Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) in School-Clinical Child Psychology
Areas of Preparation

Foundations - A thorough understanding of the history and major conceptual systems in psychology and education as they pertain to the normal and atypical development and functioning of youth, specifically in the following areas:

• Child Development

• History and Systems in Psychology

• Learning

• Personality Theory

• Physiological Psychology

• Social Psychology

In addition, the research methodology portion of the program provides students with the background necessary to conduct, evaluate and integrate research with the delivery of psychological services.

Field work - Field work - Four years of supervised experience is required in the doctoral program. This experience includes school and community placements and involves training in assessment, consultation, intervention and program development and evaluation. All students in the doctoral program are required to have a total of at least 3,000 clock hours of pre-doctoral, culminating, school psychology experience that follows at least 54 credits hours of course work. At least 700 clock hours of this culminating experience must be in a school setting. Several options are available for students to complete this field work requirement.

Practicum - Practicum - The doctoral program requires students to enroll for three years of experience through Pace University's Thomas J. McShane Center for Psychological Services. Students have the opportunity to receive a broad range of training experiences in the following:

• Applied research
• Assessment
• Biofeedback
• Consultation
• Counseling and psychotherapy
• Mother-infant interactions
• Program development and evaluation

Assessment and Diagnosis - Assessment and Diagnosis - Students receive training in skills associated with various psychological conceptual frames of reference applied to the evaluation of children and adolescents; they learn to select suitable testing instruments and devise appropriate test batteries in order to gain reliable and valid information relative to the following areas:

• Adaptive behavior
• Aptitude and achievement
• Cognitive development, intelligence and intellectual functioning
• Early intervention services
• Family functioning
• Language development and communication disorders
• Learning disorders
• Personality development and childhood psychopathology
• Physical and motor development
• Social-emotional development

Students learn to apply assessment skills to children representing a range of developmental levels, from infancy and toddlerhood, through adolescence and early adult development. In addition, students assess individuals with diverse disabilities such as learning disabilities, mental retardation and psychopathology. Further, assessment training focuses not only on the individual but also on interactions and group dynamics.

Prevention and Intervention - Prevention and Intervention - Courses and fieldwork prepare students in prevention and intervention as they apply to the following:

• Design, development, and evaluation of programmatic preventive interventions
• Development of psychological and educational interventions aimed at ameliorating adjustment, learning and personality difficulties experienced by children, adolescents and families
• Development and implementation of a wide array of consultation and other indirect psychological services that may be offered within schools and other agencies serving children
• Enlistment of aid from appropriate community agencies outside the school setting to secure services in order to prevent or ameliorate circumstances contributing to unsatisfactory performance or behavior problems
• Initiation and direction of appropriate group and family techniques

Program Evaluation and Planning - Program Evaluation and Planning - Students learn to formulate research questions and develop appropriate methodological procedures through:

• Conducting in-service training sessions for parents and school and community personnel
• Coordination of interdisciplinary assessment and intervention strategies
• Involvement in the schools and community agencies
• Planning programs and innovative intervention procedures
• Understanding the nature of problems as they relate to variables in

Personal Maturity and Professional Development - Personal Maturity and Professional Development - Students develop professional maturity, sensitivity and growth through:

• Conferences with faculty advisors
• Faculty-student interactions in a variety of settings
• Field trainers' supervision and evaluation
• Interactions with school and community personnel
• Participation in professional symposia, presentations and conventions
• Workshop offerings

Psy.D. in School-Clinical Child Psychology

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