This 62 credit-hour program combines coursework from both the Departments of Education and Psychology. Students completing this program will acquire knowledge, dispositions, and professional skills to function in school settings as licensed School Psychologists, and will be trained within the pragmatic model of School Psychology. It is the goal of the Valparaiso University School Psychology Program to provide school psychology training in accordance with standards established by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) and the Indiana Department of Education’s Division of Professional Standards. At the conclusion of this integrated sequence of study, students will have earned both the Master of Education in Education and Psychological Foundations and the Educational Specialist degree. Graduates of this program will also qualify for licensure as School Psychologists in the State of Indiana.
The Valparaiso University School Psychology Program is designed for completion in three years of full-time study. This includes two years of sequenced coursework, which includes summer months, plus the year-long 1200 clock hour internship that is completed under the supervision of a licensed or credentialed school psychologist. Field-training requirements are integrated throughout the entire sequence of the program, and must typically be completed during hours in which elementary and secondary schools are in session. A part-time option for this program is also available.
To ensure that individual candidates are meeting programmatic goals, data will be collected at set checkpoints and reviewed by a designated committee determined for each student at the initiation of the program. Checkpoints are as follows:
- Admission
- Completion of M.Ed. requirements (End of Year 1)
- Pre-internship Review (End of Year 2)
- Pre-graduation/Pre-licensing Review (End of Year 3)
Follow-up employment and program quality surveys are completed within one year of graduation. Students must pass the ETS Praxis II School Psychology Examination, with NASP’s certification cutoff score, prior to graduating with the Ed.S. degree. To continuously improve the quality of the School Psychology program, all data collected among candidates is aggregated and shared with necessary stakeholders each academic year. For specific information concerning this assessment system, please see the Valparaiso University School Psychology Handbook.
Evaluations of candidates’ knowledge, skills, and dispositions will occur 1) through multiple methods of assessment (e.g., portfolios, scoring rubrics, field training evaluations, norm-referenced testing), 2) across settings (e.g., University classrooms and elementary/ secondary settings), and finally, 3) from perceptions of different raters/evaluators.
Individuals who have already completed graduate work within the past five years may transfer up to 21 credit hours of applicable coursework toward meeting the degree requirements. No more than 9 of the 21 credits to be transferred can be at the 600-level. Transfer of credits is approved on a course-by-course basis by appropriate faculty in the Education or Psychology Department. Transfer credits must be congruent with the Valparaiso University degree requirements.
Admission
In addition to meeting the requirements for graduate admission (see here ), applicants should note the following requirements for admission into the School Psychology program:
- Applicants are expected to have a background in psychology, which includes one course in introductory psychology, one course in human growth and development, and one course in basic statistics. Applicants who do not meet these requirements may be admitted to the program with the understanding that they will complete these courses prior to their first semester.
- Essay relating graduate study to professional goals. The essay should include a self-assessment of experience and education that would qualify one for undertaking work in school psychology. This essay substitutes for the general essay required for admission to a graduate program (see here ).
Formal review of applications for admission for fall semester occurs in an ongoing process throughout each year. Priority is given to applications submitted by March 1 for the start date of the fall semester.
Program Exit Criteria for the School Psychology Program
Successful completion of the school psychology program requires:
- A 3.000 grade point average in all required and elective coursework and no more than one grade of C or C+
- Successful attainment of performance requirements (knowledge, skills, and dispositions) set for each checkpoint required prior to graduation and licensing
- Submission of all Valparaiso University materials required for graduation according to published guidelines and deadlines
- Submission of all Indiana-required licensure paperwork, including criminal background check, to the licensing coordinator; Candidates wanting to obtain licensure in a state other than Indiana are responsible for determining and successfully meeting the licensure requirements for that state.
Part-Time Option in School Psychology
A 62 credit-hour part-time program may be completed within a 5-year time period, with the final year requiring a full-time, 1,200- clock hour internship experience. Course and field-work experiences are sequenced similar to the full-time program, and candidates are regularly assessed using the program’s checkpoint system. Prospective candidates must indicate that they are seeking part-time status at the time of application, and agree to follow the part-time program sequenced plan upon initiation of the program. Candidates have the option of changing to full-time status at the conclusion of the M.Ed. degree sequence after successfully completing Checkpoint 2.
Baccalaureate/Masters Early Entry Option in School Psychology
The Early Entry program in School Psychology is an option for undergraduate students at Valparaiso University in any major who are willing to commit to the M.Ed./Ed.S. School Psychology program upon completion of the bachelor’s degree. This program offers several benefits to Valparaiso University undergraduates, including an early admission decision for graduate study and the opportunity to save credits and tuition by allowing graduate course work during the student’s senior year.
Students interested in applying to the program should have completed the necessary undergraduate hours, as specified by their areas of major and minor, to graduate at the completion of their senior year. They must also show evidence of a cumulative grade point average of 3.30, and have earned at least a B in coursework in Introductory Psychology, Human Development, and Basic Statistics by the conclusion of the fall semester of the junior year. Students meeting these criteria should then:
- Request that their undergraduate major advisor complete a form (included in the application packet) verifying that basic requirements for admission into the Early Entry program have been met. The student is also required to attach evidence of a recent degree audit
- Submit the School Psychology Early Entry application to the Graduate Office no later than March 1st of the junior year
Once applications are received for the Early Entry program, the Department of Education’s Graduate Admissions Committee will review candidates and select a limited number for admission. Admitted students would then have to commit to completing at least 6 credits of courses in the School Psychology program during the senior year after meeting with the coordinator of the School Psychology program. Students are responsible for informing their instructor when course-work is taken as part of the Early Entry program.
Formal admission into the School Psychology program requires that students submit a current copy of their academic transcript to the Graduate Office by March 1st of the senior year and complete a final admission request for entry into the School Psychology program.
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