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Earning an M.S.Ed. degree and advanced certificate in school psychology prepares you for a rewarding and fulfilling career as a school psychologist.
U.S. News & World Report ranks school psychology as the no. 2 best social service job. This program has full approval from the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) and provides outstanding training for a wide range of counseling, assessment, and consultation roles. With over 1,700 public schools in New York City alone, there is plenty of opportunity to find the right fit. As of February 2021, there are 401 approved charter schools in New York State. This new frontier greatly expands the range of opportunities available to a graduate with a degree in school psychology.
Throughout your time in the program and in the years following graduation, you will be tasked with navigating the career field. If you have settled on veering toward working in education, it is valuable to have a good understanding of what is expected of you and what sort of cases you will be working with. As much as this will be stressed in the program, it can mean all the difference if you can garner experience working with children. Regardless of what exactly this experience looks like, working with children, understanding their needs, and what sort of workplace you will find yourself in will only ease your transition from the classroom to workplace by making you a competitive candidate.
There are, of course, other settings for you to work in with this degree that are set outside of a school. Regardless of what sort of counseling, psychoeducational assessment, consultation, or other professional duties you’ll be doing or what sort of clients you will be helping, knowing about the field you are entering will be key to your success. Doing research and networking with faculty, professors, and alumni can all help you get a better understanding of what sort of work you can expect to have in front of you. Take advantage of the resources around you, especially within the department and at the Magner Career Center.
Lauren earned her M.S. in bilingual school psychology, as well as her advanced certificate, at Brooklyn College. Ross has more than eight years of experience working with the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) as a bilingual school psychologist. She has worked in both Florida and Seattle in the fields of social work and school psychology. In addition to her work with the NYCDOE, she works as a licensed yoga instructor in Brooklyn and as an adjunct lecturer at Brooklyn College.
Issac Silberstein earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology at Brooklyn College while part of the Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest academic honor society. He also earned his M.S. in school psychology, as well as his advanced certificate, at the college. While in school, Silberstein interned at the Hebrew Academy for Special Children and Yeshiva of Flatbush Joel Bravermen High School. Graduating with a degree, a certificate, and plenty of internship experience, he got a job at the Solomon Schechter School of Manhattan as a school psychologist.
Reisa Miller earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology at Stony Brook University, graduating in 2015. Miller continued her schooling at Brooklyn College, earning an M.S. in school psychology in 2018 and her advanced certificate the following year. She interned at Great Neck public schools for a year before becoming a school psychologist at Success Academy.
The Magner Career Center is a great source of information for everything you need to get started in your career, help with résumés, an internship database, job fairs, etc.
The school psychologist graduate program comprises an M.S.Ed. and an advanced certificate in school psychology and consists of a 60-credit curriculum in theory, research, and evidence-based practice. The program is registered with the New York State Department of Education and has full approval from the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). Upon completion of the 33-credit M.S.Ed. and then the 27-credit advanced certificate, graduates are eligible to apply for certification in school psychology with New York State and to apply for the Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP) credential with NASP. Students collaborate with faculty and build professional portfolios that include publications and presentations at local and national conferences. Applicants are admitted to this program only in the fall; see application deadlines posted on the program website.
Applicants must offer at least nine credits with a grade of C or higher in psychological tests and measurements, statistics in psychology, and educational psychology or developmental psychology. Applicants must present three credits with a grade of C or higher in an education course in reading instruction or reading disorders. Applicants must have a minimum undergraduate scholastic index of 3.00 (B). Applicants are interviewed and must submit appropriate letters of recommendation. Although not mandatory as a requirement for admission, applicants are encouraged to submit GRE scores (general and/or subject: psychology) as additional evidence to support the application. Applicants who have not completed all the specific course requirements are given individual consideration and may be admitted with conditions, with the approval of the program head. Students should note additional requirements found at the beginning of this section as well as in the sections “Admission” and “Academic Regulations and Procedures” in the Graduate Bulletin.
Thirty-three credits are required for the degree, selected from the following courses: SPCL 7931T, 7932T, 7903T, 7922T, 7911X, 7900X, 7923X, 7901X, 7910X, 7912X, 7913X, 7920X, 7921X, 7906X, 7907X, 7915X. Students must maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.00 (B). A student who acquires six credits below B- cannot be awarded an M.S. in Education in this program.
For information about course work, make sure to consult the latest Graduate Bulletin. In the 2019–2020 Bulletin (pdf), available courses for the School Psychology Program are found on page 252. If you have any questions about selecting graduate courses you may e-mail Paul McCabe, the program coordinator.
SPCL 7900X—Theories of Human Development SPCL 7901X—Developmental Psychopathology SPCL 7902X—Crisis Intervention and Prevention Research in Schools SPCL 7903T—Problems and Practices in School Psychology SPCL 7904T—Research Seminar in School Psychology SPCL 7905X—Applied Theory and Research Seminar in School Psychology SPCL 7906X—Instructional Interventions in Schools SPCL 7907X—Neuropsychology of Learning SPCL 7910X—Cognitive and Academic Assessment SPCL 7911X—Cognitive and Academic Assessment II SPCL 7912X—Social and Adaptive Behavioral Assessment SPCL 7913X—Integration of Assessment and Report Writing SPCL 7914X—Psychological Assessment of Diverse Students SPCL 7915X—Behavioral Assessment and Intervention SPCL 7920X—Theory and Practice of Prevention, Crisis Intervention, and Mental Health Counseling in Schools SPCL 7921X—Counseling Children and Families SPCL 7923X—Consultation in the Schools SPCL 7931T—Practicum in School Psychology I SPCL 7932T—Practicum in School Psychology II SPCL 7933X—Internship in School Psychology I SPCL 7934X—Internship in School Psychology II SPCL 7941X—Literacy and Learning Difficulties SPCL 7945X—Independent Study in School Psychology
