School Psychology

Welcome to the School Psychology Program!

• Full APA Accreditation & NASP Approval
• Practicum Infusion Throughout Training
• Whole Child, Scientist-Practitioner, Community and Structural Responsive Approach
• High Internship Placement Rate & Competitive Career Opportunities
• Collaborative & Supportive Training Environment

Two degree programs are offered in School Psychology: an Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) program, approved by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) and a doctoral (Ph.D.) program, which is fully accredited by the American Psychological Association Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation (202-336-5979), 750 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242; accredited since February 18, 1986). The doctoral program is currently fully accredited with decision effective April 27, 2020, with next accreditation review to occur in 2029. 

Apply to the Ph.D. or Ed.S. School Psychology Program.

Visit our Ph.D. and Ed.S. programs:

• School Psychology, Ph.D.
• School Psychology, Ed.S.

The programs are designed to prepare professional psychologists with educational expertise who can function in a variety of diverse educationally related settings. The “scientist practitioner” and “ecological systems”/”whole child” concepts guide the program. These views foster the conception of the school psychologist as broadly capable of conducting research and practicing effectively with clients, in addition to considering the ecological complex in which the child exists. The program faculty has a strong interest in the full service school model, which espouses a broad role for the school psychologist. The assessment of children and adolescents as well as planning for interventions necessitates this broader conceptualization of childhood problems. The programs emphasize a balance between psychological and educational theory and applied practice. Both programs also espouse a commitment to human welfare and service to others.

The school psychology program infuses a community and structural responsiveness perspective in our training by emphasizing community engagement and belongingness. We believe every individual is deserving of respect and entitlement to resources, both within the school and within the community. Our program strives to optimize personal development and achievement across individuals from all backgrounds. We therefore have a commitment to psychological practices that contribute to child, family, and community well-being by advocating for individuals who may not have access to mainstream resources. Our sequence of courses designed for the UK School Psychology Training Program provides a foundation of basic knowledge and skills in psychology and education as well as individually designed coursework that facilitates the development of a broad range of scientific, interpersonal, and leadership competencies and perspectives. 

The school psychology programs offer a breadth of classroom choices and a wealth of field experiences. The combination of these classroom and experiential activities result in graduates who are prepared for many of the professional challenges of a school psychologist. Students and faculty communicate by frequent classroom contact, advising sessions, and LISTSERVs. Student Affiliates in School Psychology (SASP), the student organization for students in school psychology, elects representatives to sit on the School Psychology Advisory Committee. Student representatives provide input to most programmatic policy decisions. SASP also plans social and professional activities for students and faculty.

Students in both degree programs take course work in general areas of psychology (learning, development, social bases), research and statistics, professional areas (assessment, consultation, intervention, counseling, legal and ethical issues), and education (special education, reading, cultural foundations). Specialist (Ed.S.) students complete a portfolio of applied assessment and intervention experiences. Doctoral (Ph.D.) students complete an empirically based dissertation. PhD students also will publish at least two journal articles before graduation. Practicum courses are taken throughout the program. Students without prior field experiences typically take a yearlong practicum in the second year of their program that combines applied work in the schools. Advanced practicum experiences are available in the schools, specialized educational settings, developmental disabilities settings, child/adolescent mental health settings, medical settings, and other agencies. At the completion of both programs, students complete yearlong (or equivalent) internships. Specialist students typically complete internships that are school-based, whereas doctoral students may combine school and agency internships. Doctoral students often complete their training in APA-approved internship settings. We take pride in our preparation for Praxis testing, a standardized test that is recognized by the ESPB for teacher certification. Typically, our students do very well on this measure of professional readiness. The program faculty continuously monitor how our program is relevant to the professional challenges so we can adjust our teaching and learning experiences to provide a dynamic preparation for our pre-professional, pre-certification, and pre-licensure students.

Graduates of the programs are afforded a wide variety of opportunities. Specialist graduates are typically employed in public school positions, but opportunities also exist in educational cooperatives, specialized school settings, and agencies. Doctoral graduates have similar opportunities and also have opportunities for college and university teaching, research and program evaluation positions, and a broader array of positions in agencies providing mental health, health, and developmental services to children and adolescents. Placement in appropriate professional positions has been close to 100% in recent years. Our alumni work in P-12 schools, universities and agencies across the commonwealth and many of the 50 states.

The school psychology program faculty admit highly-qualified individuals. Students are selected on the basis of their compatibility with the overall goals of the school psychology program and to the profession. Our intention is to select students whose professional goals, interests, and expertise match the available resources within the school psychology program. Program completion rates are high. The program faculty are committed to offering a high-quality program and makes every effort to facilitate student progress.

If you plan to complete a University of Kentucky online program while living outside of Kentucky, you should check the Out-of-State Students page to determine if the University of Kentucky is authorized to provide this program in your state of residence. If you plan to use the degree to seek licensure, you should also determine if the degree meets the educational requirements for licensure in your state.