SCHPSY-AC - School Psychologist

Admission to the Advanced Certificate Program in School Psychology is limited to (a) students already possessing a master’s degree in psychology, education, or related fields who want to obtain certification as school psychologists’ and (b) satisfactory completion of nine prerequisite courses. Six credits of full-time internship are required. The additional coursework (24–54 credits) will be determined from the list of program courses based on review of student’s prior graduate record.

Additional program criteria include the following:

• Grade-Point Average: Students must maintain a B (3.0) grade-point average in order to remain matriculated in the program.

• Seminars: Before receiving certification, New York State law mandates that all candidates provide documentation that they have completed seminars in (a) Alcohol and Substance Abuse, (b) Child Abuse, Prevention and Intervention, (c) Harassment, Bullying, and Discrimination Prevention and Intervention (DASA), (d) School Safety, which consists of Fire and Arson, Child Abduction, and Safety on Highways, and (e) School Violence Prevention and Intervention.

• Culminating Experience: All candidates in their internship year prepare a Professional Performance-Based Portfolio for submission to faculty. This portfolio consists of case studies in areas including assessment, intervention, counseling and consultation, a research project, a resume, and a personal statement. The portfolio will be reviewed by the faculty and provide evidence of competency in all 10 NASP domains.

• PRAXIS Examination: All candidates are required to take the PRAXIS II (specialty) exam in School Psychology prior to graduation. These scores must be reported to the program office and are required in order to become a Nationally Certified School Psychologist. Registration information can be obtained from the Educational Testing Service (ETS) at 609- 771-7395 or www.ets.org/praxis. Other information is available at nasponline.org

• Candidate Personal Characteristics: Each semester a review of candidates will be conducted to decide whether they are progressing satisfactorily. Responsible training for work in school and mental health settings requires that in addition to meeting academic requirements, candidates have appropriate personal characteristics. These include but are not limited to communication skills, interpersonal skills, respect for human diversity, professional judgment, and ethical conduct. In addition, candidates are expected to demonstrate sensitivity to client issues and effective management of personal stress or adjustment difficulties. At the end of each semester, the faculty of the School Psychology program will evaluate each candidate’s suitability for continuation in the program, considering information from all sources in the program and related settings.

• The decision that a student must leave the program on academic and/or personal grounds will be made by the program faculty and may be appealed, should the student wish, to a special Ad Hoc Appeals Committee of the department, which will include no one who participated in the initial evaluation.

  • Chalk &Wire: Candidates are required to purchase and maintain a Chalk & Wire ePortfolio subscription from the Queens College bookstore in order to submit their assignments as directed.

  • Candidate Professional Behavior: Candidates must demonstrate professional work characteristics, including ethical and legal conduct. All candidates must follow the APA and NASP Ethical Codes, and are expected to abide by the CUNY Policy on Academic Integrity.