School Psychology Website: www.umass.edu/education/schoolpsychology/

The training program in School Psychology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst School of Education is based on an ecologically oriented, scientist-practitioner training model. The Program's educational philosophy holds as a basic premise that high-quality professional training requires graduate student immersion in faculty supervised, pre-professional activities including course work, service delivery, and research. The mission of the training program is to prepare professionals who:

  • Practice school psychology with sensitivity to the individual case, paying careful attention to relevant features of individual history, culture, and context, and the person's educational, social, behavioral, and emotional needs;
  • Practice school psychology within an ecological, problem-solving approach using evidence-based practices to address the educational, social, behavioral, and emotional needs of individuals or groups, and to promote healthy development of all children, students, and families;
  • Practice school psychology using evidence-based prevention and intervention practices to address the educational and social needs of school systems, families, and communities, emphasizing group level applications;
  • Practice school psychology consistent with the ethical guidelines of the American Psychological Association and the National Association of School Psychologists, and consistent with State and Federal Law;
  • Contribute to the professional knowledge base of school psychology with an emphasis on assessment, prevention, and intervention practices, by conducting valid and meaningful research, and engaging in professional dissemination activities;
  • Provide leadership in the field of school psychology at local, state, regional, and national levels.

These goals and the manner in which they are operationalized are consistent with the University of Massachusetts' mission, which is "…to provide an affordable education of high quality and conduct programs of research and public service that advance our knowledge and improve the lives of the people of the Commonwealth." They also are in accordance with primary aspects of the Amherst campus' vision, which include striving for high quality innovation, public service, and contributions to quality of life for citizens of the region.

Consistent with the School of Education mission, faculty and graduate students in the School Psychology Program are concerned with and attentive to issues of diversity in professional education and professional practice. We strive to have our work be contextually grounded (e.g., considerate of school, cultural, social, economic, political contexts), and idiographic in its orientation. As such, each student, parent or teacher is approached as an individual who must be understood, in part, based on that person's unique learning history (including cultural, ethnic, linguistic influences, for example). In addition, Program faculty and graduate students actively work to recruit, support, and retain graduate students from diverse backgrounds. The values inherent in understanding diversity and its influences on psychological and educational research and practices are infused with and across professional preparation courses and experiences within the program.

Our mission is accomplished through faculty and student work consisting of research, teaching, and service, while preparing professionals to increase the capacity of public schools and other agencies to improve educational and developmental outcomes for children. For example, through collaborative research and service projects, the program is investigating methods to prevent and remediate reading problems among children, improve educational assessment practices in schools, and increase the capacity of school-based professionals to effectively serve students with and without disabilities.

 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The University of Massachusetts Amherst Ph.D. program in School Psychology is accredited by the American Psychological Association and is approved by the National Association of School Psychologists and the Massachusetts Department of Education.

The program is housed within the Student Development and Pupil Personnel Services Department of the School of Education. Typically, students take coursework from faculty across the School of Education's programs of study, including Early Childhood Education, Special Education, School Counseling, Social Justice Education, and from outside the School of Education, most notably Psychology and Sociology.

The School Psychology Program offers a Ph.D. program (110 semester hour credits minimum). The doctoral program of study typically takes three to five years to complete, including a one-year internship experience.

Typically, students with backgrounds in psychology, education, and/or special education seek admission to the program. Our graduate students hail from many states and regions across the United States and vary in age, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and background experience. We seek to capitalize on this variability by individualizing each graduate student's course of study to allow development of special expertise and interests.

The School Psychology Program's ecological orientation has its primary foundations in behavioral, social, and developmental psychology. Further, this orientation directs us to prepare professional school psychologists as problem solvers with a focus on prevention and intervention with achievement and behavior problems in the natural context(s). More attention is directed to assessment for understanding student-environment relations than is directed to understanding aspects of within-child functioning. Toward an understanding of student-environment relations, our curriculum includes coursework on interventions for achievement and behavior problems, multicultural counseling, methods in special education, and instructional and behavioral consultation, as well as a programmatic emphasis on the prevention of achievement and behavior problems via early screening and early intervention.

Another pervasive and contextual aspect of our ecological perspective is the importance of social validity--that is, the involvement of consumers in judging goals, methods, and outcomes (in addition to judgements based in professional judgement, statistics, and professional standards) of professional service delivery. Given the importance of teachers, parents and other consumers in this ecological model, such judgements are critical to the shaping of services that will be both useful to and used by those we serve.

Integrated with the ecological perspective are the scientist-practitioner aspects of our training model. Here, our focus is on careful integration of scientific methods of knowing with professional practice and research. At the heart of this approach is basic training in time-series, single subject and group research methods, which are complemented by a range of data analytic techniques. In addition to required research, practicum, and internship activities, all School Psychology students take coursework from within the following domains: Psychological and Educational Foundations of School Psychology, Psychometrics, Assessment and Research, Methods of School-Based Intervention, and Professional School Psychology. This ecologically-oriented, scientist-practitioner training model results in professional practice that is contemporary and ethical in its striving for accountability, and that has the potential to contribute to the knowledge base of the field of School Psychology.

In addition to in-depth course-based training in research design and methodology, data analysis and interpretation, and the presentation of research results, research training also emphasizes student collaboration with faculty researchers. These collaborations are focused on a range of areas important to individual children and groups of children in schools throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the nation. For example, ongoing research projects include the study of factors that influence children's early school success, the development and validation of effective and useful educational assessment strategies/tools, factors that influence teacher efficacy in serving students with disabilities and students from diverse backgrounds, and the effective involvement of parents in the education of their children. These projects are conducted in collaboration with public schools throughout Western Massachusetts, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and the nation.

 

DESIRED STUDENT CHARACTERISTICS

The School Psychology Program seeks students whose professional interests and academic pursuits are consistent with the program model. That is, the program uses an ecologically-oriented, scientist-practitioner model, with an emphasis on problem solving, intervention-linked assessment, evidence-based intervention practices, consideration of issues of diversity, and professional accountability. Applicants should be committed to professional development and careers consistent with these emphases.

Students are admitted through a selective admissions process, with careful attention to applicant interests, aptitude, and prior achievement. In addition, faculty take special care to incorporate affirmative action into the admissions process. The following documentation is required as part of an application:

  • Undergraduate and graduate (where applicable) transcripts
  • At least two letters of recommendation
  • Written statement of professional interests and goals
  • University application forms
  • Vita or resume
In addition, applicants are strongly encouraged to include Graduate Record Examination scores (Verbal, Quantitative and Analytic). While these scores are not required of applicants, they are used for advising purposes when available. The Program faculty consider the following information (gathered from completed applications, letters of recommendation, test scores, interviews, and other information submitted by the student) in making admissions decisions:
  • Identification with and knowledge of the field of School Psychology. The program seeks students who understand the field of School Psychology and have demonstrated School Psychology interests and/or participation.
  • Identification with and knowledge of an ecologically-oriented, scientist-practitioner orientation.
  • Applicants are expected to have interests in pursuing school psychology training from a scientist-practitioner perspective.
  • Interest in research. Previous experiences with and/or interests in applied educational research, especially a completed thesis, or research paper, and previous statistics grades are good indicators of ability in this area. We also seek students who have research interests commensurate with the interests of the program faculty.
  • Commitment to full-time program participation. Student interests in and commitment to graduate studies are one indicator of match with our program educational philosophy.
  • Appearance and presentation/Interpersonal style. Successful applicants are expected to present themselves in a friendly, yet professional manner, and to demonstrate good written and oral communication skills. These attributes and skills are important to the professional growth and development of students.
  • Academic aptitude. Faculty review each applicant's undergraduate and graduate Grade Point Average, Graduate Record Examination scores, and letters of recommendations, to estimate ability to successfully complete graduate work.
  • Potential fit with the program. The degree to which an applicant's professional interests is commensurate with faculty interests and program foci is an important indicator of student match with the program.
  • Related educational and/or clinical experience. The applicant's employment and volunteer work in applied settings are considered here. Letters of recommendation from previous supervisors are examined as well.

Students typically apply with a Bachelor's and/or Master's degree(s) in an area related to human services (e.g., Psychology, Education, Social Work, Nursing, Human Development, Family Studies). Matriculating students are active scholars in terms of publication and presentations and typically are student member affiliates of Division 16 of the American Psychological Association and the National Association of School Psychologists. Each year, approximately 100 applications are received, and, typically, about 12 applicants are offered admission.

For additional program information, please refer to the School Psychology Program Student Handbook.


ASSOCIATED FACULTY

Coordinator: John M. Hintze (Associate Professor)
Email: hintze@educumass.edu

Amanda Marcotte (Visiting Assistant Professor), William J. Matthews (Professor).