (3 credit hours)
• SPS 6946 Practicum in School Psychology II (3 credit hours)
• SPS 6949 School Psychology Internship I and II (12 credit hours)

Prerequisites or Co-requisites (DOE Certification)

• EDA 6061 Organization and Administration of Schools (3 credit hours)
• EDF 6517 Perspectives on Education (3 credit hours) or EDF 6608 Social Factors in American Education (3 credit hours)

Financial Support

Graduate students may receive financial assistance through fellowships, assistantships, tuition support, or loans. For more information, see Financing Grad School, which describes the types of financial assistance available at UCF and provides general guidance in planning your graduate finances. The Financial Information section of the Graduate Catalog is another key resource.

Key points about financial support:

• If you are interested in financial assistance, you are strongly encouraged to apply for admission early. A complete application for admission, including all supporting documents, must be received by the priority date listed for your program under "Admissions."
• You must be admitted to a graduate program before the university can consider awarding financial assistance to you.
• If you want to be considered for loans and other need-based financial assistance, review the UCF Student Financial Assistance website at http://finaid.ucf.edu and complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form, which is available online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov. Apply early and allow up to six weeks for the FAFSA form to be processed.
• UCF Graduate Studies awards university graduate fellowships, with most decisions based on nominations from the colleges and programs. To be eligible for a fellowship, students must be accepted as a graduate student in a degree program and be enrolled full-time. University graduate fellowships are awarded based on academic merit and therefore are not affected by FAFSA determination of need.
• Please note that select fellowships do require students to fill out a fellowship application (either a university fellowship application, an external fellowship application, or a college or school fellowship application). For university fellowship applications, see Financing Grad School.
• For information on assistantships (including teaching, research, and general graduate assistantships) or tuition support, contact the graduate program director of your major.

Contact Info

Gordon Taub, Ph.D., Associate Professor
Phone Number: 407-823-0373
gtaub@mail.ucf.edu