Meet the Growing Demand for School Psychologists
Our educational system urgently needs more school psychologists to drive better learning and mental health, safe, positive climates, stronger family/school collaboration, and higher institutional accountability. If you’re inspired by the challenge, your timing couldn’t be better. There’s a national shortage of qualified experts, and these skills are in demand.
The NSU Psy.D. in School Psychology program prepares you to serve the educational, behavioral, social, and emotional needs of students, families, teachers, and staff. Collaborate closely with top-tier faculty who have built experience at the highest levels and earned the respect of their peers nationwide.
Class size is strictly small: approximately 10 candidates are chosen per year. This is so each of you is assured faculty access and mentoring few other programs can match. (In fact, the close faculty/student collaboration is frequently mentioned by NSU alumni as one of the standout benefits.)
1 of 10 Psy. D. Programs in School Psychology
The College of Psychology Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) program in School Psychology is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association. Questions related to the accredited status of the program should be directed to the Commission on Accreditation:
Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation
American Psychological Association750 1st Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20002Phone: (202) 336-5979 Web: apa.org/ed/accreditation
The doctoral curriculum is designed to be consistent with the Florida state licensure requirements as both a school psychologist and a psychologist under Chapter 490, Florida Statutes.
National NASP Recognition
The NSU School Psychology Psy.D program also holds the designation of national recognition by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP).
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Unique Clinical and Internship Experiences
You’ll turn theory into satisfying practice through your assessment, consultation, and intervention at the University School of NSU (U School).
You’ll also broaden your clinical practice perspective at the school-related Psychological Assessments and Clinical Interventions (SPACI) Clinic, housed within the NSU Psychology Services Center.
Rankings and Industry Demand
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NASP
Demand for school psychologists is exceptionally strong and on the rise. As life has become more stressful, schools and communities have come under increasing pressure to provide mental health and instructional support for children and youth.
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Admissions Requirements
All candidates, regardless of their route to admission will be selected based upon the evaluation of the following criteria:
A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution (must be awarded prior to beginning the doctoral program). Applicants with a specialist degree(s) in school psychology will only be considered if they are graduates from the specialist program in school psychology at NSU’s College of Psychology to ensure consistency in the attainment of the program aims as well as the profession-wide and discipline-specific competencies.
A minimum 3.0 undergraduate grade point average on a 4.0 scale OR a 3.5 graduate grade point average on a 4.0 scale based on a minimum of 18 semester hours that must be completed by the end of the fall semester prior to beginning the doctoral program.
Eighteen semester hours of coursework in psychology or a score of 600 or higher on the Graduate Record Examination, Psychology Test. The GRE Psychology test is recommended, but not required.
Three credit hours in statistics (examples of acceptable statistics courses include: Introduction to Statistics, Probability, and Statistics, Statistical Methods in Psychology, Inferential Statistics, and Quantitative Psychology). A course in research methods/design will not satisfy this requirement.
The general Graduate Record Examination (GRE), including the verbal, quantitative, and analytical writing scores. A combination score greater than 297 on the revised scoring scale for GRE verbal and quantitative is preferred. (Please see Fall 2022 semester GRE requirements below.)
A writing sample stating professional goals.
Official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended and/or agency evaluation of foreign degree for determination of U.S. equivalence (including Canadian transcripts).
Curriculum vitae/resume.
Three academic or professional letters of reference.
Prospective students who meet the above requirements must also be selected to be interviewed in order to determine appropriateness for the program.
The standards required for admission reflect concern for the safety and well-being of clients whom its graduates will eventually serve in clinical/school situations. Candidates for the degree must possess, with or without reasonable accommodation, multiple abilities and skills including intellectual, conceptual, integrative, and quantitative abilities. Moreover, intrapersonal, communication, behavioral, and personal attributes including empathy, emotional self-awareness, and emotional maturity are similarly crucial for success. The above pre-requisites are necessary for an applicant to be considered for a doctoral program. Higher GPA and GRE scores indicating the greater potential to complete doctoral-level work will enhance an application. Other factors considered include:
previous courses taken
previous clinical and research experience
evidence of interest in psychology
the applicant’s personal statement
letters of recommendation
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Routes to Admission
The Psy.D. program requires a minimum of a three-year, full-time academic residency (or the equivalent thereof). The doctoral program has three routes to admission. Candidates may apply:
following completion of a bachelor’s or master’s degree;
following completion of all of the coursework (73 credit hours) with the exception of internship in the specialist program in school psychology at the College of Psychology; or
following completion of the specialist program in school psychology at the College of Psychology.
It is important to note that specialist students and doctoral students share many of the same courses required for the state of Florida certification as a school psychologist and national standards consistent with the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). Given the considerable overlap within the curriculum, grade point average and academic standing is cumulative across the programs. Regardless of the route to admission, all candidates must complete at minimum two years of doctoral coursework at the institution and one year of doctoral internship. A sample model curriculum for each route to admission is provided in this handbook.
GRE Requirement for Fall 2022 Semester
In order to support our applicants during the COVID-19 pandemic, the College of Psychology has decided to make the following changes for those applying for admission to the Fall 2022 semester (Doctoral and Specialist programs) or Winter 2022 (Specialist program, Tampa).
Effective immediately, GRE scores ARE NOT required for admission to the following programs:
Specialist Program
School Psychology Psy.S.
Doctoral Programs
Clinical Psychology Ph.D.
Clinical Psychology Psy.D.
School Psychology Psy.D.
Doctoral program applicants who do not hold a bachelor’s degree in psychology must have a minimum of 18 credit hours in psychology OR they may submit the Psychology Subject Test of the GRE with a score of 600 or better. (Please note that due to COVID-19, the subject area is not currently being offered).
These changes are temporary and only for Fall 2022 doctoral program applicants and for Winter and Fall 2022 School Psychology Specialist program applicants.
Here are some of the reasons why students chose NSU.
Small class sizes give you one-to-one access to professors.
Vibrant campus life includes NCAA Athletics, social and professional organizations, cultural activities, and wellness and fitness.
Ranked a top 200 best college among national universities in 2018.
Prestigious graduate programs in medicine, law, psychology, business, education, pharmacy, dentistry, and more.
A diverse student population includes 1200 international students from 116 countries from five continents.
State-of-the-art facilities include the latest classroom technology, advanced laboratories, and the best research libraries.
Many NSU graduates go on to earn master's, doctoral or professional degrees at NSU or other universities. Undergraduate students participate in NSU research in fields like medicine, oceanography, cancer, psychology, dentistry, and autism.
Students build relationships by participating in numerous community events, many held on NSU’s campus. Our beautiful main campus is just minutes from Fort Lauderdale's beach, South Beach, Las Olas nightlife, and the Everglades.
