The master's/sixth-year program is designed to prepare qualified school psychologists to practice in public schools or related educational settings. The Master of Arts/sixth-year certification program requires a minimum of 66 semester hours of coursework including a 1,500-hour, 10-month, supervised internship that meets the requirements for certification in school psychology. The program is designed so that students can complete all master's/sixth-year program requirements in 3 years of full-time graduate study.
Academics & Curriculum
The master's/sixth-year program is designed to involve students in a systematic and reasoned sequential plan of study in order to orient students to the professional practice of school psychology. The program begins with foundation courses in psychology and education. Subsequently, students enroll in skill-related assessment courses, which involve a practice component, and as such they are introduced early in their programs to the application of theory to practice. Intervention coursework, together with supervised practica, follows the assessment sequence. The culminating professional experience occurs during the third year when students are involved in a supervised [13] internship in school psychology.
Sample Plan of Study
Year 1, Fall Semester
- EPSY 5605 – Quantitative Methods (in person)
- EPSY 5420 – Roles & Functions of School Psychologists
- EPSY 5403 – Intellectual Assessment
- EPSY 5092 – Practicum 1 (3 credits)
Year 1, Spring Semester
- EPSY 5601- Principles and Methods in Ed Research
- EPSY 5425 –Academic Assessment
- EPSY 5404 – Social Emotional Behavioral Assessment
- EPSY 5430 – Child Psychopathology
- EPSY 5092 – Practicum 1 (3 credits)
Year 2, Fall Semester
- EPSY 5405 – Applied Behavior Analysis
- EPSY 5408 – Ethics
- EPSY 5450– Issues of Cultural Diversity
- EPSY 5406 – Consultation
- EPSY 5092 – Practicum 2 (3 credits)
Year 2, Spring Semester
- EPSY 5440 – Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Intervention in Schools
- EPSY 5435–Academic Intervention
- EPSY 5445 – Counseling in School Psychology
- EPSY 5092 – Practicum 2 (3 credits)
Year 3, Fall Semester
- EPSY 5491 – School Psychology Internship (6 credits)
Year 3, Spring Semester
- EPSY 5491 – School Psychology Internship (6 credits)
Application Deadline
The school psychology program admits students once a year for entry in the following fall semester. The application deadline is December 1.
Accreditation
The program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and is approved by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) and the Connecticut State Board of Education. The program requirements fulfill the certification requirements for Connecticut's 070 School Psychologist certification as well as the certification requirements of most other states.
Practicum
The practica sequence was developed in accordance with APA and NASP guidelines that require planned supervised experiences that include direct service and formally scheduled supervision. The primary focus of the practicum is to adequately prepare students for their internships. The practica experiences are designed to have a direct relationship to the objectives of the practicum as outlined in the Practicum Syllabus. Further, the practicum experiences are provided under conditions of appropriate supervision and are distinct from and occur prior to the internship.
The practicum is designed to provide students with planned, supervised experiences of directed observations and participation in educational settings with emphasis on empirically supported practices. In addition, the practicum is designed to ensure the student has sufficient supervised experiences to provide an early exposure and identification with the professional practice of school psychology. The field experiences are coordinated with coursework to allow students ample opportunity to combine their theoretical and practical knowledge in a supervised situation. Students are required to spend time in the public schools and may spend additional time in other approved school-related agencies or clinics.
Practicum experiences in a school or related educational setting are a required component of program completion and graduation. Students pursuing the master’s/sixth year degree are required to earn a minimum of 400 practicum hours across their first two consecutive years. Students are required to complete practicum rotations in elementary and middle/high school settings, as well as a diverse setting.
Internship
The internship in school psychology complies with APA and NASP standards. The internship settings are selected on the basis of their appropriateness relative to the specific training objectives of the program and with sensitivity to the student's professional background and goals. The field-based internship supervisors for master’s/sixth-year interns are certified school psychologists. The internship is designed to enhance the development of competencies and professionalism and to be the culminating experience of the student's program. As such, the internship allows the student to participate in educational settings and the opportunity to integrate coursework, research, theory, and practical experiences in a supervised, applied setting.
The internship occurs on a full-time basis over a period of one academic year, or on a half-time basis over a period of two consecutive years. This amounts to at least 1,500 clock hours of supervised experiences relevant to the practice of school psychology of which a minimum of 600 hours must be in a school setting.
Examinations
Students enrolled in the master's/sixth-year program must pass the Praxis Series - School Psychologist (code 5402), which is administered by the Educational Testing Service. This serves as the Final Examination for the Master’s Degree. Students take the examination during the second year in the program (typically in the spring), after admission to the sixth-year program and prior to beginning their internship. The standardized examination provides an assessment of content in concert with national standards and allows for the evaluation of our students relative to a nation-wide reference group. The examination involves multiple-choice questions covering the following four content areas:
- Professional Practices, Practices that Permeate All Aspects of Service and Delivery
- Direct and Indirect Services for Children, Families, and Schools (Student-Level Services)
- System-Level Services
- Foundations of School Psychological Service Delivery
Upon submitting evidence of successfully passing the exam (score of 155 or above) the student will submit the Report on Final Examination online paperwork to the Graduate School. Note that doctoral students are required to score within or above the average range for each content area to meet the program minimum levels of achievement.
After successfully receiving a passing score on the pre-internship portfolio (Final Examination for the Sixth-Year Diploma) and successful completion of the internship, students will receive their sixth-year diploma, and are eligible for state-specific certification in school psychology and to submit materials to obtain the credential as a Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP).
Organizations & Resources
Student Association of School Psychology
UConn SASP Mission Statement: The Student Association of School Psychology at the University of Connecticut‘s Neag School of Education (UConn SASP) is a student organization within the School Psychology Program that aims to maintain collaboration with the program, increase professional development activities, and promote social justice and equity.
Email: uconnsasp@gmail.com
National & Regional Organization Resources
NASP Principles for Professional Ethics
APA Division 16: School Psychology
APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct.pdf