Doctor of Philosophy in School Psychology

The program leads to the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree. 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:

  1. Professional school psychology (i.e., psychodiagnostic assessment, consultation, intervention, professional practice/ethics, learning, development, statistics, psychoeducational measurement, research design, and special education);
  2. 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);
  3. Research skills; and
  4. 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 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