Practicum Training

Where Learning Meets Real-World Impact

From the very beginning of the Psy.D. Program in School–Community Psychology, students move beyond the classroom and into the field—applying what they learn in authentic, hands-on settings. Practicum experiences are a cornerstone of the program’s developmental training sequence, serving as the bridge between coursework and the advanced externship and internship years.

Each practicum is intentionally designed to integrate academic study with direct service, helping students translate theory and research into meaningful, evidence-based practice. Through these placements—completed both in accredited public and private schools under the supervision of certified and practicing school psychologists, and at the Hofstra University’s Joan and Arnold Saltzman Community Services Center —students gain foundational skills in assessment, consultation, evidence-based interventions, and prevention and wellness promotion. These experiences foster professional identity, ethical sensitivity, and cultural responsiveness, preparing students to work effectively across diverse educational and community contexts.

At Hofstra, we emphasize an “action into learning” model of professional development. Rather than functioning as passive observers, students are encouraged to become active participants in the practice of school psychology—engaging directly in authentic assessment, consultation, and intervention activities under the close supervision of their site supervisors. This participatory approach allows students to learn by doing, reflect in supervision, and integrate new knowledge directly into their emerging professional practice.

During the first year, students typically spend one day per week in a school setting, observing, assisting, and beginning to participate in psychological services under close supervision. In the second year, the practicum expands to two days per week, allowing students to assume greater responsibility for delivering services, collaborating with educators, and implementing evidence-based interventions. In addition, second-year students conduct 12 psychological assessments under the supervision of a university-based supervisor.  This progressive model ensures that by the time students enter their externship and internship years, they are confident, competent, and ready to assume increasing levels of professional responsibility.

There are also practica components to several classes during the first two years of the program. 

Key Features of the Practicum Model

• Action into Learning Philosophy: Students learn through active participation, not observation—working side-by-side with seasoned school psychologists in real educational settings.
• Detailed Supervision Structure: Continuous oversight by university faculty through practicum supervision courses and on-site supervisors ensures the integration of theory, ethics, and applied skill development.  In addition, a designated faculty, Dr. Karen Mackler, serves as the Field Placement Supervisor for all level students.
• Community-Engaged Training: Practica occur in accredited schools and the Saltzman Community Services Center, exposing students to diverse learners, families, and systems.
• Sequential Professional Growth: Training intensity increases each year, promoting gradual mastery and autonomy aligned with APA’s developmental competency framework.
• Reflective Professional Practice: Students engage in regular supervision, feedback, and self-assessment to strengthen professional identity and ethical awareness

Supervision, Support, and Professional Growth

Supervision is the heart of Hofstra’s practicum experience. Students receive individualized, continuous supervision from both on-site field supervisors and Hofstra faculty, ensuring a strong connection between coursework, ethics, and applied practice. Regular communication between site and university supervisors—including written reports, reflective journals, and case discussions—promotes a cohesive training experience and reinforces the program’s core competencies in ethics, diversity, and evidence-based decision making.

Students also receive weekly supervision through the practica courses (PSY 244, 245, 246, 247) directly from Hofstra faculty who are licensed psychologists. Within this multidisciplinary clinic, students provide assessment and intervention services to children, adolescents, adults, and families—gaining practical experience in a setting that models professionalism, ethical integrity, and community engagement.  In addition, a designated faculty, Dr. Karen Mackler, serves as the Field Placement Supervisor for all level students.

Evaluation of student progress is continuous and growth-oriented. Practicum supervisors complete written assessments each semester, providing detailed feedback on students’ development across domains such as professionalism, communication, ethical reasoning, and applied clinical skills. These evaluations help students reflect on their learning, recognize their growing competence, and set meaningful goals for the externship and internship phases of training.

Hofstra’s practicum sequence transforms learning into purposeful action. Students are immersed in the authentic work of school psychologists—testing, consulting, intervening, and collaborating—while guided by expert supervisors who model excellence in ethical and evidence-based practice. Each placement is a laboratory for growth, where academic insight meets lived experience, and where future psychologists refine the skills, confidence, and compassion that define the Hofstra PsyD Program’s commitment to community and professional leadership.