The Education Specialist Degree in
School Psychology
The Education Specialist degree in School Psychology program at the University of the Virgin Islands is a part-time program especially designed for working Virgin Islanders who are already in the field working as teachers, administrators, psychologists and therapists. It is designed to cover the full range of content and skills in such professional school psychology areas as assessment, intervention, research, evaluation, consultation and professional development. The program will consist of sixty-seven graduate semester hours divided into three major parts: Academic course work will include 55 credits of professional training; practicum will include 6 credits of supervised field experiences in specific skill areas that correspond with courses; and a supervised internship consisting of 6 credits and a minimum of 1200 hours of supervised field experiences covering the range of school psychological services. This is a special program whereby a cohort of 15 students from each district (St. Thomas/St. John and St. Croix) will be admitted. This cohort will move as a group and courses will be offered only once.
Mission Statement:
The mission of the University of the Virgin Islands School Psychology Program
(UVI-SPP) is to prepare students for the profession of school psychology as defined by the National Association of School Psychologist (NASP). As a result, our goal is to prepare practitioners and scholars whose activities promote the psychological and educational development and well-being of diverse children and youth.
The UVI-SPP is grounded in a scientist-practitioner model of professional preparation whereby as scientist participants will receive a solid foundation of accumulated knowledge in core areas of psychology and education. This will assist them to develop the skills necessary to identify problems in the field, conduct and evaluate basic and applied research. As practitioners in the field of school psychology, the participants will be adequately trained to develop competencies in using a wide variety of assessment techniques, consulting with families and school/clinic professionals, designing direct interventions tailored to individual children experiencing problems, and evaluating the effectiveness of interventions.
Prerequisite:
Education 501, Tests and Measurements. This course in tests and measurements is a prerequisite that must be completed prior to admission to the program or prior to the completion of 12 credits in the program.
| Course: |
EDU 601 |
| Title: |
Foundations of School Psychology |
| Prerequisite |
Admissions to the School Psychology Cohort |
| Course Description: |
|
| The first seminar in School Psychology provides students with a broad overview of school psychology including history, models of training and practice, the nature of the psychology specialty and its practice, and ethics and law relevant to professional practice. In addition, students will become knowledgeable of the context resources available to these professionals as well as the professional development support systems, which enhance continuing effective functioning as a school psychologist. 3 Credits |
| Course: |
EDU 602 |
| Title: |
Psychological Development in Childhood and Adolescence |
| Prerequisite |
|
| Course Description: |
|
| This course is designed to discuss current empirical evidence and theoretical perspectives on human development. Emphasis will be on postnatal development during infancy, childhood, and adolescence. Discussion will also include how development during the first 20 years impacts outcomes in adulthood. 3 Credits |
| Course: |
EDU 603 |
| Title: |
Psychopathology of Childhood and Adolescence |
| Prerequisite |
Edu. 602: Psych. Develop of Childhood and Adolescence |
| Course Description: |
NONE |
| This course is designed to discuss current empirical evidence and theoretical perspectives on human development. Emphasis will be on postnatal development during infancy, childhood, and adolescence. Discussion will also include how development during the first 20 years impacts outcomes in adulthood. 3 Credits |
| Course: |
EDU 604 |
| Title: |
The Psychology of Cognition and Learning |
| Prerequisite |
NONE |
| Course Description: |
|
| This course is designed to provide students with an understanding of theories and concepts related to cognition and learning relevant to the process of schooling. 3 credits |
| Course: |
EDU 605 |
| Title: |
Statistics, Data Analysis and Program Evaluation |
| Prerequisite |
NONE |
| Course Description: |
|
| This course will focus on calculating and understanding the statistics that a school psychologist will most likely encounter and use in the field. It will provide the learner with an adequate review of, exposure to, and interaction with a variety of statistical methods so students will be able to conduct their own program evaluations, and others analyses. Links between research methodology and quantitative statistical procedures will be discussed. 3 credits |
| Course: |
EDU 606 |
| Title: |
Assessment for Intervention I |
| Prerequisite |
NONE |
| Co requisite: |
Edu. 606A. Practicum in Psycho educational Assessment for Intervention I. |
| Course Description: |
|
| This is the first course in a three-course sequence in individual psycho educational assessment for intervention. The course introduces school psychology majors to foundations and principles needed to understand and utilize individual psycho educational assessment. Students will learn to select, administer, score, interpret and report assessment instruments and to use results for planning interventions for children and youth. 3 credits. |
| Course: |
EDU 607 |
| Title: |
Psycho educational Assessment for Intervention II |
| Prerequisite |
Edu. 606. Psycho educational Assessment I |
| Co requisite: |
Edu. 607A. Practicum in Psycho educational Assessment for Intervention II |
| Course Description: |
|
| This is the second course of a three-course sequence in individual psycho educational assessment for intervention. This course will address the selection, administration, scoring and interpretation of current assessment measures used with young school age children and adolescents. 3 Credits. |
| Course: |
EDU 608 |
| Title: |
Psycho educational Assessment for Intervention II |
| Prerequisite |
Edu. 606. Psycho educational Assessment I |
| Co requisite: |
Edu. 607A. Practicum in Psycho educational Assessment for Intervention II |
| Course Description: |
|
| This is the second course of a three-course sequence in individual psycho educational assessment for intervention. This course will address the selection, administration, scoring and interpretation of current assessment measures used with young school age children and adolescents. 3 Credits. |
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