School Psychology

Master of Science
  • 66 Credits
  • School of Social and Behavioral Sciences
  • Westchester
  1. Academics
  2. Programs & Degrees
  3. School Psychology
School-physchology

School Psychology Overview

This nationally accredited program prepares graduates to work as school psychologists in elementary or secondary schools and in other exempt agencies. School psychologists collaborate with teachers, parents, and school personnel to:

  • Create safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments for all students
  • Address students鈥 learning and behavior problems
  • Improve classroom management strategies or parenting skills
  • Counter substance abuse
  • Assess students with learning disabilities and gifted and talented students to help determine the best way to educate them
  • Improve teaching, learning, and socialization strategies
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of academic programs, prevention programs, behavior management procedures, and other services provided in the school setting

Students completing the 66-credit general program will be recommended for provisional certification as a school psychologist to the New York State Education Department. Qualified students may also pursue the 72-credit Bilingual Extension program.

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Career Opportunities

Students with a degree and certification in School Psychology can pursue a career as a school psychologist in elementary or secondary schools or other settings considered to be exempt by New York State law.

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3% Growth

Career Outcomes

Job growth expected to rise 3% through 2029*
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$79,000+ Salary

Average Annual Pay

for School Psychologists nationally is $79,820*
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66 Credits

Total Credits to Earn Your Degree

Classes in assessment, intervention, psychological foundation & professional development
Counseling session

The Mercy Advantage

  • No GRE Required to Apply
  • Flexibility with Full or Part-Time Enrollment
    • Scheduling is designed to support professionals with multiple responsibilities.
  • Mentorship and Career Development
    • Faculty are experienced School Psychologists, consultants, educators and are available as mentors.
  • Outside the Classroom
    • Fieldwork and internship experiences allow graduates to gain field experience and hone their specialties.

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Program Accreditation

The Master of Science program in School Psychology is nationally recognized by the National Association of School Psychologists, 4340 East West Highway, Suite 402, Bethesda, MD 20814 and is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, 1140 19th St NW, Suite 400 Washington, DC 20036.

Admissions Requirements

  1. Baccalaureate transcript showing a major in psychology, sociology, behavioral science, or education. In special cases, other majors will be considered. Transcript review of individual course grades will also be conducted.
  2. Interview with the program director and completion of an on-site essay.
  3. Two letters of reference from instructors or appropriate professionals
  4. Personal statement 
    1. Tell us about yourself, including any significant or meaningful experiences or life events that influenced you to choose school psychology as a profession.
  5. A current r茅sum茅.

Applicants should have completed undergraduate statistics with a grade of B or higher and some coursework related to either experimental psychology or research methods.

Frequently Asked Questions

"School psychologists work with students in elementary and secondary schools. They collaborate with teachers, parents, and school personnel to create safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments for all students; address students' learning and behavior problems; improve classroom management strategies or parenting skills; counter substance abuse; assess students with learning disabilities and gifted and talented students to help determine the best way to educate them; and improve teaching, learning, and socialization strategies. They also may evaluate the effectiveness of academic programs, prevention programs, behavior management procedures, and other services provided in the school setting." (Occupational Outlook Handbook 2006-2007) For more information on the occupation of school psychologist visit www.nasponline.org

It varies by district, contract, settlements, etc. One example: For 2017 the NYC Department of Education Salary for a School Psychologist (for those with a Master鈥檚 degree) was $63,722.00 ***. The contract for the position of school psychologist in the NYC school system and most other districts is based on a ten month school year. (***Psychologist and Social Workers Salary Schedule)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual pay 
for School Psychologists nationally is $79,820.

To be eligible for the Bilingual Extension you should be able to conduct professional business in the chosen language other than English. New York State assesses your proficiency in the language by requiring you to take the BEA (Bilingual Education Assessment) exam. If you pass it, NYS considers you proficient and eligible for the Extension. Other requirements include two additional courses in bilingual education and evaluation, and primary supervision by a certified bilingual school psychologist in your internship. If you feel you can meet these requirements, the decision to pursue the Extension is yours to make. You should make the decision at the beginning of the program.

Internship and Fieldwork are two separate field-based requirements. Fieldwork is a supervised 120-hour initial experience in a school setting that occurs in the spring semester before your internship year. It is part of the Fieldwork course. Internship occurs in the final year of the program and is a full-time, 1200-hour, 5-day-per-week, September to June experience in a school setting. The student engages in all school psychology related activities under the supervision of a certified school psychologist in the setting. There is also a required once-a-week seminar class where students come together to process their experience and explore additional school psychology related topics. Completion of all program coursework with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required to begin internship and the accompanying Consultation course.

Assistance is available to any student who is unsure about an internship location, has challenges finding an appropriate setting, or just wants to discuss possibilities. Students can locate and apply for internships to school districts on their own or work with faculty to identify possible locations. During the Fieldwork course, our on-campus fieldwork supervisor who also teaches the fieldwork course will work with a student to help identify prospective settings for internship. However, the student must be accepted by the site for their internship. We do not assign interns to locations.

Classes are held in two time slots: 4:14pm - 7:05pm or 7:15pm - 10:05pm. We do not hold weekend classes. With one Monday exception, classes typically meet on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. There are also required summer classes which typically run over one or two summer semesters depending on which year of the program the student is in.

For bilingual students, the Jose P. Scholarship is available through the New York City Department of Education. Information can be found on the internet, or by contacting the Program Director. Students can explore availability on the Scholarship and Grants page on the Mercy website.

Program Details & Curriculum

66 credits total, or 72 credits with bilingual extension. Courses are divided into sections:

  • Psychological Foundation (21 credits)
  • Assessment (15 credits)
  • Intervention (15 credits)
  • Professional Practice (15 credits)
  • Bilingual Extension Education (6 credits)

 

By the end of this program, students should be able to: 

  • Demonstrate mastery of major concepts, theories and factual information related to the cognitive, academic, behavioral, social/emotional and adaptive development of school aged children from different backgrounds and cultures 
  • Identify the diverse learning and developmental characteristics of school-aged students and the factors (including biological, psychosocial and cultural) that shape the development of individual abilities and disabilities
  • Demonstrate the skills to assess the cognitive, academic and social/emotional development of school鈥揳ged children, develop goals based on assessment outcomes, design and implement multi-tiered evidence based interventions which address those goals and evaluate the effectiveness of the strategies employed
  • Demonstrate the oral and written communication skills to interact effectively with professional colleagues and articulate their understanding of school-aged children鈥檚 learning and developmental processes
  • Demonstrate understanding of the ecological relationship between the child and the school culture, and how this 鈥渃hild system鈥 interaction impacts academic and affective development, imparts meaning and context to behavior, and with the support and advocacy of the school psychologist, catalyzes the system to accommodate the diverse needs of individual children and provide equal access to its educational resources
  • Acquire the skills to develop multi tiered, evidenced based intervention strategies which impact the child, classroom, school, district and community
  • Utilize data collection skills to evaluate programs, assess student outcomes and improve school services
  • Demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate relevant literature
  • Identify, support and engage in school psychology practice consistent with prevailing ethical statutes, and in compliance with Federal and State laws and regulations
  • Demonstrate a commitment to lifelong professional development and continuing enhancement of their knowledge base and professional skills

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