Program Overview

Choose Excellence with an MA/CAGS in School Psychology

With a graduate degree in school psychology, you will have the education and experience you need to meet the needs of children and adolescents where they are: in schools. The MA/CAGS in School Psychology at William James College is a three-year program, accredited by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), that combines competency-based curriculum with closely supervised field training beginning in your first semester. Upon completion of the 66-credit program, you will be eligible to become a licensed school psychologist in Massachusetts and many other states.

During your time as a school psychology student at William James, you will have opportunities to work in K-12 schools in Massachusetts, Southern New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. You will gain practical, hands-on experience supporting students, teachers, and families to enhance your classroom learning and prepare you for your professional career after graduation.

What is School Psychology?

School psychologists are often the first to recognize and treat mental health issues and may offer the only mental health support students receive. As a school psychologist, you will not only provide direct services to students in public or private school settings, but also work with educators, administrators, and caregivers to support students in all aspects of their lives. Your work will be diverse and include prevention, intervention, and assessment.

Check out NASP’s “Who Are School Psychologists” Infographic

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Choose Real-World Learning with Experiential Education

Field placement is a transformational aspect of our educational model and William James College has one of the only school psychology programs where you will be in the field starting in your first semester. You will work with our Field Education Office to find placement opportunities throughout the program to give you a wide range of training and skills.

In your first year, you will be placed in an elementary school, and in your second year, you will train in a middle or high school. In your third and final year in the program, you will work five days a week in an internship setting that best meets your career goals and interests. We have partnerships with many school districts in public, private, urban, and suburban settings.  

In addition to this supervised field experience, our first-year school psychology students participate in the Primary Project program. William James is the only college in Massachusetts offering this unique experience to our students. Primary Project is an evidence-based program where you will work with elementary students who are at risk for social-emotional difficulty. This experience will allow you to gain greater insight into early child development and additional hands-on training.


Choose Impact with a Commitment to Social Responsibility

Our School Psychology MA/CAGS program is rooted in social justice, respect for diversity, and a multicultural perspective. We recruit, train, mentor, and prepare professionals who are committed to delivering culturally responsive care to meet the growing needs of an increasingly diverse society.

You will also have the option to participate in a co-curricular, college-wide concentration to enhance your studies and expand your learning. Our concentrations give you the opportunity to focus a part of your education on working with and supporting a particular population while connecting with students across the College who share similar academic interests. Available concentrations include African and Caribbean Mental Health, Asian Mental Health, Latino Mental Health, Global Mental Health, LGBTQIA+ Studies, and Military and Veterans Psychology.

Children and Families of Adversity and Resilience

The Concentration on Children and Families of Adversity and Resilience (CFAR) provides exceptional training in clinical child psychology.

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Choose Community Connectivity, Support and Student Life

The William James College community is supportive and connected. Our Dean of Students Office offers regular programming, in person and online, for all students, and oversees our Academic Resource Center. Student leadership and student groups create more opportunities for engagement, and we are proud to be home to the William James College Black Mental Health Graduate Academy, a community for Black students enrolled in our doctoral and master’s degree programs, that provides mentorship and networking opportunities.


Choose Mentorship and Personal Growth

Mentorship and personal growth are core values of a William James College education. As a student, you will enjoy direct engagement with faculty through education, research, mentorship, and training. All students work closely with an advisor on course planning, personal and professional development, and career goals. Each year, student progress toward program completion is reviewed periodically with your advisor and at an annual Assessment and Planning Conference.

Our school psychology faculty members represent expertise across many domains of psychology including social emotional learning, bullying, substance use, learning disabilities, diversity, equity, and inclusion, crisis intervention, and assessment.

Across the College, our faculty are practicing professionals who bring their clinical expertise and real-world examples into the classroom. They pair this experience with empirically based research to teach you nuances, protocols, and interventions that prepare you for your fieldwork in the program and your future career.

12:1

Student:Faculty Ratio

NASP Accreditation

Our MA/CAGS in School Psychology program has full accreditation from the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). We received the maximum length offered by NASP (February 1, 2021-February 1, 2028).

Hear from Dr. Jason Kaplan, associate professor and chair of the School Psychology Department, in this five-minute overview of our school psychology program. Learn more about the role of a school psychologist, a day in the life of a school psychologist, our curriculum and field education, and what makes our school psychology program unique.