Clinical-Counseling Psychology Specialization
The Clinical-Counseling Psychology specialization provides students with a strong theoretical and applied foundation in mental health counseling and prepares them to assess, counsel, and treat a wide range of mental health problems. Students will receive training in a wide variety of content areas, including normal and abnormal development, assessment and counseling of individuals experiencing mental health conflicts, statistics and research methodology, and the ethical practice of mental health counseling.
This training prepares graduates to practice mental health counseling in a wide range of work settings and provides a solid foundation for those wishing to pursue a doctoral degree.
All students are required to complete two semesters of internship and two semesters of PSYC 697 - Applied Training in Psychological Research . Students are also encouraged to take electives both in and outside of the clinical counseling area.
Prior to internship placement, students will be evaluated to assess their suitability for internship. Successful completion of internship is required for the degree.
Students in the Clinical-Counseling Specialization are required to pass a comprehensive oral exam which tests the student’s grasp and ability to communicate knowledge in major areas within the field. The comprehensive oral examination committee must include three faculty members, with a minimum of two faculty members from the clinical-counseling master’s area. Students choosing the thesis option must complete an oral defense of their thesis project in addition to the comprehensive oral exam.
Students in the Clinical-Counseling Specialization will be expected to maintain professional behavior and judgment and to follow the ethical principles established by the American Counseling Association and the American Psychological Association while in the program. Failure to do so may result in immediate dismissal.
Job opportunities for graduates include working at community services boards, psychiatric hospitals, substance abuse facilities, women’s resource centers/domestic violence shelters, correctional facilities, university counseling settings, crisis stabilization facilities, and other settings.
Coursework in the clinical-counseling specialization may or may not meet individual state requirements for the coursework required for licensure at the master’s level. It is recommended that students check with the state in which they will reside for specific licensure requirements.
Industrial/Organizational Psychology Specialization
The I/O specialization is designed for those students who want to apply psychological principles directly to the study of work behavior. The student will learn how to conduct a job analysis, construct and validate selection tests and evaluate job performance. In addition, he/she will examine what motivates people to work, what techniques are available for training skills and changing attitudes and the reciprocal social influence between the individual and the organization. There is considerable emphasis on applied projects, group work and computer skills.
Students in this specialty may elect either the Master of Arts (thesis option) or Master of Science (non-thesis option). All students must pass a comprehensive oral exam in the I/O specialty area. The student working toward the M.A. will also be required to complete a thesis, which offers six semester hours of credit (PSYC 699 ) and complete an additional oral examination on that thesis. (See “Final Comprehensive Examination .) Therefore, the M.A. graduate would need to complete a total of 37 semester hours.
School Psychology Specialization
The academic and training requirements for the School Psychology Training Program are founded on both a philosophical and practical understanding of the role and function which the psychologist expects (and is expected) to occupy within the educational setting. The School Psychology Training Program at Radford University trains candidates to use an ecological orientation for comprehensive service delivery to children, schools, and families. This orientation emphasizes that each child is unique and must be understood in the context of a series of overlapping and integrated spheres of influence, including school, family, peers, neighborhood, and community.
Applicants interested in the school psychology program apply directly to the Educational Specialist (EdS) degree program. Once admitted, those students who do not already have an MS in psychology, who successfully meet all graduate college and program requirements will earn the MS in psychology en route to earning the EdS degree. The master’s of psychology with a specialization in school psychology is a non-terminal degree meaning that students must also earn the EdS degree in order to have the required entry-level training for certification or licensure as a school psychologist. The master’s degree is accomplished within the first year of the program (fall, spring, and summer) and includes successful completion of 34 credit hours. In addition, students are required to pass a comprehensive exam during their first summer in the program in order to earn the master’s degree. Students advance into the Ed.S. portion of the program upon successfully meeting all MS requirements and upon recommendation of the school psychology program committee.
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