Goals, Objectives and Competencies

Students in the School Psychology PhD program will work toward achieving the following goals, objectives and competencies:

Goal No. 1: Students will develop the professional knowledge, skills, and identity to be ethical practicing school psychologists

Objective 1: Students will develop professional values, attitudes, and behaviors that promote positive outcomes for youth and families and facilitate psychological well-being and educational success.

  • Competency 1: Engages in behaviors that are consistent with values, attitudes, and skills of competent health service psychologists
  • Competency 2: Demonstrates effective oral and written communication and interpersonal skills in interactions with youth, families, colleagues, education professionals, and other professionals

Objective 2: Students will develop an understanding of individual differences and the impact of societal inequities that negatively impact their psychological well-being and their educational experiences.

  • Competency 3: Students will demonstrate an understanding of individual and cultural differences
  • Competency 4: Students will demonstrate an understanding of how societal inequities, culture and individual differences impact psychological well-being and educational experiences

Objective 3: Students will develop an understanding of professional ethics and legal standards relevant to the practice of school psychology.

  • Competency 5: Students will be knowledgeable and behave in ways consistent with professional ethical principles and legal standards to the practice of school psychology

 

Goal No. 2: Students will learn and apply knowledge and skills of evidenced-based practices to inform data-based decision making across direct and indirect service delivery

Objective 1: Students will develop knowledge and skills related to the practice of effective consultation with education professionals and other key stakeholders (e.g. parents, caregivers, community health care professionals).

  • Competency 6: Students are able to effectively apply a model of consultation in practice that incorporates a cross cultural framework

Objective 2: Students will develop knowledge and skills of evidence-based interventions to facilitate the psychological well-being and educational success of youth.

  • Competency 7: Students will be able to identify evidence-based interventions that match the targeted need, implement the interventions, and evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions

Objective 3: Students will develop knowledge and skills of evidenced-based assessment practices and tools.

  • Competency 8: Students will demonstrate the ability to administer and interpret psychological and educational assessments
  • Competency 9: Students will engage in targeting assessments that meet the individual needs of youth

 

Goal No. 3: Students will learn to be critical consumers of research and develop advanced knowledge and skills to conduct scientific inquiry and dissemination of research

Objective 1: Students will develop knowledge for understanding research and interpreting data in applied settings.

  • Competency 10: Students will demonstrate knowledge of research design and data analysis

Objective 2: Students will conduct methodologically sound research.

  • Competency 11: Students will conduct research that has the potential to contribute to the literature

Objective 3: Students will disseminate research in a public forum or in a publication outlet.

  • Competency 12: Students will present and/or publish research in a public forum (e.g. conference) or publication outlet

 

Goal No. 4: Students will learn the expanded role of the school psychologist

Objective 1: Students will develop knowledge of supervision theories and models and skills to engage in supervisory activities.

  • Competency 13: Students will demonstrate knowledge of supervision theories and models
  • Competency 14: Students will effectively engage in supervisory activities that demonstrate an understanding and application of a supervision framework

Objective 2: Students will be knowledgeable of school-wide practices to promote learning.

  • Competency 15: Students will be knowledgeable of school-wide practices that influence academic, behavioral, and psychological variables

Objective 3: Students will develop knowledge and skills in the promotion of family, school, and community collaboration.

  • Competency 16: Students will demonstrate the knowledge and skills to successfully engage in collaboration across systems