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Azusa Pacific University’s Educational Specialist (EdS) in School Psychology: Clinical and Educationally Related Mental Health Counseling with embedded Master of Arts in Education (MAEd): Educational Psychology and Pupil Personnel Services Credential in School Psychology program equips school psychology candidates with distinctive and marketable skills and competencies. Candidates gain advanced skills to effectively meet the needs of students with emotional and behavioral challenges, and are equipped to provide educationally related mental health services or designated instructional services. Through supervised field experiences and classroom curriculum, candidates gain exposure to group and individual clinical counseling, addictions or substance abuse counseling and intervention, psychobiology/psychopharmacology, DSM-V diagnosis, and case conceptualization and treatment for school-based mental health services.

The school psychology program is approved with conditions by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) and accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)—which is transitioning to the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)—and the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC). The two degrees are completed in three years and comprise 84 graduate semester units, 450 hours of practicum, and 1,200 hours of fieldwork/internship. Upon successful completion of this program, candidates can apply to become Nationally Certified School Psychologists (NCSPs).

Program Structure

Years 1 and 2

Candidates complete at least 61 units and 450 hours of practicum during the first two years of the program. Candidates also complete the Graduate Research Project (GRP).

Year 3 (MAEd and EdS)

Candidates complete at least an additional 23 units of special focus coursework, including 1,200 hours of fieldwork/internship and coursework for the clinical and educationally related mental health counseling specialization. Candidates applying for an internship credential may submit their application once a paid internship at a public school in the field of school psychology has been secured. Prior to starting fieldwork/internship, students are required to provide an updated TB clearance.

Upon successful completion of post-master’s coursework and fieldwork/internship, and passing of the PRAXIS II (School Psychology) exam, the candidate is granted the Educational Specialist (EdS) degree and may file for the PPS Credential in School Psychology. Once these requirements are fulfilled, the student may apply to become a Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP) through the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP); students are advised to review specific NCSP requirements online.

Candidates should collaborate with the program director about where the clinical and educationally related mental health counseling specialization courses should be completed within the three-year sequence.

Additional Admission Requirements for School Psychology Applicants

1. After all admission materials have been submitted to the Office of Graduate and Professional Admissions, the school psychology program reviews the file and notifies the applicant to schedule an admission interview with the department. The prospective candidate should come prepared to be interviewed by program faculty. The purpose of the interview is to meet the candidate, discuss career goals, evaluate match of the program to the student, and make an initial assessment of the applicant’s potential for success as a school psychologist.
2. All candidates who are admitted to the program are required to submit a copy of their California Certificate of Clearance (COC) or another form of clearance, such as a valid and current credential for teaching or counseling and/or nursing. The law requires Azusa Pacific University to keep these records on file while candidates are in attendance at APU.
3. Candidates must verify successful completion of the California Basic Skills Requirement via one of the options approved by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) prior to admission.

Course Requirements

Scope and Sequence

Students take courses in the following sequence (students are required to seek academic advising prior to initial registration):

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Prerequisites must be completed prior to internship/fieldwork.

Students complete the following in order to earn the Master of Arts in Education: Educational Psychology (MAEd) and Educational Specialist (EdS) with an embedded Pupil Personnel Services Credential in School Psychology:

• Designated MAEd and EdS coursework (84 units)
• 550 hours of practicum
• 1,200 hours of fieldwork/internship (primary and secondary settings)
• Graduate research project
• Passing the PRAXIS II School Psychology #5403 with a 155 or higher

Additional Requirements

1. Students must pass the PRAXIS II School Psychology #5403 exam with a score of 155 or higher to demonstrate their competence in school psychology prior to completion of the program. 
2. Students prepare a Graduate Research Project (GRP), which includes a formal research paper or program evaluation and must be approved by APU’s Institutional Review Board (IRB). The GRP content should be related to a topic that the student chooses to study in depth and has relevance to the field of school psychology. The research portion of the project is completed through the following courses: EDPY 592, EDPY 690, and EDPY 636. In addition to the GRP, students are required to present their research findings and paper to a faculty and peer panel.
3. Students complete a performance-based portfolio during practicum and internship/fieldwork that will be evaluated by program faculty and field experience mentors for evidence of skills competency.

Advisory Notes

• Students intending to pursue two Master of Arts in Education degrees should review the university requirements for additional master’s degrees as stated in the Academic Policies and Procedures section of the catalog.
• Students cannot pursue the Master of Arts in Education: Educational Counseling as a second master’s degree after completing the requirements for the Master of Arts in Education: Educational Psychology and Educational Specialist in School Psychology.
• The practicum experience at APU consists of 450 hours (required by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing). A minimum of 300 hours must be completed in a pre-K-12 public school setting. Up to 150 hours may be completed through on-campus agencies (e.g., child study centers, psychology clinics) or community-based agencies (e.g., private schools, community-based mental health clinics). These hours are to be completed prior to beginning fieldwork/internship. The required hours are to be completed under the direct supervision of a credentialed school psychologist with no fewer than three years of experience.
• At some regional campuses, students may need to delay enrollment until there is a sufficient number of beginning students to provide the appropriate adult learning opportunities. Applicants can obtain detailed information about dates for beginning coursework by requesting an advisement appointment at the Azusa campus or any of the regional campuses.
• Students in an educational counseling or educational psychology program may request to waive a course (see Waivers), provided that the student can document completion of an equivalent course at another institution in the five-year period prior to requesting the waiver. Department approval of the request is required. If the course accepted for waiver also meets all of the university standards for transfer credit (see Transfer Credit), it may be transferred to meet requirements (up to 20 percent of the total program units may be transferred to meet requirements). If the course accepted for waiver does not meet the university standards for transfer credit (i.e., not applicable to a master’s degree at the university where it was taken, not taken from a regionally accredited institution, etc.), then the student must choose alternative elective courses to satisfy the unit requirements of the degree program.
• A student has a maximum of five years to complete all coursework, including waivers and transfer of units, beginning the first date of enrollment for coursework in the degree program.
• Students approaching program completion must obtain a credential application from the Office of Credentials in the School of Education. Students must complete all credential requirements to apply for the credential.
• Students approaching graduation must obtain and complete a Graduation Application from the Office of the Registrar in accordance with published university deadlines. The registrar and department will collaborate to determine whether the student has met all requirements.

Admission

University graduate admission and program-specific requirements must be met before an application is complete (see Admission to the University). Program-specific application requirements are available online.

International students should contact Graduate and Professional Admissions for application procedures.

Program Learning Outcomes

Students who successfully complete this program shall be able to:

1. Demonstrate competency in data-based decision making and accountability.
2. Demonstrate competency in consultation and collaboration.
3. Demonstrate competency in interventions and instructional support to develop academic skills.
4. Demonstrate competency in behavior interventions and mental health services to develop social and life skills.
5. Demonstrate competency in direct and indirect services and school practices to promote learning.
6. Demonstrate competency in school-wide practices to promote behavioral and mental health.
7. Demonstrate competency in family-school collaboration.
8. Demonstrate competency in human diversity.
9. Demonstrate competency in research and program evaluation.
10. Demonstrate competency in legal, ethical, and professional practice disposition.