Course Overview

Below is information regarding the course requirements and sequencing for the School Psychology Ed.S Program. Although some School Psychology specific courses are offered at only certain times of the year, required courses that are shared with students in other programs are typically offered more than once per academic year. Required courses are offered in such a way that a school psychology student entering with a bachelor’s degree can complete all degree requirements in three years. To do so, s/he:  

• Should begin taking courses during the fall semester as a full-time student (taking 11 credit hours or more per semester; see course matrix for exact number of hours required each semester).
• Should take at least 10-11 semester hours during each fall and spring semester of his/her first two years (see course matrix for exact number of hours each semester).               
• May need to take prerequisite courses during the first year to become eligible for degree candidacy. 

Full-Time Students

Full time graduate students take at least nine (9) semester hours per term. 

Following the course sequence below will allow a full-time student to complete the program in three years. It will also allow a student to meet the academic requirements of the program (in terms of satisfying course prerequisite requirements; meeting the residency requirement of at least 18 semester hours during a calendar year prior to internship; and being eligible to begin internship, EPSY 6500 - Internship in School Psychology I). Students can expect these courses to be offered in the semesters indicated.

Students entering with a bachelor’s degree and beginning courses during the fall semester will also need more than three years to complete degree requirements if they take fewer or different courses than noted in the chart above.

Part-Time Students

Part time students are students who take fewer than nine (9) semester hours per term.

Following the course sequence below will allow a part-time student to complete the program in four years. It will also allow a student to meet the academic requirements of the program (in terms of satisfying course prerequisite requirements; meeting the residency requirement of at least 18 semester hours during an academic year prior to internship; and being eligible to begin internship, EPSY 6500: Internship I). Students can expect these courses to be offered in the semesters indicated. 

*Note that part-time students are still required to meet 18 hours for at least one academic year prior to internship in order to meet residency requirements. *

Course Sequence Notes

Courses in the assessment and intervention sequences must be taken in a prescribed order to promote sequential development of understandings and skills.             

In the assessment sequence, the order is as follows.

   EPSY 5160: Foundations of Assessment in School Psychology

   EPSY 5165: Applied Foundations of School Psychology I

   EPSY 5360: Affective and Behavioral Assessment Techniques

   EPSY 6300: Individual Ability Testing

   EPSY 6305: Applied Foundations of School Psychology II

These courses MUST be taken and passed with a B or higher before a student can take EPSY 6350: Practicum in Assessment.

While EPSY 5160, EPSY 5360, EPSY 6300, and EPSY 5165 / EPSY 6305 apply basic concepts in assessment and develop skills with specific assessment techniques, EPSY 6350: Practicum in Assessment requires students to conduct assessments in applied field settings. The results of those assessments are used to make decisions about actual clients.

The assessments done in EPSY 6350: Practicum in Assessment are supervised by both UTC faculty and school-based supervisors. Nevertheless, students need the information and skills taught in EPSY 5160, EPSY 5165, EPSY 5360, EPSY 6300, and EPSY 6305 in order to meet the requirements of EPSY 6350: Practicum in Assessment.  

In the intervention sequence, the order is as follows.

   EPSY 5045: Classroom Management for Social-Emotional-Behavioral Needs

   EPSY 6250: Consultation Methods

These course must be taken before a student can take EPSY 6400: Practicum in Intervention.

Any exceptions to this requirement must be approved by the instructor of EPSY 6400: Practicum in Intervention.  EPSY 5045 and EPSY 6250 emphasize basic concepts and specific techniques in understanding and intervening with client problems such as applied behavior analysis, functional behavioral assessment, evaluating intervention effectiveness, and consultation methods. EPSY 6400: Practicum in Intervention requires students to help design and implement interventions in field settings. This work is supervised by both UTC faculty and school-based supervisors. Nevertheless, students need the information and skills taught in EPSY 5045 and EPSY 6250 to meet the requirements of EPSY 6400: Practicum in Intervention.

A student cannot take EPSY 6500: Internship in School Psychology I, without having first taken EPSY 6350: Practicum in Assessment, and EPSY 6400: Practicum in Intervention. Both prerequisite courses help determine whether a student is ready to display the full range of understandings and skills expected of interns.

Prior to Internship

A student may not take EPSY 6500: Internship in School Psychology I unless s/he has:

1. Received an endorsement to begin internship from the program faculty signifying confidence in the student's abilities and professional fitness; and 
2. Taken and passed with a B or higher the following courses:

• EPSY 5010: Methods of Educational Research
• EPSY 5440: Foundations of Mental Health Intervention in School Psychology
• EPSY 5450: Counseling Skills
• EPSY 6450: Psychological Foundations of School Psychology
• EDSP 5060: Program Design and Curriculum Strategies for the Exceptional Learner
• EDS 6130:   Teaching and Learning.

While some course requirements can be waived for students with equivalent graduate courses (see Course Waivers on page 41 of this handbook), EPSY 6350: Practicum in Assessment, and EPSY 6400: Practicum in Intervention, CANNOT be waived as course prerequisites to EPSY 6500: Internship in School Psychology I.

All required courses for the Ed.S. in School Psychology

EPSY 5010: Methods of Educational Research (3 hours)

EPSY 5045: Classroom Management of Social-Emotional-Behavioral Needs (3 hours)

EDSP 5060: Program Design and Curriculum Strategies for the Exceptional Learner (3 hours)

EPSY 5160 Foundations of Assessment in School Psychology (3 hours)

EPSY 5165: Applied Foundations of School Psychology, I (2 hours)

EPSY 5360: Affective and Behavioral Assessment Techniques (3 hours)

EPSY 5440: Foundations of Mental Health Intervention in School Psychology (3 hours)

EPSY 5450: Counseling Skills (3 hours)

EPSY 5750: Diagnosis and Intervention for Psychological Disorders in Children and Youth (3 hours)

EDS 6100: Program Evaluation (3 hours)

EDS 6130: Teaching and Learning (3 hours)

EPSY 6140: Historical, Legal, and Ethical Foundations of School Psychology (3 hours)

EPSY 6300: Individual Ability Testing (3 hours)

EPSY 6305: Applied Foundations of School Psychology, II (2 hours)

EPSY 6350: Practicum in Assessment (4 hours)

EPSY 6400: Practicum in Intervention (4 hours)

EPSY 6450: Psychological Foundations of School Psychology (3 hours)

EPSY 6250: Consultation Methods (3 hours)

EPSY 6500: Internship in School Psychology, I (6 hours)

EPSY 6550: Internship in School Psychology, II (6 hours)

In order to ensure adequate enrollment, required courses serving only or mainly school psychology students are offered only once per academic year.

Course Offerings Schedule

Courses offered only in the fall semester are:  

EPSY 5160: Foundations of Assessment in School Psychology

EPSY 5165: Applied Foundations of School Psychology, I

EPSY 5360: Affective and Behavioral Assessment Techniques

EPSY 6140: Historical, Legal, and Ethical Foundations of School Psychology  

EPSY 6250: Consultation Methods 

EPSY 6350: Practicum in Assessment  

EDS   6100:  Program Evaluation

Courses offered only in the spring semester are: 

 EPSY 5045: Classroom Management of Social-Emotional-Behavioral needs

EPSY 6300: Individual Ability Testing  

EPSY 6305: Applied Foundations of School Psychology, II

EPSY 6400: Practicum in Intervention  

EPSY 6450: Psychological Foundations of School Psychology 

Courses offered only in the summer semester are:

EPSY 5750:  Diagnosis and Intervention for Psychological Disorders in Children and Youth