Program Director: Dr. Tammy Gilligan
Phone: 540-568-6439
Website: http://psyc.jmu.edu/school/index.html
Admission Requirements
The minimum admission requirements for the masters degree in school psychology program include:
- Completion of a baccalaureate degree with a satisfactory grade point average.
- 18 hours of undergraduate psychology including three hours of statistics.
- A personal interview with faculty and students, if invited.
- A personal statement.
- A current professional curriculum vitae.
- Three letters of recommendation from professionals familiar with the applicant’s potential for graduate education including at least two from their academic institution.
- Transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate programs attended.
- Satisfactory scores on the general portion of the GRE (optional).
Minimum admission requirements for the educational specialist degree with a concentration in school psychology include a 3.5 grade point average and satisfactory review by the School Psychology Program Committee. Students applying to the program with a related master’s degree from another institution will be required to provide three references and to participate in the interview process.
Mission
The school psychology program at James Madison University, housed within the Department of Graduate Psychology, resides within the College of Health and Behavioral Studies (CHBS) and is fully accredited by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). The program emphasizes the role of the culturally competent school psychologist as that of a facilitator of an individual’s overall well-being and potential. Within an integrated theoretical framework, students are prepared to be culturally competent, interpersonally skilled, data-oriented problem solvers. Central to the program focus is the understanding of children within a systems context, including the family, the school and the socio-cultural environment. Students are prepared in assessment for intervention, prevention and promotion of wellbeing; counseling; educational and mental health consultation; behavioral and cognitive interventions; and applied research. They are prepared to be applied child and adolescent psychologists in diverse educational and mental health settings.
The program expects students to have a commitment to academic excellence, personal growth, professional responsibility, sensitivity to and understanding of human diversity, and effective interpersonal relationships.
A Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in School Psychology is awarded at the completion of Level I of the program and a comprehensive examination. An Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) degree in School Psychology and Counselor Education with a concentration in school psychology is awarded at the completion of Level II of the program.
Additional Information
Students must complete all program requirements to be recommended for certification or licensure. Certain courses may be waived or substituted with adviser approval. Only six credit hours of PSYC 800 may be used to satisfy program requirements for the educational specialist degree. If the research project is not completed by the end of the internship year, then the student must continuously enroll (each semester including summers) until the project is completed.
