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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.
Students applying to the program with a master’s degree in psychology (earned within the past 6 years) may request that their master’s degree curriculum be reviewed in order to determine the applicability of their previous coursework toward the school psychology program’s training requirements. For these students the number of hours and the courses needed to earn the Ed.S will be determined by the school psychology committee. However, a minimum number of 39 hours will be required to earn the Ed.S. Moreover, it is possible that the number of hours required will exceed 39 hours. In such instances, the actual courses required for the Ed.S may include courses from the master’s portion (first year) of the program depending on the student’s previous education. Students needing to take first year courses likely will be delayed in their ability to enter practicum and thus the actual time to complete the program may not differ from those entering without a masters degree. Students entering the program with a master’s degree should submit all graduate transcripts as part of the application process.
The practicum sequence is integrated with other coursework during the second year of the student’s program. Each practicum course involves weekly on-site experience in local public school settings under the direct supervision of a qualified school psychologist. The school psychology faculty will determine graduate students’ readiness for practicumduring an annual review meeting in spring or summer of year 1 in the program. One academic year of full-time internship is required by the Virginia State Department of Education for permanent certification in school psychology. The School Psychology Training Program at Radford University requires two successive semesters of full-time internship under the direct and continuous supervision of a fully certified, experienced school psychologist, who is approved by the School Psychology Committee to render supervision. The School Psychology Program requires a minimum of 1,200 clock hours internship experience (600 hours per semester for two semesters).
The Radford University School Psychology Program adheres to the standards for internships recommended by the National Association of School Psychologists.The internship is a full-time experience, closely approximating the on-the-job characteristics of the certified school psychologist. A written plan of internship goals and objectives is prepared prior to the internship and agreed to by representatives of the local educational agency, the intern supervisors, Radford University faculty supervisor and the intern.
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