Today's school psychologists must function as effective educational consultants, intervention strategists and counselors in addition to their historical role as psychometricians. Our goal is to prepare professionals who manifest a holistic blend of theory and practice in meeting the educational advantage of today's students within the interacting contexts of their schools, families and communities. At Marist College, students interested in pursuing study towards New York State certification in school psychology have two options: an MA in School Psychology or an Advanced Certificate in School Psychology. Marist's school psychology programs focus on instruction in theory and skills associated with five roles regularly encountered by a school psychologist: facilitator in understanding human behavior; counselor; psychological/educational examiner; consultant and information specialist/intervention strategist.
Following New York State Educational Department (NYSED) regulations, the academic qualifications for permanent certification as a school psychologist requires sixty-two semester hours of graduate study inclusive of a college supervised practicum experience and internship in the field of school psychology. Within the total program of preparation as a school psychologist, the candidate must complete a masters degree.
Marist College's NYSED-approved sixty-credit MA in School Psychology meets the above cited criteria. Our twenty-six Credit Advanced Certificate program complements Marist's MA in Psychology. Similarly, our thirty-nine Credit Advanced Certificate program complements Marist's MA in Educational Psychology. Applicants for the advanced certificate programs who have earned a relevant master's degree elsewhere must have their transcripts evaluated as part of the admissions process. Their relevant master's degree will be accepted as satisfying the master's degree aspect of the NYSED certification process. However, students may be required to take additional courses that provide instruction in content and skill areas included in Marist's NYSED-approved program but not significantly covered in the applicant's previously earned graduate credits.
While all students are required to take School Psychology Internship/Seminars (PSYH 701 and PSYH 702), which include the NYSED 600-hour internship, students may elect to increase the internship from 600 hours to 1200 hours. This can be accomplished by taking PSYH 703 and PSYH 704 School Psychology Internship/Seminars. Students electing this option would sign up for PSYH 701 and PSYH 703 in the fall and PSYH 702 and PSYH 704 in the spring. This option is available to students in both the master's and advanced certificate programs in school psychology, and will enable students to pursue a full-time internship.
