Loyola University Chicago

Benefits

• The Ph.D. degree program in School Psychology fosters a collaborative learning environment to prepare students for future cooperation with children, parents and educators.
• Students completing the Ph.D. program are prepared for certification as school psychologists in the State of Illinois and nationally.

Degree Requirements

Total Hours: 99
Practicum: Required
Comprehensive: Culminating Portfolio & Written Minor Examinations
Dissertation: Required 

Length of Program:
This is a full-time program. Students complete the course work for the program in four years including summers. Time for degree completion, including the dissertation is six years. (See GA&S Policy: Time Limit for Completion of Degree Requirements)

Technology Expectation
All students are provided Internet access to link electronically to classmates, faculty and student services. In order to use these technological resources, all students must have the computer skills necessary to support academic work (i.e., word processing, PowerPoint) and to access e-mail and the Internet.

Continuous Enrollments
Doctoral students in School Psychology are required to maintain the status of continuous enrollment during their program of studies. (See GA&S Policy: Academic Standing – Continuous Registration) This means that during each semester of each academic year (excluding Summer Sessions), each student must enroll in at least one course.

• Enroll in one of the following:
  • At least one course
  • CIEP 499 - Directed Research
  • CIEP 610 - Doctoral Studies (maximum enrollment two semesters)
  • CIEP 600 - Dissertation Supervision
• A formal leave of absence may be granted upon request and the approval of the Graduate School's Associate Dean.

Candidates in all programs leading to Illinois certification are required to pass an Illinois State Criminal Background Check.

Curriculum Plan:
The doctoral program of studies consists of a total of 99 graduate semester hours. The first year of the program includes a professional orientation course that focuses on the development of an academic and research plan. Research methodology is a required specialty area in the program. The student selects a second specialty from the areas of curriculum and instruction, assessment, administration or counseling. Field-based experiences begin the first year of study through service-learning projects. During the second year of study, the student is placed in a practicum setting two full days a week. During the third year of study, the student completes a two-semester clerkship in an applied research or clinical setting, based upon the student's area of specialization as well as the completion of an advanced practicum in the specialty area.

The culminating field experience is a one calendar year, full-time, APPIC-approved internship. Culminating experiences in the program include a performance-based School Psychology Doctoral Program Culminating Portfolio; minor comprehensive examinations in research methodology and in the selected specialty area; as well as a dissertation. If the student has a master's degree, a maximum of 36 graduate semester hours may be transferred from another college or university. A minimum of 63 hours of graduate-level coursework for the program must be completed at Loyola.

Prerequisites:
Students should present transcript evidence of successful completion ("B" or better) of the courses listed below, or their equivalent.  Students may be admitted who have not taken one or more of these courses, but such students must complte them within their first academic year prior to taking any assessment courses and will have a program that totals more than the required 99 hours.

• Psychology of Personality (CPSY 338)
• Educational Psychology (CIEP 229)
• Exceptional Child (CIEP 339)
• One undergraduate course in test and measurements, research methodology or statistical methods

Coursework (99 semester hours)

Scientific/Professional Ethics and Standards (9 semester hours)

• CIEP 462 - Professional School Psychology
• CIEP 410 - Legal Issues: Educational Disabilities
• CIEP 550 - Seminar in School and Educational Psychology
• CIEP 533 - Proseminar in Educational Psychology / School Psychology (non-credit)

Research Methodology (15 semester hours)

• RMTD 420 - Educational Research I: Building a Body of Evidence Using Qualitative Methods
• RMTD 421 - Educational Research II: Building a Body of Evidence Using Quantitative Methods 
• Three additional courses selected in conjunction with the student's academic advisor

 Biological Bases of Behavior (3 semester hours)

• CIEP 484 - Biological Foundations of Behavior in Schools

Cognitive-Affective Bases of Behavior (6 semester hours)

• CIEP 451 - Psychology of Learning (required)
• CIEP 557 - Seminar in Learning Theory and Teaching  OR
  CIEP 556 - Seminar in Problem Solving, Thinking, and Creativity

Social-Cultural Bases of Behavior (3 semester hours)

• CPSY 433 - Counseling Special Populations

Diversity/Individual Differences (6 semester hours)

• CPSY 454 - Human Development
• CIEP 413 - Psychopathology of Children and Adolescents

Data Based Decision Making (6 semester hours)

• CIEP 419 - Data Based Decision Making
• CIEP 477 - Academic Assessments and Interventions

Assessment and Intervention (15 semester hours)

• CIEP 480 - Assessment of School Age Children and Adults
• CIEP 481 - Assessment of Infant and Preschool Children
• CIEP 482 - Personality Assessment
• CIEP 485 - Social, Emotional, Behavioral Assessments and Interventions
• CPSY 423 - Theories of Counseling and Psychotherapy

Consultations (6 semester hours)

• CIEP 479 - School-Based Consultation
• CIEP 545 - Advanced Systems Consultation and School Psychology Supervision

In-Depth Consultation, Prevention and Interventions Concentration (6 semester hours)

• CIEP 525 - Leading for Social Justice
• CIEP 544 - School Crisis Prevention and Intervention Strategies

Specialty Area of Concentration (6 semester hours)

In consultation with your academic advisor, select one of the following as an area of advanced study:

• curriculum and instruction
• mental health in the schools
• assessment/neuropsychology
• research methodology
• administration and supervision

This area of study is completed with a three-hour school psychology specialty practicum.

Practicum Courses (9 semester hours)

• CIEP 461 - Practicum in School Psychology I
• CIEP 463 - Practicum in School Psychology II
• CIEP 546 - School Psychology Specialty Practicum
• CIEP 547 - Ph.D. Clerkship (non-credit)

Ph.D. Level Internship (9 semester hours)

Completion of a 2000 hour internship under the direction of a certified school psychologist for a minimum of nine months:

• CIEP 586 - School Psychology Internship - 2 semesters and 1 Summer Session

Comprehensive

Comprehensive examinations and minor application deadline:

• December 1

Due Dates:

• Initial Components:  October 1
• Clinical Components:  February 1

Written minor examination dates: (varies based on minor)

• See Handbook 
• Consult with advisor

Dissertation

• Dissertation - Ph.D. Dissertation Forms
• Oral defense of the dissertation

Degree Conferral
While the commencement ceremony is every May, degrees can be conferred May, August, and December. Students must apply for graduation/degree conferral. Students should apply for graduation in the semester they anticipate completing all degree requirements. Failure to meet application deadlines may result in a delay of the conferral of the degree to the following semester. Applications for Degree Conferral are due:

• August 1 for December conferral      
• December 1 for May or August conferral