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 91 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/students/praxissuggestions.pdf). 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.