Doctor of Psychology in School Psychology 
PsyD Program

The mission of the Doctor of Psychology in School Psychology program is to prepare doctoral-level school psychologists with a focus on applied behavior analysis, cognitive behavior intervention, and comprehensive psychoeducational assessment in the schools. Adopting the practitioner-scholar model of training and a competency-based model of education, the program prepares graduates to provide ethical, empirically-based direct and indirect school psychological services that promote learning and the well-being of all children and families with sensitivity to culture and diversity. The program provides an integration of psychological and educational science and practice in order to facilitate healthy development and learning among school-aged populations.

Program Aim

The aim of the program is to prepare graduates to be entry level health service psychologists with a specialization in school psychology.

Competencies

The program prepares graduates across several profession-wide competencies including:

• Assessment
• Consultation and interprofessional/interdisciplinary skills
• Communication and interpersonal skills
• Ethical and legal standards
• Individual and cultural diversity
• Intervention
• Professional values and attitudes
• Research
• Supervision

The PsyD program is designed to be completed within a minimum of five years and a maximum of seven years of study. The program will require at least 111 doctoral credits, with four years of academic coursework completed at PCOM, a dissertation,and a one year doctoral-level internship required before graduating. The PsyD Program is a full-time program with a minimum of two days a week of required practicum experiences that begin in the second year of the program. View the course sequence and field training description for additional information.

For more information, please contact:

PCOM Office of Admissions
Email: admissions@pcom.edu
Phone: 215-871-6700 | Fax: 215-872-6719

Highlights of PCOM's School Psychology PsyD program include:

Program Faculty

Our faculty are highly credentialed school psychologists who are nationally renowned practitioner-scholars and researchers in the field.

Multicultural Focus

The program's multicultural focus prepares school psychologists to have a positive impact on pluralistic systems and communities.

Immersion

Standardized client actors immerse students in realistic experiences and clinical situations.

Coursework

Students complete coursework in specialized areas such as neuropsychology in the schools, cognitive behavioral therapy and applied behavior analysis.

Completing the PsyD Program

The PsyD program can be completed in as few as five years, including coursework, practicum, internship and dissertation.

Licensure

Graduates of the PsyD program qualify for the Examination of Professional Practice of Psychology (EPPP) for partial fulfillment of the requirements for professional licensure.

School psychologists support the educational, emotional and social well-being of school-aged children.

• Program graduates will be prepared to serve children, youth and families in schools, hospitals, community health clinics and a variety of other mental health settings.
• Graduates will be fully prepared to assume the role and responsibility of the school psychologist with specialized training in advanced assessment practices and applied behavior analytic and cognitive behavioral interventions.

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Applications to the PsyD program will be considered throughout the year. Visit our application requirements page to learn about course prerequisites, program requirements, the application process and more.

PCOM is committed to helping students maximize funding sources and minimize student debt. Visit our Office of Financial Aid section to learn about cost of attendance, types of aid available and how to apply for financial aid.

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PCOM’s School Psychology PsyD program is accredited on contingency by the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association.

Accredited on contingency is an APA-accredited status and designates that the program is consistent, substantively and procedurally, with APA's Standards of Accreditation with the exception of the provision of outcome data. The PsyD Program in School Psychology at PCOM began accepting students in 2016 and graduated its first cohort in 2021. As such, we do not yet have the full complement of outcome data available. Students that graduate from a program with this accreditation status have completed an APA-accredited program. APA has granted the PsyD program in School Psychology at PCOM accredited on contingency status through October 20, 2024.

For general information about APA accreditation or specific information about the accreditation status of PCOM’s School PsyD program, please contact:

Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation
American Psychological Association
750 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002-4242

Phone: 202-336-5979
Email: apaaccred@apa.org
accreditation.apa.org/contact