Master of Science in School Psychology with Pupil Personnel Services Credential (California)

3.0 Semester Credit Hours

This course is designed to introduce students to the history of school psychology, and the professional standards set forth by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC) School Psychology Performance Expectations (SPPE). Students will learn the historical timelines of school psychology, the role and functions of school psychologists, and the evolution of the field. This course will engage students and promote critical thinking to evaluate and address the importance of social justice, ethical considerations, and legal aspects required in the field of school psychology.

3.0 Semester Credit Hours

Prerequisite: PED 6000

This course introduces candidates to the roles school psychologists play in the state of California and nationally focusing on the ethical and legal guidelines that shape the profession and emergent practices in assessment, crisis intervention, personal and social counseling, behavior management, consultation, and systems change. Emphasis will be placed on professional dispositions (behavior and attitude), responsibility, adaptability, initiative, and self-care.

3.0 Semester Credit Hours

Prerequisite: PED 6100

This course is an introduction to basic concepts and methods of measurement as applied to psychological and educational testing. Candidates will learn about the basic concepts, competencies, issues, and tools used in psychological testing and measurement and their practical applications. Emphasis will be placed three main areas: 1) theory and principles (e.g., statistical foundations, reliability, validity, item analysis), 2) applications and issues (e.g., test construction and evaluation), and 3) practical elements (e.g., test use in educational and clinical settings).

3.0 Semester Credit Hours

Prerequisite: PED 6105

This course will provide candidates with an introduction to California State Educational Code and federal laws for the purpose of advocating for students in need of special education supports. Candidates will examine the timeline of special education legislation, specifically focusing on the Individuals with Disability Education Improvement Act (IDEIA), due process, mediation, Individual Education Plans (IEP), Least Restrictive Environment (LRE), and Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) within a culturally diverse student population. A focus will be addressing landmark cases directly related to Special Education.

3.0 Semester Credit Hours

Prerequisite: PED 6110

This course is an introduction to the foundations of human development across the lifespan. The course will describe the history and foundational knowledge related to the study of childhood and adolescence, examine the various theories of developmental psychology, and highlight current issues in the field of school psychology.

3.0 Semester Credit Hours

Prerequisite: PED 6115

This course provides candidates’ knowledge and training in Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) which includes Response to Intervention (RtI) and Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS). The framework focuses on Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and provides supports and resources for K-12 students in the areas of academics and behavioral success. Candidates will also learn to select, implement, and monitor evidence-based interventions to improve academic performance with diverse students.

3.0 Semester Credit Hours

Prerequisite: PED 6120

This course provides an overview of consultation theory, research, and practice in psychology and education. It is intended to teach candidates the techniques used in consultation and collaboration with teachers, parents, administrators, and other school personnel for the purpose of preventing and remediating the learning and adjustment problems of school-aged children. Candidates will become familiar with the status of consultation, conceptual foundations and models, processes, intervention and evaluation considerations, practice and ethical issues, and training approaches to consultation. The course includes consultee characteristics, discusses the skills and attitudes necessary for working with cultural diversity, reviews relevant literature and research, and cites implications for effective practice. Case studies and empirical research findings provide an opportunity to blend theory and practice.

3.0 Semester Credit Hours

Prerequisite: PED 6125

This is the first of four assessment courses. This course provides the foundation for all assessment courses by exploring assessment practices, ethical expectations, historical context of assessment, and considerations of all learners, with special emphasis on students who are ethnically, linguistically, and culturally diverse. Content includes psychometrics, psycho-educational assessment, cognitive theories, assessment processes and data-based decision making. Emphasis will be placed on the Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) theory of cognitive abilities to formulate a student’s cognitive profile to drive instructional changes based on strengths and needs. Multiple assessment factors will be reviewed (e.g., motivation, attendance, school climate, etc.) which can impact student learning. Proper administration, scoring, interpretation of results, and synthesis of data from several sources will be addressed. In addition to introducing physical test kits and proper administration, digital assessments and electronic tools will be presented.

3.0 Semester Credit Hours

Prerequisite: PED 6130

This is the second of four assessment courses and is designed to explore academic assessments. This course will further candidates’ understanding of the various ways to assess academic skills in students. Emphasis will be placed on assessment administration and interpretation of assessment results for students from ethnically, linguistically, and culturally diverse backgrounds. In addition to introducing physical test kits and proper administration, digital assessments and electronic tools will be presented.

3.0 Semester Credit Hours

Prerequisite: PED 6135

In this course, candidates will explore the “big five” components of reading (phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension). Candidates will also be introduced to reading difficulties (i.e., dyslexia) and will learn how to assess reading skills and deficits. Emphasis will be placed on evidence-based reading interventions to support a student’s reading growth. The link between the “Big five” and instructional decision-making will be ongoing throughout the course, with attention to standardized assessment practices, curriculum-based measurements, DIBELS and other alternative measures for learners with diverse needs and providing instructional support to teachers.

3.0 Semester Credit Hours

Prerequisite: PED 6140

This course is designed to develop candidates’ knowledge and skills in educational research and inquiry, including qualitative and quantitative research methods, basic statistical analyses, psychometric concepts, critical evaluation of research and its methodology, cross-cultural methods of inquiry, and the ethical standards guiding educational research.

3.0 Semester Credit Hours

Prerequisite: PED 6145

This course teaches the foundational principles of applied behavior analysis and social-emotional learning. Candidates will learn to apply various theoretical frameworks such as social cognitive theory, respondent conditioning, and operant conditioning to improve social-emotional and behavioral functioning of K-12 students. This course will explore functional behavior assessments, behavior intervention plans, schoolwide positive behavior and intervention supports, data collection methods, and intervention design within a problem-solving framework. Additionally, candidates will examine how diversity, equity, and inclusion affect behavior management in schools.

3.0 Semester Credit Hours

Prerequisite: PED 6150

This is the third course in a sequence of four assessment courses. In this course, social-emotional, behavior and trait-oriented assessment tools are introduced and explored. This course will examine the theories and skills needed to properly administer and interpret standardized measures and research-based evaluations assessing social-emotional functioning and behavioral conditions to determine appropriate special education eligibility for Other Health Impaired and Emotional Disturbance. Candidates will analyze ethnic, linguistic, and cultural background in the interpretation of assessment results.

3.0 Semester Credit Hours

Prerequisite: PED 6155

This course will introduce school psychology candidates to school related culturally responsive mental health supports and multi-tiered crisis preventative strategies. Areas of focus include protective and resiliency factors, crisis preparation, response, and recovery. Emphasis is placed on collaborative problem-solving procedures to promote school safety through mental health supports, threat and risk assessments, and crisis response planning.

3.0 Semester Credit Hours

Prerequisite: PED 6160

This course will initially provide an introduction to the major theories of counseling including behavioral, humanistic, social learning, psychoanalytic, and cognitive. Approaches, principles, and procedures of counseling and consultation will be introduced including individual and group. In addition, this course provides the theoretical and practical foundation and strategies for candidates to design and implement interventions that focus on behavioral and social/emotional wellness appropriate for all students that adhere to the national and state models within a multicultural context.

3.0 Semester Credit Hours

Prerequisite: PED 6165

This course will look at child psychopathology from a development perspective, covering typical social-emotional and cognitive development and then examining how this gets disrupted or otherwise altered to result in child and adolescent psychopathology. We will examine classification systems and models of diagnosis and disease, as well as alternatives to the more traditional “medical model” such as examining risk, resilience and the role of psychosocial and cultural factors. The course will aim to teach candidates to identify potential mental/behavioral health issues in children and adolescents, and then understand and be able to explain to others what the implications of this might be for a given student. Candidates will think critically about the ethics and issues of controversy around child and adolescent mental health. The emphasis is on the psychological disorders of children most encountered in the delivery of school psychological services.

3.0 Semester Credit Hours

Prerequisite: PED 6170

In this course, assessment processes for determining eligibility for Autism and Intellectual Disability will be examined. Traumatic brain injury along with concussion management will also be reviewed. Candidates will learn to use standardized and non-standardized assessment methods to address student needs and skills. Candidates will practice methods to communicate eligibility determination to families in a sensitive manner.

2.0 Semester Credit Hours

Prerequisite: PED 6175

PED 6180A is a school-based practicum course designed to provide candidates with an orientation to the professional role and responsibilities of a school psychologist within school systems. PED 6180A is part one of a two-part consecutive course sequence. Skill development and level of independence will advance with each course. Candidates will observe school psychologists in their daily activities and engage in experiences across NASP’s 10 Domains of Practice, the California Commission on Teaching Credentialing’s (CCTC) 10 School Psychology Performance Expectations (SPPEs) and develop skills in writing psycho-educational reports. Special emphasis will be placed on ethical and legal issues associated with service delivery, federal and state guidelines for special education, and psycho-educational assessment. Issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion will be examined in relation to assessment, collaboration, and intervention.

3.0 Semester Credit Hours

Prerequisite: PED 6180A

This seminar is for school psychology interns and will run concurrently with the last 8 weeks of PED 6910. PED 6185 will provide further knowledge on special topics in school psychology along with practice and rehearsal for the comprehensive exam. The comprehensive exam will occur during the last 2 weeks of Clinical Practice Seminar and includes an assessment demonstration, a report share and a multiple-choice test.

2.0 Semester Credit Hours

Prerequisite: PED 6180A

PED 6180B is the second practicum course within the two-part practicum sequence. During this course, candidates will continue to build on their knowledge of the role and responsibilities of a school psychologist within school systems. Emphasis will be placed on ethical and legal issues associated with service delivery, best practice in implementing multi-tiered interventions and assessment and intervention for academic, behavioral, social-emotional concerns. Candidates will demonstrate their knowledge of the role and responsibilities of a school psychologist within school systems. Special emphasis will be placed on data-based decision-making, assessment of low incidence populations, home-school collaboration, evidence-based counseling practices, mental health, and crisis intervention. Candidates will administer comprehensive psycho-educational evaluations under supervision and create psycho-educational reports based on the assessment data. Candidates will take the lead in eligibility meetings and share psycho-educational evaluation report results in multidisciplinary evaluation team meetings.

3.0 Semester Credit Hours

Prerequisite: PED 6185; PED 6180A and PED 6180B

This course is a supervision course for the first 600 hours of the school psychology internship. The internship is considered the culminating training experience within a school psychology program. The goal of the internship is to provide high-quality, comprehensive training experiences across all the domains of practice to prepare candidates for their role as school psychologists. School Psychology candidates will demonstrate their ability to apply their university training, knowledge, and specialized assessment skills to address the needs of children, families, and the community. In this course, candidates will engage in supervised fieldwork experiences leading to competencies in the following areas: data-based decision making, human diversity, social justice, legal/ethical issues, academic and behavior interventions, social-emotional development/mental health, crisis response, program development and evaluation, preventative and responsive services, consultation and collaboration, leadership and advocacy as they are related to the School Psychology profession. In this course, candidates will develop an internship portfolio that will be used throughout their internship, to demonstrate proficiency in all school psychology performance expectations.

3.0 Semester Credit Hours

Prerequisite: PED 6900

PED 6910 is the continuation of the previous supervision course for the last 600 hours of the school psychology internship. The goal of the internship is to provide high-quality, comprehensive training experiences across all the domains of practice to prepare candidates for their role as a school psychologist. School Psychology candidates will have the opportunity to demonstrate their ability to apply their university training, knowledge, and specialized assessment skills to address the needs of children, families, and the community. In this course, candidates will continue to engage in supervised fieldwork experiences leading to competencies in the following areas: data-based decision making, human diversity, social justice, legal/ethical issues, academic and behavior interventions, social-emotional development/mental health, crisis response, program development and evaluation, preventative and responsive services, consultation and collaboration, leadership and advocacy as they are related to the School Psychology profession. Candidates will complete and defend the internship portfolio in this course.

1.0 Semester Credit Hours

Prerequisite: PED 6900 and PED 6910

PED 6920 is an extension of the previous supervision course to complete the hours of the school psychology internship. The goal of the internship is to provide high-quality, comprehensive training experiences across all the domains of practice to prepare candidates for their role as a school psychologist. School Psychology candidates will have the opportunity to demonstrate their ability to apply their university training, knowledge, and specialized assessment skills to address the needs of children, families, and the community. In this course, candidates will continue to engage in supervised fieldwork experiences leading to competencies in the following areas: data-based decision making, human diversity, social justice, legal/ethical issues, academic and behavior interventions, social-emotional development/mental health, crisis response, program development and evaluation, preventative and responsive services, consultation and collaboration, leadership and advocacy as they are related to the School Psychology profession. Candidates will complete and defend the internship portfolio in this course.