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2014-2015 Undergraduate & Graduate Catalog

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School Psychology - Program Description

For additional information about opportunities your college offers, please refer to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section in this catalog.

Degrees offered: Specialist in School Psychology.

Website: www.gvsu.edu/psychology

School psychologists are licensed professionals who provide academic, behavioral, and mental-health services within the school environment. Collaborating with teachers, school administrators, and other school professionals, they conduct evaluations and design intervention plans for students who are struggling with a range of academic and behavior problems. Recent legislative and financial shifts in education are driving schools to make significant systemic changes. Because of their training, school psychologists play crucial roles in transforming schools and evaluating outcomes for students, schools and communities.

School Psychology at Grand Valley

The three year, full time school psychology program at Grand Valley is designed to create leaders and innovators in the field of education. Students will receive extensive training through coursework, practicum, and research experiences in the assessment, prevention, and intervention of academic, social, and mental health problems in a wide range of students. We aim to create school psychologists who are data-based problem solvers that make an impact on schools at the local, state, and national level.

Upon completion, students will earn a specialist degree in school psychology. Students are eligible for licensure at the state and national level. A marked distinction of our program is that upon graduation, following passing an examination and completing required supervision hours, students are also eligible to become Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA).

Admission to the Masters of School Psychology Program

All admissions materials must be received by January 5th. To be eligible for consideration, applicants must have:

  1. Completed a bachelor's degree in psychology, special education, or a related field with a minimum 3.0 grade point average. Students with a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field are eligible for admission; however they may have to enroll in prerequisite courses (beyond those listed as follows) prior to beginning the program. The number and topic of courses will vary depending on the individual's degree and background experiences.
  2. Successfully completed undergraduate prerequisite courses (Research Methods, Statistics, and Child Development)
  3. Achieved satisfactory GRE scores (verbal, quantitative, and writing)
  4. Submitted a personal statement
  5. Provided a professional vita or resume
  6. Submitted three letters of recommendation

The following program is available:

Master of Science and Specialist in School Psychology


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