Become a practicing school psychologist, conduct independent research, take a leadership role in special education, or prepare for private practice.
This program gives you several career options while you learn from the scientist-practitioner model, where research and theory will inform your work, and real-world experiences will help your research.
During the course of completing this program, you will also earn a master's degree in school psychology.
Completion of this 94-credit hour degree program takes most students five to six years of full-time study. You’ll complete at least 800 hours of practica and 1,500 hours of internship work, which will give you the experience you’ll need to earn licensure. You’ll also conduct field-based research under the guidance of a faculty advisor.
Admission offers are made using a faculty mentoring approach. Students are selected, in part, based on their fit with the research interests of specific professors. If accepted, you will join the program as an advisee of a specific faculty. When applying, please indicate in your personal statement which professor(s) in the School Psychology Program you are interested in working with and why.
Our research areas includes:
Action research in schools
Autism and related neurodevelopmental disabilities, including ADHD, learning disabilities, intellectual developmental disorder
Culturally Responsive Psychological and Psychoeducational Assessment
Interdisciplinary and Interprofessional (school-medical) collaboration
Social justice and educational equity
School-based mental health
Students with emotional and behavioral disorders, particularly students placed in self-contained classroom settings
Trauma-informed practices
Program Essentials
Starting Semester
Deadline
Fall
Nov 15
December 1 is the priority funding deadline for the Dean’s Fellowship and University Graduate School diversity fellowships. Eligible applicants will automatically be considered for fellowships – no separate application is necessary.
International students are encouraged to apply early to allow extra time for their materials to arrive.
Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
(minimum accumulative GPA 2.75 out of 4.00)
Preferred background in psychology and/or education
Completed online application that includes:
Personal statement
Resume
Three letters of recommendation
GRE scores are required
only if applicant does not have a degree from an accredited U.S. institution
Minimum 79 TOEFL score
or minimum 6.5 IELTS score
or minimum 115 Duolingo score (international students only)
Writing sample
The Graduate Studies Office will accept unofficial transcripts and self-reported test scores for admission reviews. Any admission made with these documents would be conditioned on receipt of official documents, which should be provided as soon as possible.
If you are currently enrolled or have applied in the past year, you are eligible for a reduced application fee of $35.
Learn more »
*Does not include all fees, which will vary depending on the number of credits enrolled. Find more information and calculate your expected costs at
Student Central.
Visit
Student Central for information about
financial assistance.
Consult your employer about the availability of
tuition reimbursement or tuition assistance
programs.
Active duty military, veterans, and military families should visit the
Center for Veteran and Military Students
to take full advantage of available financial assistance and educational benefits.
Our programs are approved by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP).
The Ph.D. in School Psychology is accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA).
for applicants with a degree from an accredited U.S. institution
Meet Our Current Students
Tiffany Williams is from Marshall, IL. Her research interests include social justice, culturally responsive practice, systems-level intervention and change, and global school psychology. In the future, she hopes to continue research in academia or work within a school or hospital-based setting.
Leslie Jenkins is a Licensed Psychologist, and since 2017 she has owned and operated a private practice that focuses on second opinion evaluation for the treatment of complex conditions. She provides counseling and assessment services across the lifespan.
