Program Details

Degree: Ph.D. in School Psychology
Degrees Offered: Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Credit Hours: minimum 104-112 hours

Students completing the program obtain the Doctorate of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in School Psychology. For students entering with the baccalaureate, the program requires the student to get the nonthesis option M.Ed. after completion of the first 36 credits. The doctoral degree plan includes a minimum of an additional 64 credits for all students including internship.

The program meets criteria for the state and national credentials for practice in the schools and licensure as a psychologist in most states.

*Select College of Education and update credit hours

Accreditation

The School Psychology Program at Texas A & M University is fully accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA).

Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation
750 First Street, N.E.
Washington, DC 20002-4242
(202) 336-5979

The Program is approved by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP).

Program Requirements

Students engage in coursework as well as field experiences that are sequential and increase in complexity.  All students complete the core curriculum. Students choose an area of more in-depth coverage as they progress through the program.

See the School Psychology Student handbook for details about our mission, required coursework, field experiences, and student performance evaluations.

CONSIDERATION OF PRIOR GRADUATE CREDIT

In recognition that some students enter the program with a master’s or specialist’s degree in School Psychology or master’s in a related field, the program has established the Direct to the Doctorate process.

Degree Requirements

Review the School Psychology degree requirements associated with time commitment and acquiring residency.

Research Apprenticeship

Students participate in mentored research activities beginning in their first year. They present as part of research at the regional, national and international convention and publish with faculty mentorship.

VALUES

Scientific inquiry (i.e., research) is the most powerful and prominent method for creating new knowledge and testing extant theories.  The skills and attitudes of scientific inquiry are also essential to the development and delivery of sound professional services, and directly benefit the clients and constituencies served.

We believe that the Ph.D. degree in School Psychology should indicate the student’s ability to generate and disseminate (e.g., through professional conferences and journals) new knowledge that contributes to our understanding of important theoretical and/or practical issues and questions in the area of psychology.  This requires that students are well versed in the knowledge base in their specialty area, and that they have developed facility with all aspects of the research process.  It also implies that our graduates should be able to function as researchers both independently and collaboratively in clinical and research settings.

EXPECTATIONS

Our program is designed to foster doctoral students’ continuous involvement in research.   Students are expected to participate in mentored research activities from the start of their doctoral training by joining existing research teams led by faculty mentors to provide a vehicle to cultivate their research skills.  At early stages, involvement in research may include assistance with data collection, study management, and data entry or organization.  As students’ skills develop, opportunities for conducting data analyses, designing new studies, producing scholarly products (e.g., conference presentations, journal articles), and mentoring in grant writing may be available.

Through these mentored research opportunities, students’ will develop the full spectrum of research skills necessary for formulating their dissertation and conducting research independently.   Students’ research involvement and research competence will be reviewed annually by the student’s doctoral committee and/or program committee to provide the student with written feedback about his/her progress toward meeting program research expectations.