PsyD in School Psychology

Program Overview

We are no longer accepting applications for the PsyD in School Psychology. Please visit our MA/CAGS in School Psychology if you are interested in pursuing a career as a school psychologist.

William James College offers a doctoral degree (PsyD) in school psychology that prepares practitioners to assume leadership roles in the field, with an emphasis on the delivery of mental health services in schools as well as development of advanced level practice skills.

Comprehensive program information can be found in the School Psychology PsyD Program Handbook and links to other documents on the lower left-hand column of this page.


Mission and Purpose

The values and programmatic focus of William James College are reflected in the school's mission statement:

"William James College strives to be a preeminent school of psychology that integrates rigorous academic instruction with extensive field education and close attention to professional development. We assume an ongoing social responsibility to create programs to educate specialists of many disciplines to meet the evolving mental health needs of society ."

The School Psychology PsyD Program has been developed to serve the public need for highly skilled school psychologists and child mental health professionals.


Program Aims and Competencies

The School Psychology PsyD Program’s aim, competencies, and elements are designed to be congruent with the American Psychological Association’s Standards of Accreditation for Health Service Psychology (HSP). The Program’s aim is: To prepare students to become School Psychologists who function in an ethical and professional manner, building upon scientific knowledge to develop practice-related knowledge to deliver a comprehensive array of evidence-based school psychological services including assessment, consultation, and intervention with diverse populations. Students also obtain knowledge and develop skills and attitudes that prepare them to assume leadership and supervisory roles in schools, as well as a variety of health service provider settings.

The School Psychology PsyD Program prepares students in the following Profession-Wide Competencies as specified by the Commission on Accreditation (CoA) Implementing Regulations of the American Psychological Association (APA; available at www.apa.org/ed/accreditation/section-c-soa.pdf):

  1. Research
  2. Ethical and legal standards
  3. Individual and cultural diversity
  4. Professional values and attitudes
  5. Communication and interpersonal skills
  6. Assessment
  7. Intervention
  8. Supervision
  9. Consultation and interprofessional/interdisciplinary skills

In addition, students gain the following areas of Discipline-Specific Knowledge as specified in APA CoA’s Implementing Regulations:

  • History and Systems of Psychology
  • Basic Content Areas in Scientific Psychology
    • Affective Aspects of Behavior
    • Biological Aspects of Behavior
    • Cognitive Aspects of Behavior
    • Developmental Aspects of Behavior
    • Social Aspects of Behavior
  • Advanced Integrative Knowledge in Scientific Psychology
  • Research Methods, Statistical Analysis, and Psychometrics

Accreditation

William James College offers an APA-accredited doctoral degree (PsyD) in school psychology that prepares practitioners to assume leadership roles in the field, with an emphasis on the delivery of mental health services in schools as well as development of advanced level practice skills. Comprehensive program information can be found in the School Psychology PsyD Program Handbook and links to other documents on the left-hand column of this page.

For the 2022-23 academic year, the Program has requested and received Accredited, inactive status. This refers to a doctoral program that has not admitted students for 2 successive academic years or has provided the CoA with notice that it has decided to phase out and close a program.

Questions related to the program's accredited status should be directed to the Commission on Accreditation:

Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation
American Psychological Association
750 1st Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002
Phone: 202-336-5979
E-mail: apaaccred@apa.org
Web: www.apa.org/ed/accreditation