Ph.D. in School Psychology
Our Ph.D. in School Psychology is designed to give candidates a thorough and comprehensive knowledge their professional field and training in methods of research, as well as competencies required for practice.
This degree is awarded based on a candidate’s grasp of subject matter in a broad field of study, a demonstrated ability to do independent research, and demonstrated competencies for practice as a health service professional. In addition, candidates must have acquired the ability to express thoughts clearly and forcefully in both oral and written languages.
This degree is not granted solely for the completion of coursework, residence and technical requirements, although these must be met.
- For a student who has completed a master’s degree, a DDS/DMD, DVM or MD at a U.S. institution, a minimum of 64 hours is required on the degree plan for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
- For a student who has completed a baccalaureate degree but not a master’s degree or a U.S. DDS/DMD, DVM or MD, a minimum of 96 hours is required on the degree plan for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
Students gain the knowledge and skills for:
• Research
• Assessment
• Intervention
• Consultation
• Supervision
• Ethical and Professional Practice
Program graduates work in a variety of private and institutional settings, including:
• Public and private schools
• Hospitals and medical clinics
• Community-based health and educational organizations
• University settings
Disclosure of Education & Training Outcomes
SPSY 2022 Student Admissions, Outcomes, and Other Data is for informed decision-making by prospective students, as well as others.
Where are our Graduates?
A recent evaluation of program graduates over the last 10 years, from the academic year 2010-2011 to 2019-2020, finds our graduates are currently in the following work settings:
School District
Hospital/Medical Centers
Community Mental Health Clinic
Independent Practice
Other: DOD schools (consultant)
Other: Community Agency
University Academic Setting (non-medical) teaching/faculty
Chosen Unemployment
Admissions Deadlines
- December 1 for the following fall semester.
- Applications are due no later than December 1st with admitted students beginning the following Fall semester.
RECOMMENDED GRE/GPA SCORES
Recommended GRE/GPA Scores
- 1000 (old scoring system) or
- 310 (new scoring system)
- Undergraduate (and Graduate, if applicable) GPA could impact admission.
- GRE scores are not required for 2022 applicants.
SUBMISSION CRITERIA
Submission Criteria
- Letters of reference from professors and employers.
- Membership in professional organizations.
- Involvement in research activities.
- Relevant job experience.
- Personal characteristics such as bilingual status or experience working with individuals with disabilities.
- Essay outlining goals, research interests, and skills.
Application reviews occur in December. Full program faculty and a graduate student select students for interviews in early January. On-campus interviews start at the beginning of February.
Admission Interviews
Admission Interviews
- Expect a formal interview, informative sessions, and interaction with both faculty and graduate students. Applicants also will have the opportunity to see the campus, clinics, and community.
- For out-of-state students, we try to subsidize the cost of travel.
Post-Interview Process
- Admitted students must notify us in writing by April 15 of their intent to enroll the following fall.
- Students who enter the program are assigned a student mentor and a temporary advisor.
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 a baccalaureate, the program requires a non-thesis 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 School 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
Our Program has been approved by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP).
Program Requirements
- Students engage in coursework and field experiences that are sequential and increase in complexity.
- All students must complete the core curriculum.
- Students choose an area of more in-depth coverage as they progress through the program.
Read the School Psychology Student handbook for details about our mission, required coursework, field experiences, and student performance evaluations.
Consideration for Prior Graduate Credit
In recognition that some students enter the program with a master’s or specialist’s degree in School Psychology or related field, the program has established the Direct to 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 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 have developed facility with all aspects of the research process. Our graduates are 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. 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. Research involvement and competence will be reviewed annually by the student’s doctoral committee and/or program committee to provide written feedback about their progress toward meeting program research expectations.
Practicum Directory
Program Handbook
Notice to students pursuing programs that may lead to a professional license or certification required for employment:
The following programs may lead to a professional license or certification that is required for employment. Professional licensure/certification requirements vary from state to state, which may affect a student’s ability to apply for a professional license/certification upon the completion of the program. The U.S. Department of Education regulation, 34 CFR 668.43 (a) (5) (v), requires an institution to disclose whether the program will fulfill educational requirements for licensure or certification for each state. The administrative departments that offer the programs have made the following determination regarding their curriculum.
| Program | Meets | Does not meet | A determination has not been made |
| Doctoral degree in School Psychology | TX, AK, AL, AZ, AR, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NM, NY, NC, ND**, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY | CA*, MI*, NJ* | PR, AS, CNMI, GU, MH, FM, PW, VI* |
| See “Additional Conditions Explained” section for * / ** | |||
| We recommend students contact the appropriate state licensing agency in their state or the state where they intend to work to seek the most up-to-date information about state licensure/certification requirements before beginning the program. | |||
Additional conditions explained
*The School Psychology Doctoral program is aligned with requirements for the License as a Psychologist (LP) and Licensed Specialist in School Psychology (LSSP) in the State of Texas and the National Certification as a School Psychologist (NCSP). The curriculum is consistent with accreditation by the American Psychological Association and as such provides required coursework and training for most states; however, students should be aware that state licensure and educational certification requirements change and vary by state. In particular, some states (i.e., California and Michigan) require specific didactic courses or supervisory provisions (i.e., New Jersey and Virgin Islands) not required in Texas or other states for licensure/certification. As such, students are encouraged to investigate the requirements in other states to identify additional courses they may need. For a fuller summary of the requirements for licensure in each state, please visit the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Board.
** North Dakota Board of Examiner’s specifies that telepsych may not replace face-to-face individual supervision. During the COVID pandemic, the TAMU School Psychology program utilized telepsych practices to engage in supervision. We advise students interested in licensure in ND to consult with that psychology board regarding these special circumstances if we continue this approach for safety reasons.
Program Faculty
Dr. Daniel Hajovsky
Associate Professor
Dr. Krystal Simmons
Clinical Professor
Dr. Leann Smith
Assistant Professor
Dr. Sara Castro-Olivo
Associate Professor
Frequently Asked Questions
Doctoral
List of Bachelor Degree Equivalencies
Please view a brief List of Bachelor Degree Equivalencies by Country. If you do not find your country listed and are unsure of your degree equivalency, please contact the Office of Admissions at admissions@tamu.edu.
Can my Application fee be waived?
Yes. This fee may be waived only in exceptional cases for low-income applicants and McNair Scholars. To receive the waiver, you must submit an awards letter from your current school’s financial aid office showing the award of a Pell Grant. Your Student Aid Report (SAR) from a current FAFSA can also be submitted to show financial need. McNair Scholars must submit a letter from their McNair Program Director verifying their status as a McNair Scholar in good standing to receive the fee waiver. Submit this information to d-nichols@tamu.edu and include your major of interest and term of application. Waiver of the $90 international application fee is not available.
Statement of Purpose Essay
All applicants must complete the Essay, Statement of Purpose and explain the following:
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- Why you applied to this program
- Academic background and training
- Potential for graduate study
- Research experience
- Other relevant professional experiences
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I want/need a Graduate Assistantship/Fellowship – how do I apply?
Please note that we cannot guarantee any financial assistance to any student. We will contact all admitted students about the process for applying for all available assistantships. This is a separate process from applying for admission. The department and programs will choose students to be nominated for Graduate Diversity or Graduate Merit fellowships. These fellowships are only open to U.S. citizens. Please do not ask to be nominated for one of these fellowships as the program will determine which students are competitive for these awards.
How do is submit my letters of Recommendation?
The GraduateCAS online application includes a Recommendations section where you must add your recommenders’ information. Once you have saved the recommendation requests, GraduateCAS will contact each recommender via email to request the completion of the recommendation form and letter of recommendation. We require three letters of recommendations and they must be submitted directly by recommenders through the electronic system.
Is there an admissions cycle for Spring semester?
No. For our Ph.D. programs we only have admissions in fall semesters.
What are the typical program costs?
Check out the cost of attendance estimator.
Please note, you must update the program hours.
Can you guide me through the application process?
How to Apply: Master’s Application Information | Doctoral Application Information
I live out of state. Do you accept out-of-state applicants?
Yes, we accept in-state and out-of-state applicants.
Is there any opportunity for financial assistance?
Yes, there are opportunities for financial assistance through the following departments: Office of Graduate Studies Financial Aid