PsyD in School-Community Psychology

Program Details

Apply Now
Attend an Event
Request Info

Program Requirements – School–Community Psychology Psy.D. Program

The School–Community Psychology Psy.D. Program is a 100 semester-hour (s.h.) doctoral sequence designed to prepare students for professional practice as psychologists in schools, mental health agencies, hospitals, and community-based settings. The program reflects a commitment to the interdependence of schools and community systems, emphasizing coordinated, child-centered services that transcend traditional institutional boundaries.

Program Overview

Students progress through a coherent sequence of coursework, fieldwork, and research experiences that foster the integration of theory, assessment, and applied practice. Training begins with foundational knowledge in psychology and culminates in advanced clinical, consultative, and leadership skills applicable across diverse educational and community environments.

Duration and Structure

The program is designed for completion in approximately five years of full-time study:

  • Year 1:  Coursework, school-based practica, and participation in a specialty clinic.
  • Year 2:  Coursework, school-based practica, and participation in a specialty clinic.
  • Year 3:  Coursework, Community-based externship (hospital, mental health center, public agency, or correctional setting, etc.)
  • Year 4: Full-time school internship

Coursework and Field Integration

Coursework covers a full range of competencies expected of health service psychologists specializing in school–community practice. Core areas include:

  • Basic science foundations (Developmental psychology, social psychology, cognition, neuropsychology
  • The Science and Practice of School and Community Psychology
  • Psychological assessment and diagnosis
  • Childhood psychopathology
  • Empirically-based therapeutic interventions with children, adolescents, and families
  • Prevention and early intervention programming
  • Crisis management and trauma-informed practice
  • Consultation and systems-level collaboration
  • Statistics, program evaluation, and applied research
  • Cultural awareness and competence, social justice, equity, and advocacy
  • Ethics, law, and professional standards

Practicum, Externships, and Internships

Students engage in a carefully structured series of clinical and applied experiences that expand in complexity and autonomy throughout the program.

Years 1–2: School-Based Practica

Training starts in school settings where students learn assessment, consultation, and intervention with children and families. Emphasis is placed on collaboration with educators, parents, and multidisciplinary teams, as well as understanding the school as both an educational and mental health environment. Students in Year 1 and 2 are also assigned to one of our specialty clinics. In Year 1, students are placed in a school setting for one day each week, and in the second year, students are placed in a school setting for two days each week.

Year 3: Community-Based Externship

In the third year, students complete a community-based externship under the supervision of licensed psychologists. Externship sites include hospitals, community mental health centers, correctional facilities, public agencies, and other clinical settings that serve children, adolescents, and families. This experience extends clinical training beyond the school context, providing direct exposure to complex cases, diverse populations, and interagency collaboration. Students develop competencies in diagnosis, treatment, systems consultation, and coordination of care—bridging the gap between school and community practice.

Years 4–5: School Psychology Internship

The internship is a full-time, year-long experience in a school placement. All internships are consistent with CDSPP (Council of Directors of School Psychology Programs), APA, and NASP standards for training and supervision. Students may enter the APPIC match for APA-accredited internships, but this is not required.

All students’ field placement sequences must meet the requirements for attaining New York State licensure and the National Certification in School Psychology (NCSP).

Research and Applied Scholarship

Although the Psy.D. emphasizes applied practice, research and evaluation are integral to the curriculum. Students complete an empirical dissertation or applied research project addressing issues relevant to school–community psychology—often focusing on prevention, family engagement, trauma, or systems-level interventions.

Benchmarks and Milestones

To ensure steady progress and professional growth, students advance through a structured series of program benchmarks that align academic, clinical, and research competencies. These milestones mark readiness for successive levels of responsibility and independent practice.

Key benchmarks include:

  • Completion of Foundational Coursework (typically by the end of Year 3); demonstrating mastery of core areas such as assessment, counseling, and consultation.  Grades are viewed as one indicator of professional development and mastery of competency domains. A grade of “C” in a course signals performance below the program’s expected level of proficiency and prompts faculty review and remediation to strengthen academic or applied skills. A grade of D results in academic probation and requires the development of a formal remediation plan in consultation with program faculty. A grade of F in any required course—or failure to meet remediation objectives or essential benchmarks—constitutes grounds for dismissal from the program.
  • Successful Completion of All Field Placements, determined by bi-semester evaluations from field supervisors assessing professional competence, clinical skills, and ethical conduct.
  • Positive Annual Faculty Reviews, reflecting satisfactory academic progress, professional behavior, and readiness for advanced training.
  • Successful participation in specialty clinics during Years 1, 2, and 3 provide focused experience in areas such as therapeutic visitation, behavioral intervention, or trauma-informed care.
  • Completion of a Second-Year Research Project, demonstrates the ability to conceptualize, design, and interpret applied research relevant to school–community psychology.
  • Completion of twelve (12) Psychological Evaluations through the Psychological Evaluation, Research, and Counseling Clinic, documenting competence in assessment, interpretation, and integrated report writing.
  • Passing the Comprehensive Examination at the end of Year 3, integrating knowledge across core domains and confirming readiness for advanced practicum, dissertation proposal, and externship-level practice.
  • Taking the School Psychology Praxis Examination is part of the preparation for professional credentialing.
  • Readiness Review for Externship, verifying competency in applied skills, ethics, and cultural responsiveness.
  • Internship Readiness Evaluation, verifying fulfillment of academic, clinical, and professional development requirements prior to placement.
  • Dissertation Proposal Approval, ensuring that the research plan reflects scholarly rigor and applied significance.

Final Dissertation Defense and Internship Evaluation, representing the successful integration of scholarship, applied practice, and professional identity as a school–community psychologist.

Failure to attain a required benchmark will result in the development of a remediation plan when appropriate; inadequate progress following remediation may place continuation in the program at risk. These benchmarks are not merely procedural requirements; they represent developmental milestones that reflect each student’s professional growth, self-awareness, and mastery of competencies across domains of practice, research, and leadership. When a student encounters difficulty in meeting a benchmark or maintaining satisfactory academic performance, the program’s approach is supportive and restorative. Faculty collaborate with the student to design a remediation plan that identifies specific areas for improvement, outlines measurable goals, and provides enhanced supervision and mentorship to facilitate progress.

All decisions involving potential program termination are subject to appeal under the procedures outlined in the Psy.D. Student Manual. The program remains committed to supporting each student’s development through mentorship, structured feedback, and individualized guidance, with the shared goal of fostering professional competence, integrity, and readiness for independent practice.

 

Electives

Any graduate-level course may be considered for elective credit toward the Psy.D. degree. Approval for elective coursework will be granted only after review by the Psy.D. Program Director in consultation with program faculty.
Students wishing to enroll in courses offered through other graduate programs—including, but not limited to, Law, Literacy Studies, Marriage and Family Therapy, Public Health, Rehabilitation Counseling, School Counseling and Mental Health Counseling, Secondary Education, TESOL, and Bilingual Education—must obtain prior approval. Such enrollment requires authorization FIRST from the Psy.D. Program Director.  Upon receiving this authorization, students must then secure permission from both the course instructor and the Program Director of the department offering the course.

The following courses have been pre-approved as electives for the Psy.D. degree:

  • Psychology:
    Any course numbered 200–299 or 400–451, contingent upon permission from both the course instructor and the Program Director of the department offering the course.
  • Education:
    Enrollment in any course offered through the School of Education requires approval from both the course instructor and the Program Director of the department offering the course.
  • Applied Behavior Analysis / BCBA Certification:
    Any course required for Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) certification through the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) may be taken as an elective. This includes, but is not limited to:
    SPED 247 – Creating Effective Learning Communities: New Directions in Classroom Management; SPED 248 – Education of Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders; SPED 259 – Introduction to Applied Behavior Analysis for Special Educators; SPED 274 – Research Seminar I: Review of Research and Methodology; SPED 275 – Research Seminar II: Individual Research; SPED 232 – Ethical Considerations in Applied Behavior Analysis.
    Enrollment in these courses requires approval from both the course instructor and the Program Director of the department offering the course.
  • Educational Leadership and Administration:
    Courses in Educational Leadership or Administration, typically designated with the prefixes EADM or APS, may be taken as electives with approval. Enrollment in these courses requires permission from both the course instructor and the Program Director of the department offering the course.