Educational Specialist Degree in School Psychology
Program Leader: Dr. Abbas Tashakkori
E-mail: tashakko@fiu.edu
Phone: 305-348-2552

Overview

Florida International University (FIU) offers a graduate training program in School Psychology through the College of Education's Department of Educational and Psychological Studies. Courses in the program are typically offered during late afternoon and evening hours. Both part-time and full-time students are enrolled.  Graduates receive a Specialist in Education (Ed.S.) degree and upon graduation meet certification requirements for school psychologists in the State of Florida. Additionally, after three years of successful supervised practice graduates meet the State of Florida educational and experience requirements for private practice licensure in the specialty area of School Psychology. The program was designed specifically for training in school psychology, and was developed to meet relevant national accreditation standards (most notably, the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education, and the National Association of School Psychologists).  The program is accredited by the Florida State Department of Education.

Program Mission

The mission of the FIU School Psychology Program (SPP) is to prepare school psychologists to deliver sound school psychological services within an urban multicultural setting for the purpose of promoting the educational and psychological development of children and youth. Its aim is to produce graduates who are sensitive to individual, cultural, and linguistic differences and who value and protect the interests and welfare of those they serve.  The program is grounded in a scientist-practitioner model of professional preparation. Students develop core content knowledge in psychology, education, research/measurement, and professional school psychology.  Students are expected to display applied psychological practices that are consistent with this knowledge.  Within the scientist-practitioner model, the program’s mission can be accomplished best by preparing graduates with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes important to scientific inquiry. The bodies of knowledge used to guide the delivery of school psychological services are dynamic rather than static.  Therefore, graduates must use methods of scientific inquiry to evaluate and synthesize the knowledge base upon which they develop and deliver school psychological services.  School psychologists rely on scientific inquiry and data-based decision making skills to solve problems encountered in professional practice and to evaluate the effectiveness of their professional services. 

The program is committed to preparing graduates to provide comprehensive school psychological services.  Although they are prepared to work in various settings, the primary focus falls on schools.  Delivery of effective school-based services requires sufficient breadth and depth of knowledge related to schooling and school-based systems.  Services may promote development, prevent problems, reduce existing problems, or reduce undesired consequences that may result from problems. To this end, graduates are prepared to develop the competencies needed to provide assessment, prevention, direct intervention, and indirect intervention services. 

The program adheres to the Principles for Professional Ethics developed by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) as well as to the Ethical Principles and Code of Conduct developed by the American Psychological Association (APA).  Consistent with the ethical goal of promoting human welfare, school psychologists aim to help others understand and attain their legal, educational, moral, and individual rights.  Professional preparation is guided by the NASP and APA ethical principles, training standards established by the NASP, and professional standards established by the APA and the NASP.

Application/Admission Requirements

Admission to the SPP is competitive.  Not all applicants are admitted into the program.  New students enter the program during the fall semester.  The application deadline for fall admissions is April 1st.  Applicants to the SPP typically have undergraduate majors in psychology or education.  Relevant professional and life experiences are considered during the application process.  Applicants are required to:

• submit all transcripts,
• have a 3.2 grade-point average in their last 60 semester hours of upper division coursework,
• have a minimum of 15 semester hours of credits in psychology,
• submit a curriculum vitae,
• write an autobiographical sketch (see application packet),
• submit a minimum of three letters of recommendation,
• one of the following:

• passing scores on all sections of the Praxis I: Pre-Professional Skills Assessments
• passing scores on all sections of the  Florida Teacher Certification General       Knowledge Test; students who passed all sections of the College-Level Academic Skills Test (CLAST) exam prior to July 1, 2002 may submit these  scores in lieu of this requirement
• earn a score of 1000 (Verbal + Quantitative) on the Graduate Record  Examination (GRE)

• submit a writing sample if deemed necessary, and
• participate in an interview with the admissions committee.

Course of Study

The program requires a minimum of 80 semester hours of credit and three years of graduate study.  The program is designed to meet state requirements for licensure and state and national requirements for certification.  Thus, little flexibility for specialization exists.  However, students are encouraged to take additional courses to develop an area of specialization. The program’s coursework is distributed across the following six core competency areas:

1. Psychological Foundations
2. Educational Foundations
3. Assessment,
4. Intervention
5. Research and Measurement Methodology
6. Supervised Field Experience.

Students complete the following core competency and elective courses:

*Students with a background in special education may take another elective in lieu of EEX 6051

Additional Requirements

All students entering the graduate program with an undergraduate degree in an area other than education must enroll in courses in general professional education as required by the Florida State Department of Education in order to meet state certification requirements.  Six semester hours of coursework in general methods, curriculum, school administration, or school supervision are required. These general professional education courses may be taken at either the undergraduate or graduate level.  FIU undergraduate courses meeting this requirement include EDG 3321, EDG 3321L and EEX 4601.  FIU graduate courses meeting this requirement include EDA 6242, EDA 6061, EDS 6050, EDS 6115, EDG 5414, EDG 5414L, EDA 6223, and EDA 6232.    

Graduation Requirements

The following requirements are necessary for program completion and graduation:

• GPA of at least 3.0
• Earning a minimum of a B grade in the school psychology internship
• Successful demonstration of the Florida Educator Accomplished Practices (FEAPs)
• Passing the Florida Department of Education Professional Examination in School Psychology
• Passing all sections of the General Knowledge Test or passing all sections of the CLAST prior to July 1, 2002
• Passing the Professional Education section of the Florida Teacher Certification Exam

Financial Aid

The Department of Educational and Psychological Studies has no financial aid to offer students in the School Psychology Program. A limited number of graduate assistantships may be available in the College of Education. Anyone interested in financial aid or in being considered for a graduate assistantship should so indicate when making application through the Office of Admissions.

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

The School Psychology Program welcomes applications from students with disabilities. Disability Services for Students provides information and assistance to students with visual, hearing, speech, physical, and learning disabilities, chronic health problems, psychological disorders, and temporary disabilities. Services include counseling, classroom accommodations, adapted equipment, note-takers, readers, interpreters, adapted testing, priority registration, and referrals. Support and assistance in overcoming architectural, academic, attitudinal, and other barriers encountered is provided. Requests for services must be made prior to the beginning of each semester and current documentation of disability is required to receive services.

Location: GC 225, University Park, 348-3532; SC 260, North Miami Campus, 940-5813; Bldg. 9, Room 224, Broward Program, 948-6793; TTY/TTD 348-3852.

School Psychology Links

• American Psychological Association
• American Psychological Association of Graduate Students
• Florida Association of School Psychologists
• Global School Psychology Network
• International School Psychology Association
• National Association of School Psychologists
• School Psychology Resources Online