School Psychology, Specialist in Education (147)
Department website: http://www.wku.edu/psychology/
Program Coordinator
Sarah E. Bonis, sarah.bonis@wku.edu, (270) 745-4414
School psychologists are members of teams that strive to enhance students’ ability to learn in public school systems. The program uses knowledge and skills from the fields of psychology and education to provide specialized preparation to engage in a variety of roles related to special education services, data collection and analysis, consultation, crisis preparedness and response, mental health services, and academic and behavioral interventions. The program emphasizes the application of knowledge through supervised experiences in the psychology department’s clinic and through practicum and internship placements in the public schools. After the required coursework, a 1200-hour (minimum) internship must be completed.
Program Admission
Applicants should have at least 12 semester hours of coursework in Psychology and a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0. Applicants should send three letters of recommendation, the psychology department application form and the graduate application form to the Graduate Studies.
Beyond these stated minimum requirements, selection is competitive. A criminal background check, TB test, and physical exam will be required of successful applicants during the first semester of graduate study at the applicant’s expense.
Graduate School Admission
Please refer to the admission section of this catalog for Graduate School admission requirements.
Program Requirements (66 hours)
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| PSY 509 | Foundations of School Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 510 | Advanced Educational Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 511 | Psychology of Learning | 3 |
| PSY 514 | Program Evaluation and Research Methods | 3 |
| PSY 519 | Psychological Perspectives on Classroom Behavior | 3 |
| PSY 540 | Behavior Problems of Childhood and Adolescence | 3 |
| PSY 541 | Professional Issues and Ethics in Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 545 | Clinical Child Psychology: Theory and Practice | 3 |
| PSY 560 | Assessment of Individual Intellectual Functioning:Theories and Issues | 3 |
| PSY 561 | Advanced Assessment in Educational Settings | 3 |
| PSY 562 | Practicum in Psychological Assessment | 3 |
| PSY 592 | Psychology Internship | 6 |
| PSY 625 | Seminar in School Psychology | 3 |
| EDFN 501 | Educational Statistics | 3 |
| or PSY 617 | Reading and Understanding Statistics in Psychology | |
| PSY 641 | Theories of Psychotherapy | 3 |
| PSY 643 | Academic Assessment and Intervention | 3 |
| PSY 645 | Consultation in Educational and Mental Health Settings: Theory and Practice | 3 |
| PSY 662 | Practicum in Psychology | 6 |
| PSY 699 | Specialist Project | 6 |
| Total Hours | 66 | |