The doctoral program in school psychology at the University of Central Arkansas has received accreditation by the American Psychological Association. The APA is the world?s largest association of psychologists with 150,000 members. It accredits doctoral-level training programs, pre-doctoral internship sites, and post-doctoral positions in school, clinical, and counseling psychology.
UCA is the second university in Arkansas to receive this national recognition of program quality. According to the APA report sent to UCA, ?the program uses a scientist-practitioner model that clearly values the integration of science and practice as demonstrated in its curriculum, practical experiences, and the modeling of its faculty.?
The Department of Psychology and Counseling at UCA has trained graduate students in school psychology for over 25 years. The master’s program has received national recognition through approval by the National Association of School Psychologists.
After many years in the making, the Ph.D. program in school psychology admitted its first group of students in the year 2000. The program?s core faculty consists of four doctoral-level psychologists trained in school psychology. These faculty members are supported by numerous other doctoral-level psychologists in the department.
A strength of the department according to a spokesperson is its commitment to provide the graduate students in the masters and doctoral programs with a strong multicultural experience. In that light, the department has developed exchange programs with leading universities in Europe and Asia. These programs allow the faculty and students to experience a more diverse population and to conduct cross-cultural research.
There are 17 students actively pursing their doctorates in this program. So far, six students have graduated from the program with the majority actively providing psychological services in Arkansas.
School psychology professionals are trained to work in schools, clinics, hospitals, and other settings with children, parents, teachers, and other professionals on behalf of children with social, emotional, behavioral, and/or academic difficulties. Their work includes prevention programming, behavioral and academic intervention planning and implementation, crisis management, individual assessment, counseling, consultation, and program development and evaluation.
Masters-level professionals in school psychology are typically licensed as School Psychology Specialists through the Arkansas Department of Education or as Licensed Psychological Examiners through the Arkansas Board of Psychology. Doctoral-level school psychologists are eligible for licensure as a Psychologist through the Arkansas Board of Psychology.
The UCA school psychology program faculty review applications for the doctoral program on February 10th of each year. More information about these and other graduate-level psychology and counseling programs at UCA can be obtained at http://www.uca.edu/psychology/.
