Reflecting a "scientist-practitioner" training orientation, the doctoral program in School Psychology extends the student's knowledge and applied research and teaching skills. Knowledge in the psychological foundations contributes to the development of effective scientist-practitioner school psychologists who utilize psychological theories and scientific research to inform their practice. We also recognize that the science and practice of school psychology mutually influence each other–science informs practice and practice informs science–and that an understanding of individual, ethnic, and cultural diversity serves as a foundation to effective science and practice of school psychology. Therefore, the program offers a curriculum within which all students are expected to acquire and demonstrate a substantial understanding of and/or competence in:
- Professional school psychology (i.e., psychodiagnostic assessment, consultation, intervention, professional practice/ethics, learning, development, statistics, psychoeducational measurement, research design, and special education);
- Psychological foundations (i.e., biological bases of behavior, cognitive-affective bases of behavior, social bases of behavior, individual bases of behavior, and history and systems of psychology);
- Research skills; and
- Appreciation/sensitivity to individual, ethnic, and cultural diversity.
The program is typically a four-year program of full-time study, followed by a full-year internship in health service psychology. The APA defines health service psychology as the integration of psychological science and practice in order to facilitate human development and functioning. Individuals who engage in health service psychology have been appropriately trained to be eligible for licensure as doctoral-level psychologists.
The program is housed in the KU School of Education and Human Sciences, which is accredited under the CAEP Accreditation System. The Ph.D. program is accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) and is approved by the National Association of School Psychologists and Kansas Department of Education.
If you have any questions about the program’s APA accreditation status, please contact:
Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation
American Psychological Association
750 First Street, N.E.
Washington, DC 20002-4242
Phone: 202-336-5979
Fax: 202-336-5978
Email: apaaccred@apa.org
Graduate Admissions Requirements
Applicants must meet both the University and departmental admission requirements to be considered for the program.
University of Kansas Graduate Admission Requirements
Doctor of Philosophy in School Psychology Application Requirements:
- A completed graduate application.
- Application fee.
- Official transcripts of all degree-granting post-secondary institutions you have attended and an official transcript for each degree earned.
- Three letters of recommendation from individuals who can provide a thorough evaluation of one's abilities at the graduate level.
- GRE exam scores. Official copy of scores no older than five years; only the general GRE test is required.
- Personal statement addressing the following:
- Describe your career goals
- Describe how you see your career goals relating to this degree program (how you see this program preparing you to meet your career objectives)
- Describe past work or educational experiences related to this degree program
- Describe what skills/competencies and experiences you hope to gain in this program
- Describe any past research experiences and accomplishments
- Describe one research topic/issue that you would like to pursue in this program
- Provide additional information concerning your background, experience, goals, or accomplishments/awards you believe are pertinent to your application
NOTE: These are the admission requirements in place at the time this catalog content was published.
The doctoral program adheres to a scientist-practitioner model of training. Doctoral study extends the student's applied, research, and teaching skills. Completion of the program typically requires 4 years of full-time study followed by a full year of internship.
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| EPSY 710 | Introduction to Statistical Analysis | 3 |
| EPSY 711 | Lab for Introduction to Statistical Analysis | 1 |
| EPSY 715 | Understanding Research in Education | 3 |
| EPSY 770 | Developmental Psychopathology: Diagnosis, Intervention, and Prevention | 3 |
| EPSY 780 | Applied Behavior Analysis and Evidence-Based Interventions in School Psychology | 3 |
| EPSY 805 | Cognitive Assessment | 4 |
| EPSY 760 | Ethics, Law, and Professional Issues in School Psychology | 3 |
| EPSY 835 | Clinical Techniques in Academic Assessment and Intervention | 3 |
| EPSY 860 | Assessment of Behavior Problems and Personality | 3 |
| EPSY 965 | Foundations of Psychoeducational Consultation | 3 |
| EPSY 836 | Behavioral & Systems Neuroscience in Education | 3 |
| or ABSC 857 | Biological Bases of Behavior |
| EPSY 810 | Regression and ANOVA: General Linear Models | 3 |
| EPSY 705 | Human Development through the Lifespan | 3 |
| EPSY 822 | Educational Scales, Questionnaires, and Sampling | 3 |
| EPSY 855 | Psychoeducational Clinic I: Assessment, Consultation, and Intervention | 3 |
| EPSY 947 | Specialist Research | 4 |
| EPSY 808 | Advanced Social Psychology: Theory, Research, and Professional Applications | 3 |
| or PSYC 774 | Advanced Social Psychology I |
| EPSY 807 | Theories and Research in Human Learning | 3 |
| EPSY 781 | Systems Consultation in School Psychology | 3 |
| EPSY 865 | Psychoeducational Clinic 2: Assessment, Consultation, and Intervention | 3 |
| EPSY 882 | History and Systems of Psychology | 3 |
| or PSYC 805 | History of Psychology |
| EPSY 902 | Research Methodology in Education | 3 |
| EPSY 910 | Practicum in School Psychology | 3 |
| EPSY 975 | Therapeutic Intervention: Home and School | 3 |
| EPSY 880 | Ethical and Legal Issues in Psychology and Counseling | 3 |
| EPSY 911 | Advanced Practicum in School Psychology | 3 |
| EPSY 875 | Understanding Cultural & Individual Differences in Professional Psychology | 3 |
| or ELPS 830 | Foundations of Multicultural Education |
| EPSY 995 | Field Experience in: _____ | 3 |
| EPSY 992 | Ph.D. Internship in School Psychology | 4 |
| EPSY 798 | Special Course: _____ | 3 |
| |
| Specialist Research | |
| Using R, Machine Learning, and AI for Data Analysis | |
| Meta-Analysis | |
| Nonparametric Statistics | |
| Evaluating School Programs | |
| Seminar in: _____ (Casual Inference) | |
| Seminar in: (Rater-Mediated Assessments) | |
| Fundamentals of Multivariate Modeling (recommended) | |
| Latent Trait Measurement and Structural Equation Models | |
| Advanced Measurement Theory and Practice | |
| Introduction to Item Response Theory | |
| Advanced Theory and Applications of Item Response Theory | |
| Hierarchical Linear Modeling | |
| Introduction to Qualitative Research | |
| Research Methods in Clinical Psychology | |
| Within Subjects Research Methodology and Direct Observation | |
| Within Subjects Research Methodology and Direct Observation | |
| Total Hours | 106 |
Research Skills & Responsible Scholarship
The University requires that every doctoral student receive training in responsible scholarship pertinent to the field of research and obtain research skills pertinent to the doctoral level of research in their field(s). These requirements must be completed by the end of the semester that the student takes the oral comprehensive exam. For students in the School Psychology Ph.D. program, this requirement is satisfied by the completion of:
Written and Oral Comprehensive Exams
Per University and SOEHS policy, students must be in good academic standing and have completed all required coursework in order to take comprehensive exams.
The comprehensive exam consists of a written exam followed by an oral exam. Students must pass both written and oral components of the comprehensive examination. Satisfactory performance on the written component must be attained before the oral component may be attempted. See handbook. Ph.D. in School Psychology at KU | Department of Educational Psychology
Enrollment Requirements Post-Comprehensive Exam
Starting the semester following successful completion of the oral comprehensive exam, students must enroll in accordance with the Office of Graduate Studies’ Doctoral Candidacy Policy. This enrollment includes, but is not limited to, at least 1 dissertation hour every semester until graduation. See the Doctoral Candidacy policy for more information about this University level requirement.
Summer enrollment is required by the School of Education & Human Sciences in cases where if the student is attempting a milestone exam in the summer (e.g., comprehensive exam, proposal meeting, or dissertation defense).
See handbook for details.
Dissertation Proposal
After successfully completing the comprehensive exam, Ph.D. students will engage in work for their culminating project – the dissertation – and must be continuously enrolled per University and SOEHS policy until the dissertation is defended.
The dissertation is done under the supervision of an advisor and dissertation committee and consists of two parts. First, the student works with an advisor to write a dissertation proposal that outlines the purpose scope and methods of the dissertation study. The dissertation proposal must be approved by a committee of at least three faculty members and the signed title page and electronic proposal filed with the department and SOHES.
Dissertation and Final Oral Defense
Upon approval of the proposal, the student may begin work on the dissertation research under the guidance of the advisor and dissertation committee (typically consisting of the members of the proposal committee and one tenure-track faculty member from another department who represents the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs), determines the dissertation is ready for defense, a defense may be scheduled.
The completed dissertation must be defended within the time period established by the University and SOEHS for completion of doctoral degrees.
Additional requirements
To continue in the program, students must meet the University and SOEHS standards for being in good academic standing as specified in the SOEHS graduate regulations tab. Students must remain continuously enrolled in the program.
Timing of Comprehensive Exams.
Students in the School Psychology Ph.D. program comlete their oral comprehensive exams at the end of their third year of study.
Given the timing of internship placements through the national match process, School Psychology and Counseling Psychology Ph.D. students may be allowed to take comprehensive exams with up to 6 hours of non-required coursework remaining, so long as the remaining courses are not considered part of the research skills requirement or part of the program core that will be the subject of examination. These remaining hours can count towards the required 18 post-comp hours although students are still required to enroll in dissertation hours each term until the dissertation is successfully defended and completed.
At the completion of this program, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate research knowledge and apply research skills.
- Demonstrate skills to consult, collaborate and communicate effectively with individuals, families, groups, and systems.
- Understand and use assessments to identify strengths and needs, to develop effective interventions and programs, and measuring progress.
- Understand, identify, and implement mental health and academic interventions based on empirical evidence and with fidelity.
- Identify and respond appropriately to professional, legal, and ethical situations that may arise in their professional role.
- Respect and are appropriately responsive to individual and culture differences, abilities, disabilities, and other diverse characteristics and the effects they have on development and learning.
