PhD in School Psychology at University at Albany

University at Albany

United States of America, Albany

University Rank:#901

Study School Psychology at University at Albany, a PhD degree offered at its main campus in Albany, United States of America. This Full Time program is delivered on campus in English and takes approximately 4 years to complete. Students benefit from a structured learning experience designed to build both theoretical knowledge and practical experience. The next intake is scheduled for August 19, 2027.

About PhD in School Psychology

Help Youth Overcome Academic and Emotional Challenges

Prepare for a career helping children and youth in K-12 schools achieve educational and social success with an APA-accredited doctoral degree in school psychology.

This program teaches you how to identify and evaluate students who are struggling with schoolwork, exhibiting behavioral problems, and/or experiencing mental health issues and social difficulties.

In addition to expert-level subject knowledge, you gain practical experience collaborating with teachers, counselors, and families through required fieldwork and internships in which you plan interventions and implement support strategies.

The PsyD program meets New York State education requirements for professional psychologist licensure.

Student Learning Objectives

Doctor of Psychology

The aim of the PsyD program is to prepare school psychologists to integrate psychological theory, research, and established methods of scientific inquiry into effective practice and to engage in research and evaluation activities that contribute to the science and practice of health service psychology. To achieve this, the Program is built on two complementary goals that reflect a commitment to a practitioner-scientist model of training and are consistent with the substantive areas of health service psychology:

To develop students' discipline-specific knowledge
To develop students' profession-wide competencies

The Program has identified the following competencies in these areas:

Discipline-Specific Knowledge Category I and II

To prepare competent school psychologists who demonstrate knowledge across the basic foundational areas of health service psychology to understand and explain human behavior (demonstrate and apply basic knowledge of the breadth of health service psychology [i.e., typical and atypical development, cognition and learning, biological and social basis for human behavior, individual differences, research methods, statistics, psychometrics, and history of psychology]; demonstrate understanding and advanced integrative knowledge of content areas with application in practice)

Profession-Wide Competencies

Students acquire and demonstrate substantial understanding of and competencies in:

Research Methods and Psychometrics (application of aspects of research design and methods, psychological measurement, data analysis, and data interpretation; generate original research and scholarship)
Ethical and Legal Standards (APA principles and code of conduct; NASP principles and code of conduct; relevant laws and policies at organizational, local, regional, state, and national level with adherence to these standards in practice)
Individual and Cultural Diversity (knowledge of and sensitivity to issues of diversity in professional practice [self awareness, relevant theories, integration of individual and cultural diversity in case conceptualization, ability to work with individuals from diverse backgrounds) and the extension and application of this knowledge in practice
Professional Values, Attitudes, and Behaviors (values and attitudes of health service psychology including professionalism, integrity, deportment, professional identity, self-reflection, critical thinking, overall professional effectiveness)
Communication and Interpersonal Skills (establish and maintain effective relationships, ability to produce and comprehend verbal, nonverbal, and written communications for varying audiences) in professional practice
Assessment (identify individual strengths and needs across multiple areas of behavior using multiple methods that are based on empirical literature and reflect the science of measurement and psychometrics; diagnostic classification systems; functional and dysfunctional behaviors; interpret assessment results using research and professional standards and guidelines, to inform case conceptualization, classification, and recommendations; guard against biases; effectively and accurately communicate results orally and in written documents)
Interventions (knowledge of theory and research of direct interventions and prevention; identify goals and develop plans based on current scientific literature and linked to assessment findings, characteristics, and contexts; evaluate intervention effectiveness, and adapt intervention goals and methods consistent with ongoing evaluation)
Consultation and interprofessional/interdisciplinary skills (demonstrate knowledge of and respect for the roles and perspectives of other professions; knowledge of consultation models and practices)
Supervision (knowledge of supervision models and practices)

Requirements and Admission Criteria for PhD in School Psychology at University at Albany

Entry Requirements

Original & Translated Transcripts

Your academic transcripts must be provided in the original language, accompanied by certified translations into English.

If you attended an institution where instruction was conducted in English and your transcript is in English, then that transcript is sufficient. However, you must also provide official documentation on the language of instruction.

(Official copies of your transcripts will be required upon admission. For instructions, please visit our Apply to a Degree or Certificate Program page.)

Students from India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan

We require official and complete individual mark skeets for each examination attempt, including subsidiary exams.

These documents must be issued by the University Registrar or Controller of Examinations.

We will only accept photocopies of your mark sheets when they are attested by the University Registrar or Controller of Examinations and placed in a sealed, stamped envelope that is sent directly to the Graduate School.

We will accept a Provisional Certificate of Degree or Degree Certificate as proof of degree completion.

Students from China

We require both the Graduate Certificate and the Bachelor’s Degree Certificate for proof of earned degree.

Students from Russia, Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan and Moldova

We will accept apostilled photocopies of your official academic record, in lieu of those records being officially sent to us by the institution of higher education.

Transcript Evaluation

Although not required, we accept WES Evaluations sent directly to UAlbany from WES.

A transcript evaluation allows the review committee to correctly compare the quality of your school, coursework and grades with all other applicants.

Other evaluation services can only be used if they require official documents directly from the institution of higher education, not the student, to evaluate coursework.

Proof of Degree

An official document showing award of degrees is required.

If you do not submit acceptable documents showing proof of a U.S. bachelor’s degree or its equivalent with your admissions application, UAlbany must receive official proof of degree by the end of your program’s first semester. Otherwise, a hold will be placed on your account, preventing you from registering for the following term.

English Requirements

PTEMin 53
IELTSMin 6.5
TOEFLMin 79

Career Opportunities after Completing PhD in School Psychology

The majority of PsyD graduates pursue careers that do not require a professional license. However, more than a third of program alumni choose to complete additional requirements and become state-licensed psychologists.

Common employers include government agencies; public elementary and secondary schools; educational service organizations, mental health agencies, and residential treatment facilities. Some graduates also work as independent practitioners.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, average wages were $75,090 per year for all clinical, counseling, and school psychologists in 2017. Half of these reported annual earnings were more than $77,030.

Tuition and Fee Information for PhD in School Psychology at University at Albany

Application Fee 75

How to Apply for PhD in School Psychology at University at Albany

Step 1: Gather your application materials

We suggest you have all required elements for your application in place before you apply.

Please read the Instructions for Application Materials below for detailed information on each required material.

Gather these general application materials:

Transcripts of all post-secondary schools attended
Statement of Background and Goals
Resume
Graduate Assistantship/Fellowship Application
Your recommenders’ names and email addresses
Any program-specific application materials listed above (such as standardized test scores, a writing samples, a portfolio, etc.)

Step 2: Apply for graduate funding

Most tuition scholarships, assistantships and fellowships are offered and administered by academic departments. Please contact your program for information on eligibility and availability.

You will have the option to apply for an assistantship or fellowship when you fill out your admissions application using the application portal. For more information, visit our Funding Graduate Studies page.

Eligible students can also apply for a funding program that supports our diversity (such as the Graduate Opportunity Program and/or Carson Carr Graduate Diversity Fellowship) by submitting the appropriate application materials with their admissions application.

Other types of financial aid — including federal loans, work-study, state aid and other types of assistance — are also available to graduate students. We encourage our students to file the FAFSA each year, if they are eligible.

Please review these instructions for applying for financial aid as a graduate student.

International students: If you plan to attend UAlbany on an F1 student visa, you must document your ability to meet all expenses while attending UAlbany by submitting a financial affidavit and financial documents. Please review our Information for International Applicants page for more information.

Step 3: Submit your standardized test scores

Many graduate programs require applicants to submit standardized test scores, such as the GRE or GMAT. Use the search bar above to determine if your program requires standardized test scores.

International students: If your native language is not English, you’ll have to submit English language proficiency exam scores. Please review our Information for International Applicants page for more information.

Applicants cannot submit photocopies of test results. It can take one to three weeks for official scores to be received from the testing services and processed by the University, so be sure to request your test scores well in advance of the application deadline.

Step 4: Submit your application

Create an account within our application portal, which you will use to submit your application and application fee. Please see the "Using the Application Portal" instructions below for additional information.

PhD in School Psychology at University at Albany

University at Albany

United States of America, Albany