Doctor of Philosophy - School Psychology

Plan Description

The Ph.D. in School Psychology is rooted in training that emphasizes cultural diversity, a systems perspective, and the integration of science and practice. Doctoral students are trained to be health service psychologists (HSPs), with a specialization in school psychology, who address psychological concerns through both scholarly research and the application of psychological knowledge and skills in practice. The Ph.D. in School Psychology trains students to be licensed school psychologists in schools, HSPs licensed for independent practice, and researchers who are able to become faculty in academia. Doctoral students train in schools, The PRACTICE, a community mental health center located in the COE, and other community settings. Training is sequenced and rigorous adhering to training standards espoused by the American Psychological Association (APA), the Nevada Board of Psychological Examiners (NBPE), the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), and the Nevada Department of Education (NDOE).

The School Psychology Ph.D. program’s high-level aims include the following:

Aim 1: Train leaders in the field who promote the science of psychology and advocate for the well-being of diverse children and youth through their scholarship and research; and,

Aim 2: Train health service psychologists to deliver school psychological services and advocate for the well-being of diverse children and youth through their services.

Careers:

Careers in school psychology typically involve employment in K-12 schools, private practice, hospital and mental health agencies and centers, research centers, and academia. Career practices usually involve assessment, prevention, treatment, consultation, program development and evaluation, and clinical supervision.

Plan Admission Requirements

Application deadlines

Applications available on the UNLV Graduate College website.

Admission to the School Psychology PhD program and Post-EdS Track will be limited to the most qualified applicants based on a combination of the following:

• A bachelor’s degree with an undergraduate grade point average of 3.00 or above.
• If graduate course work has been completed, a graduate grade point average of 3.00 or above.
• Preference given to scores that relate to the 50th percentile or better on the verbal and quantitative sections of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Students who have earned a graduate degree do not need to submit a GRE.
• A minimum score determined by the current Graduate Catalog on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is also required for students who do not speak English as their first language.
• Three letters of reference from university faculty or other individuals qualified to judge the applicant’s academic potential and professionalism.
• The applicant’s personal statement of professional interests, career goals, research interests, and experiences and commitment to diversity. Two to three pages.
• A current CV or resume.
• A scholarly or professional writing sample (any length).

Graduate College application is available online. Applications for admission will be considered once a year. The deadline for the receipt of applications is December 15th with notification of interviews by early- to mid-January.


Post-EdS Track:

Students admitted for this track have completed their Ed.S. degree (or specialist level of training) from a NASP-approved program that is consistent with the Cultural Ecological model of training provided here at UNLV. Students who have not met these standards: (a) graduation from NASP-approved EdS program and (b) graduation from an EdS program consistent with a Cultural Ecological model, are still considered for Conditional Admission with the understanding that their programs of study will include additional course work.


Post-Masters Track:

Students who have earned a masters degree in a related field (or completed some graduate coursework) may be admitted in the Post-Masters Track under Conditional Admission with the understanding that their programs of study will include additional coursework, which may be significant depending on the type of masters degree earned.

After a student is admitted and matriculates to the program, a thorough evaluation by the faculty of the candidate’s transcript, course syllabi, and knowledge/skills of psychology and school psychology will be conducted to determine if the competencies of the UNLV Ed.S. program have been met. The result of this evaluation will determine the final requirements for the student’s program of studies.

Plan Requirements

Degree Requirements

1. Students must successfully complete a minimum of 122 credit hours (or 79 credit hours for Post-Ed.S. Track, and 93 credit hours for Post-Masters Track) while earning a grade of B or better in all course work (i.e., a grade of B- and lower is unacceptable and the course must be retaken).

2. Of the 122 credits, 44 are school psychology specialization courses equivalent to the first-two years of the specialist level of training (Ed.S. degree). Students in the Post-Ed.S. Track and Post-Masters Track will take the courses that are deemed necessary after an evaluation of their transcript, relevant syllabi, and knowledge/skills in psychology and school psychology conducted by the program curriculum committee.

3. Of the 122 credits, 79 are health service psychology courses in the areas of research, scientific psychology, and advanced delivery of psychology and school psychology services, which are shared with other graduate programs in the department, college, and university.

4. Students must complete several projects to evaluate the progression of scholarly and research skills called “benchmarks:” (a) Benchmark 1 Project is to be completed during the first two years of the program; and, (b) Benchmark 2 Project (Preliminary Exam) is to be completed by the end of year three.

5. In consultation with their advisor, a student will organize a dissertation committee of at least three departmental members (one of which must be a school psychology core faculty as chair). A fourth member from outside the department, known as the Graduate College Representative, must be appointed. A fifth committee member may be added at the student and advisor’s discretion. Please see Graduate College policy for committee appointment guidelines

6. Students submit a Portfolio of work near the completion of the program that satisfies APA standards of accreditation and program competencies.

7. Specific specialization courses in research are determined by the student in consultation with their advisor and/or committee. While an advisor is assigned to the student upon gaining admission based on stated research interests, the student may change advisors at any time.

8. Students must conform to all policies of the UNLV Graduate College, as stated in the UNLV Graduate Catalog, those stated in the UNLV School Psychology Doctoral Program Student Handbook, and the American Psychological Association Code of Ethics.

9. Students will be evaluated at least yearly across several professional competencies including technical standards for health service psychologists. Inadequate performance in one or more may result in the imposition of additional requirements, loss of Graduate Assistantship, probation, or separation from the program.

10. Transfer Credits. Admitted students may transfer credits from graduate studies in other programs contingent upon evaluation by faculty, departmental approval, and in accordance with Graduate College policy.

Graduation Requirements

1. The student must submit all required forms to the Graduate College and then apply for graduation up to two semesters prior to completing his/her degree requirements for the doctoral degree.

2. The student must submit and successfully defend his/her dissertation by the posted deadline. The defense must be advertised and is open to the public. After the dissertation defense, the student must electronically submit a properly formatted pdf copy of their dissertation to the Graduate College for format check. Once the dissertation format has been approved by the Graduate College, the student will submit the approved electronic version to ProQuest. Deadlines for dissertation defenses, format check submissions, and the final ProQuest submission can be found here.