NATIONAL UNIVERSITY Department of Educational Administration and School Counseling/Psychology SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY GRADUATE HANDBOOK NATIONAL UNIVERSITY SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY MASTER of SCIENCE DEGREE With PUPIL PERSONNEL SERVICES (SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY) CREDENTIAL School Psychology Program Handbook 2016-2017 2 Table of Contents Part I: Program Overview 5 Introduction 5 School Psychology Mission Statement 5 School Psychology Curriculum 5 Part II: General Policies/Procedures 6 Part III: Standards 10 NASP Standards 10 California CTC Standards 13 Part IV: Practicum 16 Practicum Form Schedule 19 Part V: Internship 19 Internship Form Schedule 29 Part VI: Internship Credential 32 Purpose of Internship Credential 32 Requirements of Internship 32 Participating Districts 34 Part VII: Portfolio 35 Professional Portfolio 35 Organizing the portfolio 35 NASP Standards for Portfolio 37 School Psychology Portfolio 37 Portfolio Rubric 41 Case Studies 44 NCSP Case Study Rubric 47 Part VIII: Research In School Psychology 52 Institutional Review Board 52 Action Research Project Rubric 53 Part IX: Exit Process 60 3 National Praxis Exam 60 Exit Checklist 60 Final Paperwork 61 Part X: Applied Behavior Analysis Certificate 62 APPENDIX A 63 Practicum Forms APPENDIX B 72 Internship Forms APPENDIX C 95 FACULTY BIOS 4 Part I: PROGRAM OVERVIEW Introduction National University’s (NU) Masters of Science (MS) in School Psychology (SP) and Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) Credential in School Psychology program are committed to training School Psychology candidates in the “best practices” in school psychological services. Toward this end, the curriculum includes coursework in psychological and educational foundations, and emphasizes development of skills in assessment, intervention, consultation, and research. Field experiences, including practicum and SP internship with experienced supervisors are a central component of the training. School Psychology candidates receive training in the application of acquired knowledge and professional skills in field-based settings.
School Psychology Mission Statement The mission of the SP Program is to prepare future school psychologists to be effective leaders in promoting mental health, academic and social development, and student diversity competencies. SP candidates will be trained in the implementation of data-based decision making methods, prevention and intervention methods through proactive home, school, and community collaboration and consultation. School Psychology Curriculum Undergraduate Recommendation: It is strongly advised that students pursuing graduate work in School Psychology have undergraduate training in areas such as statistics/research design, child development/psychology, and experience or introductory coursework in special education. REQUIRED COURSEWORK UNITS PED 603 School Psychology Orientation 4.5 PED 680 Roles, Issues and Ethics in School Psychology 4.5 PED 665 Tests and Measurements 4.5 ABA 600 Basics of Behavior Analysis 4.5 ABA 601 Behavior Assessment, Research Design, and Analysis 4.5 ABA 602 Basic Behavior Analytic Processes-I (prereq ABA 601) 4.5 PED 672 Advanced Psycho-educational Assessment (prereq PED 4.5 680, PED 665, PED 671 with minimum grade of B) ABA 603 Basic Behavior Analytic Processes-II (prereq ABA 602 4.5 5 PED 667 Developmental Psychopathology 4.5 PED 673 Social/Emotional Assessment (prereq PED 672 with 4.5 minimum grade of B) ABA 604 Advanced Applied Behavior Analysis-I (prereq ABA 4.5 603) CED 601 Consultation in the Schools 4.5 PED 674 Specialized Assessment (prereq PED 673 with minimum 4.5 grade of B) CED 610 Advanced Counseling Theories & Methods 4.5 PED 678 Practicum in School Psychology 4.5 PED 625 Research in School Psychology (prereq PED 665 with 4.5 minimum grade of B PED 637 School Psychology Research (prereq PED 625 4.5 CHECKPOINT requires permission of Faculty Advisor PED 689 School Psychology Internship Part I (600 hours) 4.5 PED 690 School Psychology Internship Part II (600 hours) 4.5 PED 685 Internship Seminar 4.5 TOTAL QUARTER UNITS 94.5 COURSE DESCRIPTIONS Descriptions of specific courses can be found in the National University catalog.
Part II: GENERAL POLICIES/PROCEDURES The policies and procedures contained below in Part II are in some cases summaries and abbreviations of the exact policies contained in the National University catalog. Students are urged to consult the NU catalog under which they enrolled for definitive descriptions of policies and procedures, as the NU catalog is the most authoritative source. PERSONS SEEKING THE MS DEGREE and PPS-P CREDENTIAL Transfer of Credits/Units: Candidates may be able to transfer comparable graduate level coursework, up to 13.5 quarter units if completed within the past seven years from a regionally accredited institution and not already applied towards the conferral of another degree. Coursework more than seven years old and/or used to fulfill the requirements for another graduate degree cannot be transferred into the program.
The following courses cannot be transferred into the program under any circumstances: PED 671- PED 674 (assessment courses), PED 678 (Practicum in School Psychology), PED 685 6 (Internship Seminar), ABA 600-604 (ABA courses), and PED 689, 690 (Internship courses). PERSONS SEEKING PUPIL PERSONNEL SERVICES CREDENTIAL (PPS-P) ONLY Candidates who have a related graduate degree (MA/MS/MSW/PhD in counseling, psychology, social work, etc.) may seek to qualify for the Pupil Personnel Services- Psychology (PPS-P) credential by completing a minimum of 31.5 quarter units of prescribed study in the School Psychology Program. Four of these courses (18 qtr units) must include PED 678 (a 450 hour practicum), PED 685, and 689/690 (600 hours each of School Psychology Internship). Also, all five Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) courses (22.5 qtr units) are required.
Candidates who have passed the Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) exam may automatically waive the ABA course requirement. Other required courses are to be decided in concert with the regional Faculty Advisor. Advising At the time of admission, School Psychology candidates are considered “candidates” and will be assigned to a School Psychology Faculty Advisor. Candidates are encouraged to meet with their Faculty Advisor prior to enrolling to discuss the necessary sequence of courses and projected timelines for matriculating through the program.
Due to the highly structured and intensive nature of the M. in School Psychology degree program, it is essential that candidates maintain regular communication with their Faculty Advisors. This is especially critical for candidates entering the program with transfer credits or who plan to attend part-time. Once admitted, candidates must graduate within seven years following completion of the first course taken toward the degree.
Candidates with Disabilities The School Psychology Program welcomes candidates from diverse backgrounds including individuals with disabilities. Prospective candidates should be aware of the essential abilities that are required in order to work as a school psychologist. Prospective candidates with questions or concerns about their potential to meet the degree and certification requirements are encouraged to discuss this issue with a faculty member upon admission and prior to enrolling in the Master’s in School Psychology degree program. Upon admission to the School Psychology Program, candidates with disabilities should contact Student Services at 858-642-8185 or at specialservices@nu.
Please note the following from the published “ADA Accommodations Fact Sheet. School Psychology candidates seeking special accommodations due to a disability must submit an application with supporting documentation to the Office of Scholarships and Special Services. Accommodations can include, but are not limited to, extended testing time, note taker, use of a tape recorder, excused from formal presentations like individual or group presentations and American Sign Language interpreters. Once a student is approved to receive special accommodations, the Coordinator of Scholarships and Special Services will provide an accommodation letter to the student.
It is the student’s responsibility to his/her instructor on the first night of class (a student may or may not elect to use the accommodation). A letter is also sent to the instructor telling him/her that a student enrolled in their class may approach them with an approved accommodation(s). The letter will not identify the student. It is just a notification that a student may approach him/her with the request.
If a student does not approach the faculty member, they have elected to not request the accommodation(s). Again, a student may elect to not use the accommodation. This happens regularly as School Psychology candidates often decide after reviewing the syllabus if they think they will need it. If there is a physical accommodation required (like a separate testing room for an onsite class or a special seat) a letter will also be sent to the Academic Center.
The student is responsible for arranging this with the Academic Center and Student Services will pay for a proctor for an exam which is usually the Center Assistant. Under no circumstances should a faculty member allow a student any type of accommodations without a letter typed on National University letterhead. Academic Probation Students whose cumulative GPA falls below a 3.0 for coursework completed at National University are placed on academic probation. Students are allowed three courses to improve their cumulative grade point average to the required 3.0, provided no further grades of B- or below are earned.
The University strongly recommends that any coursework in which a letter grade of “C” or below was earned should be repeated while on probation. In this situation, if the courses are not repeated, the student may fail to raise the cumulative GPA to the required 3.0 and will be subject to disqualification. Removal from Probation Students placed on probation will be removed from probation once they have improved their grade point average to a cumulative GPA of 3. Satisfactory 8 grades received while on probation count toward fulfillment of degree requirements.
Disqualification Students on academic probation who fail to raise their GPA to 3.0 or better or who receive a grade of B- or below during their probationary period will be disqualified from their academic program. Disqualified students cannot attend National University for the next three months (terms) following the month in which the student was disqualified. After a three-month leave from the University, students can apply for reinstatement. Students who have been disqualified will be out of step with the schedule of courses in which they enrolled.
This will most likely result in significant delays in re-entering the program since many of the courses in the program have course prerequisites. It will be the responsibility of the student to meet with an admissions advisor and/or the Faculty Advisor to help the student determine the best course of action. Note: International students on an F-1 student visa must apply for reinstatement within 15 days of the date of disqualification due to immigration regulations regarding student visas. Reinstatement Students who have been disqualified and want to be considered for reinstatement must petition the Committee on the Application of Standards (CAS.) The petition must explain the reason for the disqualification and the steps the student has taken to remedy the issues.
Students must include supporting documentation. Students, approved by CAS to be readmitted to the University, will be placed on a “Conditional” status. CAS will indicate the conditions and time frame requirements of the reinstatement. Students who meet the conditions of CAS and achieve the required 3.0 cumulative GPA will be placed on permanent probation.
Students who fail to meet the CAS conditions will be dismissed from the University. Interruption of Study Due to Excessive Incomplete Grades Students who have three concurrent “Incomplete” grades will be prohibited from taking any further courses until all “Incomplete” grades have been removed. They will be allowed to resume their program when final grades have been received for all “Incomplete” grades. In the event that these “Incomplete” grades become permanent grades of “F,” the student will be dismissed from the University and will not be eligible for reinstatement.
OTHER POLICIES/PROCEDURES 9 In addition to the policies procedures outlined in the School Psychology Graduate Handbook, there are other university policies/procedures addressed by the National University catalog with which candidates should become familiar. Some, but not all of the topics addressed by the catalog include the following: financial aid, attendance procedures/requirements, refund policy, leaves of absence, course drop and withdrawal, accelerated study, independent study, student discipline, academic dishonesty, and very importantly, the Committee on the Application of Standards(CAS). There are policies/procedures specific to graduate and credential programs also in the catalog. Students have an obligation to become familiar with the policies and procedures affecting their education, and are strongly encouraged to review these and other policies early in the program.