The school psychology program is a 66-credit integrated and sequenced course of study leading to a M.A. in Educational Psychology and a Professional Diploma in School Psychology. It is a “Nationally Recognized Program” by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). Candidates complete 300 hours of field experience during the course of study and 1200 hours of externship, taken as a culminating experience after coursework is complete. The program’s mission is to prepare candidates for the challenges of urban schools. Program graduates are eligible for certification as school psychologists in New Jersey and New York and, as graduates of a “NASP Approved Program,” for national certification as school psychologists (NCSP).

Candidates enter either directly from undergraduate programs in psychology or after completing an appropriate master’s degree. Candidates entering with a master’s degree transfer appropriate credit in consultation with the graduate office and the program coordinator at the time of matriculation into the program.

Thus, the Professional Diploma is offered in two ways:

1. for entering graduate students seeking an M.A. in Educational Psychology and school psychology certification, and
2. for students entering with an appropriate master’s degree, seeking school psychology certification.

Students with strong undergraduate records in psychology are encouraged to apply directly to the M.A. in Educational Psychology/Professional Diploma program. Students with an appropriate master’s degree and strong record of accomplishment in graduate course work (grade point average of 3.50 on a 4.00 scale) are encouraged to apply to the Professional Diploma program. Up to 36 credits of transfer credit may be awarded upon review by the program coordinator and the Office of the Dean of Graduate Studies and Continuing Education.

Prerequisites for Admission

1. Completion of the general graduate studies admission requirements.
2. A minimum of nine undergraduate credits in psychology.
3. Students are admitted for entry into the program for Spring and Fall semesters of each year. All application materials should be submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies and Continuing Education by November 1 or March 1 to be considered for admission for the Spring or Fall semesters, respectively.
4. A letter of intent (500 to 1,000 words) describing the candidate’s interest in the field of school psychology, sent to the Office of Graduate Studies and Continuing Education with the student’s application, is required.
5. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test (Verbal and Quantitative sections) is required; an MAT score is not an option for applicants to this program.
6. An individual interview with the Coordinator of the School Psychology Program should be arranged prior to November 1 or March 1.
7. Two letters of recommendation attesting to the candidate’s potential for graduate study are required.

Admission Procedures

1. The completed application materials are reviewed by a committee of the graduate faculty two times per year during the months of November and March.
2. Applicants receive notice of the graduate committee’s decision by December 15 and April 15.
3. Successful candidates receive a contract of agreement detailing the conditions of their admission to the program. Return of these materials marks their formal entry into the program.

Total Program Credit Hours: 66

Minimum GPA Graduation Requirement: 3.0

The program at NJCU has adopted the National Association of School Psychology (NASP) domains of practice of school psychology as the basis for the objectives of its training model. The externship contract is based on ten domains of practice, articulated in The Professional Standards of the National Association of School Psychologists (2020) and adopted by the National Association of School Psychologists Leadership Assembly in May 2020.