The Program requires a minimum of 94 credits, reflecting both the scientific bases of psychology and professional school psychology. These include courses in general psychology, methods of inquiry, school psychology, educational foundations, and related areas, comprehensive exams, and field training. In addition, a dissertation is required. The dissertation, Advanced Field Experience, and Internship do not carry University credit, and are required beyond the minimum 94 hours of the program. All students participate in collaborative research with members of the Program faculty prior to planning and completing their dissertation. Depending on the student's need for prerequisites or the need for remediation, it is possible that more than 94 hours may be required.

Students who enter the PsyD Program without prior graduate degrees (a Master of Science degree and/or Certificate of Advanced Study [CAS]) initially work to complete a Master's in Educational Psychology and then the CAS in School Psychology. Required courses for each of these fulfill initial course work requirements in the PsyD Program.

Training competent professional school psychologists thus includes components in multiple domains; specifically, academic competence, research competence, clinical competence, and interpersonal and professional competence. Students must demonstrate appropriate performance in each area to earn the doctoral degree. To this end, the Program has identified comprehensive goals and competencies (as previously discussed) that are consistent with the substantive areas of professional psychology. Components of the curriculum address each area.

The academic component includes both theoretical and skills-based course work. Initially, students are exposed to basic scientific theories of psychology (e.g., biological aspects, learning, cognitive-affective bases) and education (e.g., educational foundations, special education), and develop initial skills in assessment. Concurrent with this, students are presented with the professional standards and ethics in school psychology. As students progress in the Program, they complete more advanced course work in research, statistics, and development, as well as electives in specific areas of interest. At the same time, they continue to develop, refine, and master more advanced professional skills in assessment and intervention.

Academic Components

The Program emphasizes three broad areas of academic course work: general psychology, professional school psychology, and educational foundations and related areas.

In the general psychology area, the curriculum is designed to ensure that students acquire substantial understanding and competence in the following areas:

(a) The breadth of scientific psychology, its history, and its research methods and applications (propositional and case knowledge). This is accomplished by exposure to the current body of knowledge in the following areas:

	1.	Biological aspects of behavior (e.g., Biopsychology, Psychopharmacology, Neuropsychology)
	2.	Cognitive-affective aspects of behavior (e.g., Theories of Learning, Human Memory, Cognitive Psychology)
	3.	Social aspects of behavior (e.g., Social Psychology, Group Dynamics, Interpersonal Relations)
	4.	History and systems of psychology (e.g., History of Psychology)
	5.	Psychological measurement (e.g., Psychological Measurement, Psychometric Theory)
	6.	Research methodology (e.g., Experimental Design, Research Methods in Psychology)
	7.	Techniques of data analysis (e.g., Statistical Methods, Multivariate Analysis, Quantitative Analysis, Qualitative Analysis)

(b)  The scientific, methodological, and theoretical foundations of practice in the substantive areas of professional psychology (propositional and case knowledge). This is accomplished by exposure to the current body of knowledge in the following areas:

	1.	Individual differences in behavior (e.g., Theories of Personality, Survey of Personality)
	2.	Human development (e.g., Advanced Developmental Psychology, Comparative Theories of Human Development)
	3.	Dysfunctional behavior or psychopathology (e.g., Psychopathology, Behavioral and Emotional Disturbances of Children and Adolescents, Behavior Disorders, Abnormal Psychology)

In professional school psychology, the curriculum is designed to ensure that students acquire substantial understanding and a high level of competence in the following:

	1.	Professional standards and ethics (e.g., Introduction to School Psychology)
	2.	Assessment and diagnosis of children, adolescents, and adults with learning, social, emotional, and behavioral problems (e.g., Assessment of Intelligence, Psychoeducational Assessment, Social-Emotional Behavioral Assessment)
	3.	Intervention
	4.	Consultation/Prevention
	5.	Academic Interventions
	6.	NYS Child Abuse Mandated Reporting
	7.	Project SAVE - Mandated Violence Prevention
	8.	Diversity

In educational foundations and related areas, the curriculum is designed to ensure that students acquire understanding and competence in the following:

	1.	Educational Foundations (e.g., Philosophy of Education, History of Education, Sociology of Education)
	2.	Related Areas (e.g., Reading, Special Education)
	3.	Electives

As a measure of the ability to integrate theory, research, and methods of inquiry across the major areas of professional functioning, doctoral students in school psychology complete a 2-part comprehensive examination during their program. Part I is a standardized examination (The PRAXIS exam in SP) and Part II is a written examination.

Clinical Components

Students are required to complete field training in which they integrate applied experiences with the general psychology and professional school psychology course work. Theoretical knowledge is integrated with skills knowledge across multiple field training experiences. Specifically, the Program is designed to provide students with the equivalent of 22 months of supervised experience through a variety of placements (as per New York State regulations). All field-training experiences are supervised weekly, in face-to-face sessions with a credentialed psychologist.

General psychological theory, methods of inquiry, educational foundations, and professional school psychology (i.e., propositional, case, and strategic knowledge) are integrated across multiple field training experiences. In the PsyD Program, the field training component is viewed from a developmental perspective (Boylan, Malley, & Reilly, 2001). Following this model, the following principles are associated with field training:

1.	Movement is directional and hierarchical; early learning establishes a foundation for later development.
2.	Differentiation occurs with new learning and practice; learning proceeds from more simplistic and elementary and toward the more complex and integrated.
3.	Separation/individuation are achieved; learning leads to progressively more independent and separate functioning by the student.

These principles are identified within the program structure, the learning processes, and the supervisory interactions encountered by the students. Students proceed through the field training component of their program in an orderly and sequentially planned progression. This sequence is as follows:

	1.	Pre-Practicum Activities
	2.	Practicum
	3.	Field Experience
	4.	Advanced Field Experience
	5.	Internship

Within this philosophy and structure, each component in this sequence varies regarding the required length of the placement, and the range of expected skills and competencies necessary before the student can move on to the next component in field training.

	Pre-Practicum Activities
	During the first and second years of training, students participate in activities at the Pre-Practicum level of the continuum. This field training consists of direct instruction and controlled practice assignments related to specific classes (e.g., administering and interpreting tests of intelligence and achievement); basic skill development and ongoing feedback are emphasized.
	Practicum (ESPY 790 Field Experience I)
	The practicum is a planned, structured, and programmed sequence of professionally supervised training experiences in comprehensive school psychological services including problem solving, intervention, and consultation to deal with educational, social, emotional, and behavioral problems of school-age children and youth. Practicum occurs during the student’s second year in the program, and involves the completion of 420 hours over the course of 2 semesters (2 days/week) on-site, as well as attendance at formally scheduled weekly group supervision and case conference meetings on campus.
	Field Experience (ESPY 895 Field Experience II)
	At the field experience level students are placed in a public school district, and provide the broad range of psychological services. The duration of this placement is 3 days/week for 10 months. Duties in this experience encompass all areas of professional functioning (i.e., assessment, intervention, and consultation).
	Advanced Field Experience (ESPY 896 Field Experience III)
	Further refinement of previously learned skills and development of more specialized skills occurs at the Advanced Field Experience level. This placement is completed in either a school district or agency, and entails a commitment of 3 days/week for 10-12 months (depending on students’ skills and availability).
	Internship (ESPY 898 Internship)
	The internship placement involves the student in the full range of professional activities working toward more independent functioning under on-site and on-campus individual and group supervision. Students are encouraged to seek and apply for APA-accredited or APPIC-member internships. If students choose not to avail themselves of this option, they are placed in appropriate sites in the local area. In developing internship sites in this locale, a number of sources were consulted and used to specify internship criteria:
	1)	professional standards (APA [American Psychological Association, 1996] and NASP [National Association of School Psychologists, 1994])
	2)	CDSPP (Council of Directors of School Psychology Programs) internship guidelines
	3)	New York State regulations for psychology experience
	4)	National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology guidelines for internship

The internship is a culminating training experience of the student’s program, and is designed to enhance the development and reinforcement of competencies and professionalism.

The internship occurs on full-time basis over a period of 1 year, or on a half-time basis over a period of 2 consecutive years. Students must complete a minimum of 10 months.

Research Components

Based on a scientist practitioner model, PsyD students are involved in research experiences from the start of their program. In addition to specific course work, research activities include research assistantships, course work research projects, a master's research project, doctoral dissertation, and student-initiated research activities. Initially, students are assigned to work with faculty members on various research projects. These activities often lead to conference presentations and publications. Students then progress to conducting a research project for their master's degree.

Dissertations in the PsyD program might be broadly characterized as: (a) a substantive and original contribution to knowledge, grounded in the discipline of psychology, with application to School Psychology; and (b) applied research in School Psychology. As such, dissertations must be theoretically- or empirically-grounded in psychology, and use acceptable forms of scientific inquiry.

Interpersonal and Professional Components

Within the PsyD Program, there is an emphasis on developing interpersonal attributes and professional relations. That is, we focus on the development and application of critical, analytical, and creative thinking skills. In addition, we mentor students to be reflective practitioners who constantly strive to provide the highest possible level of services to children, families, and educators. It is equally important that our students develop and demonstrate effective interpersonal skills with student colleagues, faculty, field supervisors, and children with whom they interact.

Students' professional behavior is expected to conform to the ethical principles of psychologists and codes of conduct outlined by the American Psychological Association (APA, 2002; http://www.apa.org/ethics/) and the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP, 2000; http://www.nasponline.org/standards/2010standards.aspx). As delineated in the Program goals and competencies, this behavior has been conceptualized as interpersonal attributes and professional relations. The focus on and evaluation of these in professional graduate training marks a distinct difference from typical undergraduate study.

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The PsyD Program in School Psychology will admit students at various levels of training. Some of those admitted to the Program will be beginning graduate students directly from undergraduate school; others will be advanced practicing school psychologists who wish to obtain doctoral training. Full time study will be typical of most students, and the Program is geared toward full time study. All students enrolled in this Program must meet a residency requirement for full-time study of at least 24 credits taken in two consecutive regular semesters and must complete an internship. The program is committed to promoting diversity. Individuals from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

Policy on Acceptance of Transfer Credit

Some students, particularly experienced practitioners, enter the PsyD degree with graduate credit earned at other institutions or other experience that may be applicable to the PsyD degree. University policy allows the acceptance of up to 47 hours of transfer credit for the PsyD Program. Each new student will review the Program with an advisor after being accepted. In those instances when the student's transcript and prior experiences suggest the possibility of awarding transfer credit for didactic courses or practicum experience the following criteria will be followed:

A. When there is a question of accepting credit for didactic courses taken at other graduate institutions, students may be required to submit the course syllabus, a list of the texts used, qualifications of the course instructor, or other relevant material. When there is a question about the comparability of courses, the advisor may require the student to meet with the instructor at University at Albany who teaches the course. The instructor will indicate to the Division faculty whether the courses appear comparable. In those cases in which the instructor has a question about comparability the student will be required to take a proficiency exam. Proficiency exams will be taken only when the student has prior course work that she/he thinks  meets the requirements of one of the courses at University at Albany.

Credit for previous coursework in Psychological Foundations and Research, Measurement, and Statistics areas will be considered only when based upon evidence that the psychology coursework was taught at the graduate level and was offered through a Department of Psychology, Department of Educational Psychology, or Department of Counseling Psychology.

B. When there is a question of accepting prior field experiences in lieu of field training requirements (i.e., Field Experiences I-II) the student will meet with his/her advisor to discuss whether prior experience is comparable to one or more of the two practicum/field experience components of this program. If the advisor agrees that the experiences appear to be comparable, he/she will inform the Division Director and provide a rationale for this assessment. To make the determination at this level the student must submit a validated description of the experience, including information as to:

• activities engaged in
• nature of placement(s)
• duration(s)
• nature and extent of supervision
• qualifications of supervisor

If there are any questions with respect to certain skills (e.g., assessment, report writing, consultation, etc.) associated with the field training, the student will be required to demonstrate these skills to the program faculty.

Credit for experience can be granted only for experiences obtained prior to enrollment in the PsyD Program. Any experience engaged in during the time that the student is enrolled in the Program must be an approved field placement or internship meeting the requirements described above. Regardless of prior experience, all students enrolled in the PsyD Program are required to have participated in supervised practicum/field experience prior to internship. The following guidelines must be met in order to receive credit for prior experience:

1.	The experience must have been completed after a practicum that is equivalent to ESPY 790 and it must have been completed after obtaining a master’s degree in psychology or its equivalent.
2.	Supervision for prior experience must have been provided by an appropriately credentialed psychologist as determined by the Division faculty in school psychology.
3.	The duties of prior experience must have been psychological in nature.
4.	Three years of prior experience are required to waive experience in this category unless the experience submitted is a credit bearing formal CAS level internship associated with an approved graduate program in school psychology.

C. Decisions concerning student requests to be granted credit for a course or field experience in the PsyD Program will be made soon after the student is enrolled. The one exception to this is when a student needs to demonstrate a particular skill or competency. Under these circumstances the decision will not be made until after the student demonstrates such competency.

Residence Requirements

Students in the PsyD Program in School Psychology complete a minimum of 4 years of academic study and 1 additional year of internship prior to the granting of the degree. Of the 94 minimum credit hours undertaken to complete the degree, 47 credits (equivalent to approximately 2 years) must be taken at the University at Albany. Division residency requirements stipulate a minimum of one academic year in full-time residence. Because admission to the PsyD Program is based on a general commitment to full-time study, students in the PsyD Program in School Psychology typically conduct their entire course of study on a full-time in residence basis.

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The Program historically has provided graduate research assistantships/fellowships to almost all full-time doctoral students for the academic year during the first two years of study. In addition, students typically receive stipends for field placement experiences during the third and fourth year, and internship experiences during the fifth year. Student assistance has usually included tuition reimbursement at or near 100%.

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The PsyD Program leads to certification as a school psychologist and eligibility for licensure as a psychologist in New York State. Students enrolled in the program are eligible to apply for certification as a school psychologist after completing the first 4 years of the program. They are eligible to take the examination towards licensure as a psychologist after receiving the PsyD; licensure is obtained after passing the national examination and completing one year of post-doctoral experience supervised by a licensed psychologist.

School Psychology Certification in New York State

School Psychology Certification from the Office of Teaching New York State Education Department is required to practice in the public schools as a school psychologist. A program including course work and field training is required to obtain certification, and these credits should generally be completed by students when they finish advanced field experience.

There is a national examination in school psychology that may facilitate efforts to obtain certification in other states. This national exam constitutes Part I of the comprehensive examination and is required for National Certification in School Psychology through NASP (http://www.nasponline.org/certification/index.html ).

Fingerprinting

Effective July 1, 2001, the Schools Against Violence in Education (SAVE) requires the Commissioner of Education and the New York State Education Department (NYSED) to request a fingerprint supported criminal history background check for applicants for certification as well as for prospective employees of school districts, charter schools, and boards of cooperative educational services (BOCES). Each fingerprint packet distributed by the State Education Department (SED) will include one Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) fingerprint card and one Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) fingerprint card. Completed cards will be returned to SED and then forwarded to DCJS.

Psychology License in New York State

Although a license as a psychologist is not required to practice in the schools as a school psychologist, it is required in New York State for independent practice by psychologists (NYSED). In addition, some job settings, such as clinics and community mental health facilities, prefer or require that potential employees be licensed as psychologists. Graduates are automatically eligible to take the national examination for license as a psychologist after completion of the PsyD Program. Upon passing the examination, and completing one year of postdoctoral experience supervised by a licensed psychologist, graduates are licensed. It is necessary is to apply to the New York State Licensing Board to take the exam.

Certification and Licensure in Other States

Students should be aware that states differ in requirements for certification and licensure. The PsyD Program is designed so that graduates should be eligible for certification as a school psychologist and licensure as a psychologist in most other states. However, students considering moving to another state should check carefully the requirements of that particular state so that they can be sure that their course work and fieldwork training experiences meet the specific requirements of that state. There is a national examination in school psychology, which can facilitate efforts to obtain certification in other states, and is required for national certification. The national exam constitutes Part I of the comprehensive examination.

Acceptable Experience for Licensure

Internships require a minimum of two hours individual face-to-face supervision each week. On rare occasions students may complete half-time internships. Under those circumstances the minimum requirement is one hour of individual face-to-face supervision per week. In most cases students will be provided a variety of supervisory experiences that will require more than one hour per week.

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As required by the American Psychological Association, the following data are provided to prospective applicants about our program:

• Time to completion
• Program costs
• Internship
• Attrition
• Licensure

PsyD Program Admissions (2005-2011)
YEAR	TOTAL # APPLICATIONS	# & % OFFERED ADMISSION	# ENROLLED	# FUNDED (STIPEND + TUITION)
2005-2006	39	13 (33%)	4	4
2006-2007	44	10 (23%)	4	3
2007-2008	38	8 (21%)	6	5
2008-2009	41	10 (24%)	5	5
2009-2010	49	10 (20%)	3	3
2010-2011	33	10 (30%)	4	4
2011-2012	41	10 (24%)	5	4

 

TIME TO COMPLETION (over past 7 years; 2005-2011)

TOTAL NUMBER OF GRADUATES	N=25
Overall time to completion	Mean=5.80 years Median=5 years Mode=5 years Range=3-13 years
Time to completion for students entering with a CAS in School Psychology	n=3 Mean=3.67 years Median=4 years
Time to completion for students entering with a bachelor’s degree (or a master’s in another field)	n=22 Mean=6.09 years Median=5 years
<5 years	n=7 %=28
5 years	n=10 %=40
6 years	n=1 %=4
7 years	n=2 %=8
>7 years	n=5 %=20

PROGRAM COSTS (2011-2012)

Please note that funding, both in the form of a tuition waiver and a stipend, has historically been offered to all PsyD students for four years. The current stipend is $7500 per year and tuition remission at or near 100%.

Full-time Graduate Tuition	Fall 2011	Spring 2012	Academic Year
In-State	$4,435.00	$4,435.00	$8,870
Out-of-State	$8,340.00	$8,340.00	$16,680
Fees (same for  in-state and out-of-state)	$597.50	$597.50	$1,195.00

 

Internships (2011-2012)

YEAR	# OF APPLICANTS	# (%) OBTAINED PAID INTERNSHIPS	# (%) OBTAINED APA ACCREDITED INTERNSHIPS	# (%) OBTAINED NON-APA ACCREDITED, APPIC MEMBER INTERNSHIPS
2005-2006	5	5 (100%)	2 (40%)	0 (0%)
2006-2007	6	6 (100%)	2 (33%)	0 (0%)
2007-2008	3	3 (100%)	0 (0%)	0 (0%)
2008-2009	2	2 (100%0	0 (0%)	0 (0%)
2009-2010	5	5 (100%)	2 (40%)	0 (0%)
2010-2011	4	4 (100%)	0 (0%)	0 (0%)
2011-2012	3	3 (100%)	0 (0%)	1 (33%)

YEAR	# OF APPLICANTS	# (%) OBTAINED PAID INTERNSHIPS	# (%) OBTAINED INTERNSHIPS CONFORMING TO CDSPP	# (%) OBTAINED 2-YEAR, PART-TIME INTERNSHIPS
2005-2006	5	5 (100%)	3       (60%)	0      (100%)
2006-2007	6	6 (100%)	4      (66%)	0      (100%)
2007-2008	3	3 (100%)	3     (100%)	0      (100%)
2008-2009	2	2 (100%0	2     (100%)	0      (100%)
2009-2010	5	5 (100%)	3       (60%)	0      (100%)
2010-2011	4	4 (100%)	4     (100%)	0      (100%)
2011-2012	3	3 (100%)	2       (66%)	0      (100%)

 

LICENSURE (of graduates from 2005-2011)

Through outreach to graduates and information obtained from the State Education Office of the Professions, we can verify that of the 18 graduates eligible for licensure (all requirements completed, including 1 year of post-doctoral supervision), 50% (n=9) are licensed psychologists. In addition, some graduates have pursued careers for which licensure is not required (e.g., academia, practice as a school psychologist in public schools).

ATTRITION over past 7 years (2005-2011)

YEAR 1ST ENROLLED	# STUDENTS ENROLLED	# (%) WHO OBTAINED PSYD	# (%) STILL ENROLLED 2011-2012	# NO LONER ENROLLED IN 2012
2005-2006	4	2 (50%)	2     (50%)	0      (0%)
2006-2007	4	2 (50%)	1     (25%)	1    (25%)
2007-2008	6	3 (50%)	2     (33%)	1    (17%)
2008-2009	5	0    (0%)	5   (100%)	0      (0%)
2009-2010	3	0    (0%)	3   (100%)	0      (0%)
2010-2011	4	0    (0%)	4   (100%)	0      (0%)
2011-2012	5	0   (0%)	5   (100%)	0      (0%)

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