School Psychology, Ed.S. - Department of Psychology

Program Mission and Description

The mission of the Specialist in Education (Ed.S.) program in School Psychology at The Citadel is to prepare students to become competent, effective, and ethical scientist practitioners. This model sees the school psychologist as a data-based problem-solver at the individual, group, and systems levels. The concept includes the interaction of the student in the classroom, the school system, the family and the community. The Ed.S. degree emphasizes application of psychological principles, knowledge, and skills in relating to the process and problems of education.

Graduates of the program typically work in school settings (elementary and secondary) although many of our graduates work in alternative settings including hospitals, private practice, and community agencies. Several students have also pursued doctoral degrees in school psychology or related fields. The roles and responsibilities of the school psychologist are numerous and varied. At a core level, school psychologists provide a range of services that are intended to positively impact children, families, and the school setting. Specific services for which school psychologists may be responsible include (but are not limited to) evaluation of children who present with learning difficulties, consultation with parents and teachers (and other school personnel), and design as well as implementation of interventions that target the specific needs of the student, classroom, or broader system. Additional information about the typical roles and functions of school psychologists can be found here.

The School Psychology Program at The Citadel is fully approved by the South Carolina Department of Education and trains students for academic eligibility for certification at the “School Psychologist II” level. Additionally, the program has maintained full recognition by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) since 1987-88, making graduates fully eligible for national certification as a school psychologist (NCSP).

Completion of 72 credit hours of coursework, including 1200 clock hours of internship across two semesters, is necessary for conferral of the Ed.S. A minimum of three years is necessary in order to fully complete all program requirements.

Quotation mark graphic for student testimonials

I chose to attend The Citadel because the school psychology program had a great reputation and met standards to qualify any graduate for the National Association of School Psychology and National Certification. The other benefits were its wonderful location in beautiful Charleston, SC.

My professors were very accessible, and I had many opportunities to put theory into practice, from job shadowing to practicum and internships. I was well prepared to hit the ground running with assessments, consultation and counseling. Additionally, The Citadel and its school psychology program’s reputation made employment easily attainable.

I built bonds with my classmates and professors and continue to maintain those professional relationships today despite having graduated more than 7 years ago.

Elizabeth Hiller, Ed.S., NCSP (Citadel Graduate College, Class of 2010)

Admission Requirements

1. Completion of the online graduate application along with the non-refundable application fee.

2. Submission of an official transcript of the baccalaureate degree and all other undergraduate or graduate work directly from each regionally accredited college and university.

Applicants are expected to have a minimum 3.0 cumulative undergraduate grade point average.

3. Submission of two letters of recommendation.

4. Completion of the admissions questionnaire.

All admission requirements should be submitted to The Citadel Graduate College.

Admission Deadline

All application requirements must be submitted to The Citadel Graduate College by February 15th for consideration of admission to the program.

Program Requirements and Training

The School Psychology Program encourages students to apply a multi-faceted approach to understanding, evaluating, and intervening in problem areas at the individual, group, and/or systems level. Training follows the guidelines for NASP-approved programs and endorses the ethical stance of both NASP and APA relative to the practice of psychology, and school psychology, in particular. With these goals in mind, the program is comprised of four interacting components as follows:

1. Core knowledge areas provide an initial focus on psychological foundations as a basis for more specialized training with an emphasis on the role, functions, and scope of the profession of school psychology. The cluster of courses that comprise the psychological foundations component include:

Course Number	Course Title
PSYC 500	Human Growth and Development
PSYC 501	Principles of Behavior and Cognitive Change
PSYC 507	General Psychopathology: Assessment & Differential Diagnosis
PSYC 508	Counseling and Personality Theories
PSYC 512	Ethics, Roles, & Law
PSYC 523	Statistics and Research Design
PSYC 525	Basic Counseling Techniques
PSYC 561	Cultural Issues in Psychological Practice

2. Acquisition of advanced knowledge and skills building on the psychological foundations component. Courses that support acquisition of advanced knowledge and skills in applied settings include:

Course Number	Course Title
PSYC 502	Psychological & Educational Exceptionalities: Child/Adolescent
PSYC 503	Objective Assessment
PSYC 504	Special Techniques in Assessment
PSYC 505	Personality, Social, & Emotional Assessment
PSYC 602	Social & Biological Basis of Child & Adolescent Behavior
PSYC 605	Systems Theory & Consultation: Prevention and Intervention
PSYC 606	Educational Interventions
PSYC 607	Behavioral and Emotional Interventions
PSYC 608	Advanced Counseling Techniques for School Psychologists
PSYC 612	Reading Assessment & Interventions: A Neuropsychological Approach
PSYC 620	Contemporary Issues In School Psychology

3. Acquisition of knowledge and skills critical to functioning as a data-based problem-solver in applied settings. This cluster of courses provides supervised, hands-on training in assessment and intervention skills within school settings, developmental evaluation clinics, and other appropriate settings. Courses which facilitate this process include:

Course Number	Course Title
PSYC 615	Practicum in School Psychology I
PSYC 616	Practicum in School Psychology II
PSYC 617	Consultation & Intervention Practicum I
PSYC 618	Consultation & Intervention Practicum II
PSYC 621	Internship in School Psychology I
PSYC 622	Internship in School Psychology II

4. A realistic experience as a scientist-practitioner in gathering and analyzing data relative to a topic of concern to the student and associated with issues relevant to children, professionals, and/or schools. This experience builds on PSYC 523 and culminates in the completion of an applied research project.