SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY

PROGRAM MODEL DESCRIPTION:
The School Psychology Program at LSU embraces a scientist/practitioner model of training. Teaching practices employed by faculty of the Program reflect the application of the scientist/practitioner training model. For example, faculty model the scientist/practitioner philosophy through their numerous research activities. Faculty research programs consistently focus on applied areas of psychology, and as such, their research findings are frequently published in journals providing scientific information to practitioners in the field. Similarly, faculty research activities serve as informal training tools. Students are immersed in the research process early-on through the establishment of mentoring relationships with individual faculty. Students have intensive and frequent contact with faculty, particularly their advisor, and from the time of admission are expected to participate in faculty research projects. Once relevant skills are mastered, students design and implement their own programs of research. Students frequently present the findings associated with such efforts at national and regional professional meeting and often publish in applied research journals.
In addition, every effort is made to integrate science and practice throughout the formal curriculum. In general, coursework in applied areas typically contains a strong research component in which students are required to critically analyze relevant scientific literature and to apply knowledge geared to the resolution of problems encountered in the applied area. Similarly, the practical relevance of theoretical coursework is highlighted when students participates in class projects in which they are required to apply the research design and hypothesis testing skills acquired toward the resolution of problems relevant to daily practice.

GENERAL GOALS AND OBJECTIVES:
A primary goal of the Program is to train students who recognize the importance of scientific inquiry and are well-versed in the application of the scientific method. Such skills allow students graduating from the Program to contribute to the scientific literature in their chosen field, thereby advancing their profession as a whole, and to solve problems encountered in daily practice. In addition, the Program strives to train individuals capable of significantly improving the behavioral functioning and psychological well-being of school-aged children, their teachers, and caregivers, particularly in relation to the educational process, on both individual and system levels. Students graduating from the Program possess the skills necessary to excel professionally in public or private school systems, academic research settings, and/or other applied settings, such as hospitals and mental health facilities. More specifically, the Program strives to produce students who meet the following training objectives:

Integrate science and practice in both research and applied settings.
Skilled in the delivery of a full-range of assessment, intervention, and consultative services

in schools and other child-related settings.

Conduct independent research that makes a meaningful contribution to the field.
Understand and apply psychological theory in the areas of development, behavior, learning,

and psychobiology.

Understand professional, ethical, and legal issues relevant to the field and demonstrate the

ability to apply such knowledge to problems encountered in research and applied

settings.

Aware of the impact individual differences have on groups served by the school

psychologist and demonstrate the ability to apply skills relevant to those individual

differences using both direct and indirect service modalities.

COURSE OF STUDY
The school psychology program is a professional psychology program providing doctoral level training only. It is located in the Department of Psychology at an accredited institution of higher education (Council on Postsecondary Education). All components of the program, including faculty, student, plan of study, and practicum/internship requirements are developed in accordance with the standards of APA. We are currently activity seeking APA accreditation, and anticipate an initial on-site visit in the Fall of 1999 or Spring 2000.

Year One
Psychology 7060: Professional School Psyc
Psychology 7968: Behavior Analysis & School Psyc
Psychology 7668: Practicum in School Psychology

Year Two
Psychology 7165: Psychoeducational Assessment
Psychology 7660: School-based Consultation
Psychology 7125: Psychological Assessment

Year Three
Psychology 7968: Interventions in Schools
Psychology 7999: Professional Issues in Psyc
Psychology 7166: Nonbiased Assessment
Psychology 7668: Practicum in School Psyc
Psychology 8000: Thesis Hours

Year Four
Psychology 9000: Dissertation Hours
Psychology 7969: Internship in School Psyc
Psychology : Seminar in Behavior Analysis

CLINICAL AND PRACTICUM EXPERIENCES:
All students are required to take three years of practicum (18 semester hours). Although practicum experiences are also incorporated in other courses, students are required to register for Psychology 7668: "Practicum in School Psychology" as an independent course. A Practicum in School Psychology is required every semester for the first three years. Practicum consists of a minimum of six hours a week of field experience and at least one hour a week of direct supervision by a Department faculty member. Students often take Practicum in small groups of 3-5 and supervision may also include a weekly group seminar. Field supervision is also provided by the sponsoring facility when students work off campus. All students must complete a practicum at the Psychological Services Center, which is located at the LSU Student Health Center, as well as, at an elementary school and middle or high school. In addition, a variety of practicum locations are available in community and hospital settings and with highly diverse populations. Evaluations are conducted by Department faculty in collaboration with field based supervisors. Typically, evaluations are based on field supervisor ratings and permanent products such as formal case reports and presentations.
A one year full time internship is required at an approved internship facility that is in accordance with American Psychological Association (APA) standards. In school settings, field based supervision must be provided by a professional school psychologist who is hired by the school. In a non-school setting, the sponsoring agency must have two or more psychologists on staff as supervisors, at least one of which must be currently licensed. At Least one of the supervisors must have received doctoral training in school or child clinical psychology. All interns must receive at least two hours per week of individual supervision and at least two hours per week of individual supervision and at least two hours a week of additional learning activities (seminars, workshops, etc.). In addition, all internship agencies are required to have at least two interns during the training period. (Supplementary folio available in Documents Room.)

GENERAL KNOWLEDGE BASE BIBLIOGRAPHY
Barlow, D. H. (1984). The scientist practitioner: Research and accountability in clinical and educational settings. New York: Pergamon Press.

Bellack, A. S., Hersen, M., & Kazdin, A. E. (Eds.). (1990).International handbook of behavior modification and therapy. New York: Plenum Press.

Bergan, J. R., & Kratochwill, T. R. (1990). Behavioral consultation in applied settings: An individual guide. New York: Plenum Press.

Bijou, S. W., & Baer, D. M. (1978). Behavior analysis of child development. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

Cooper, J. O, Heron, T. E., & Heward, W. L. (1987). Applied behavior analysis. Columbus, OH: Merrill Publishing Co.

Gutkin, T. B., & Reynolds, R. C. (1990). The handbook of school psychology. New York: John Wiley and Sons.

Kazdin, A. E. (1989). Behavior modification in applied settings. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole Publishing Co.

Kazdin, A. E. (1982). Single-case research design: Methods for clinical and applied settings. New York: Oxford University Press.

Kratochwill, T. R., & Morriss, R. J. (1991). Practice of child therapy. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Mash, E. J., & Terdal, L. G. (1988). Behavioral assessment of childhood disorders. New York: Guilford Press.

Pedhazur, E. J., & Shmelkin, L. P. (1991). Measurement, design, and analysis: An integrated approach. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Sattler, J. M. (1992). Assessment of children. San Diego: J. M.Sattler.

Shinn, M. R. (1989). Curriculum-based measurement: Assessing special children. New York: Guilford Press.

Witt, J. C., Elliott, S. N., Kramer, J. J., & Gresham, F. M. (1994). Assessment of children: Fundamental methods and practices. Madison, WI: Brown & Benchmark.