School Psychology Reported as one of the Top 5 Fastest Growing Careers in the United States
The thriving field of school psychology is an attractive option for candidates seeking varied jobs and promising pay, psychologists and educators say. The field offers jobs in a variety of settings, from assisting adult learners in a group home or hospital to helping children overcome academic, behavioral, or social difficulties in public schools. Eugene P. Sheehan, Ph.D., Dean of the University of Northern Colorado (UNC) College of Education and Behavioral Sciences, reported that “We have one of the oldest and best school psychology programs in the U.S. here at UNC, and its top ratings continue to demonstrate its high level of excellence. We know how to train psychologists since that has been our mission for more than 100 years.”
Why the school psychology shortage?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that school psychology will be among the five fastest growing doctoral-level occupations through 2012. “At UNC each year we have many graduates but not enough to meet the needs of the many school districts in Colorado, especially in rural areas,” indicated Robyn Hess, Ph.D., Associate Professor of School Psychology and President-Elect of the Trainers in School Psychology , a national organization of leaders who educate school psychologists. One might ask why there are so many openings? “There's a growing population of school-age children and more schools now recognize students' special needs,” said American Psychological Association (APA) Division 16 (School Psychology) President Cecil R. Reynolds, Ph.D. In the wake of numerous school psychologists’ retiring, and with communities focusing more on the importance of helping children and youth in the area of mental health, the shortage of school psychologists continues to grow.
What activities keep school psychologists busy?
About half the graduates of APA-accredited school psychology programs work in the educational enterprise. The other half of school psychologists serve in a variety of places, which include clinics, mental health centers, hospitals, universities or even their own private practice. For example, university-based school psychologists can help students struggling with time management. A former student of Reynolds even works in IBM's learning systems group, developing teaching materials, such as interactive computer games for adult learners. “Many of our UNC doctoral program graduateswork in medical settings or at academic institutions as well as in the schools” reported Rik Carl D’Amato, Ph.D., Professor of School Psychology and Editor-in-Chief of the international APA journal School Psychology Quarterly, housed at UNC. Franci Crepeau-Hobson, Ph.D., Director of the school psychology program offered at Lowry in Denver explained that “school psychologists help children and youth succeed academically, socially, and emotionally. They are highly trained in both psychology and education and provide services in psychological assessment, counseling, and consultation both in and out of the classroom.”
How can you become a school psychologist?
School psychology students can pursue a three-year specialist's graduate degree (Ed.S.) geared for school practice, or the comprehensive graduate doctoral degree (Ph.D.), which prepares candidates to engage in independent, private practice, unlike the specialist's degree. UNC offers both Ed.S. and Ph.D. training programs and both are professionally accredited by APA and the National Association of School Psychologists. In school psychology graduate programs, candidates complete courses focusing on human behavior analysis, program evaluation, supervision, testing, learning, development and assessment, family systems, applied neuropsychology, counseling, and advanced training in areas like diagnosis, interventions, and systems consultation. In place of advocating for a single psychological paradigm, the UNC program believes that school psychologists must be comprehensively trained in all psychological approaches. Do not expect to learn a single approach and then apply it in the schools. A hallmark of the program is its location in a college with programs in the areas of counseling psychology, counselor education, marriage and family therapy, educational psychology, and psychology. The five school psychology core faculty have been recognized internationally for their teaching, research, and service. Dr. Achilles Bardos’ is author of the recently released Basic Achievement Skills Inventory (BASI) and Dr. Michelle Athanasiou serves as Associate Editor of The School Psychologist , the APA school psychology newsletter.
What work schedule do school psychologists typically follow?
The field of school psychology is flexible. School psychologists often work for periods similar to the typical school year, which varies by state but is about 195 school days. Thus, many school psychologists enjoy the same holidays and summer vacations that their children in school do. Additionally, many states require school psychologists to be “nationally certified” which allows school psychologists to find jobs nationwide. Both UNC school psychology programs lead to national certification. Training in school psychology is offered both on the UNC campus and off-campus at our Denver Lowry Center. Applications are accepted once a year for both programs. For additional information contact the School of Applied Psychology and Counselor Education at 970-351-2727 or access application information at our website. We offer on and off-campus programs to meet your unique needs.
How much are they paid?
Licensed, doctoral-level school psychologists earned a median annual income of $77,000 in 2001 while those with master's degrees earned $61,000, according to the 2001 APA Salary Survey. APA's 2001 Doctorate Employment Survey found that new school psychologists' median starting salary was $57,444 annually. Candidates with the Ed.S. degree make slightly less than doctoral level practitioners and salaries vary greatly by state of employment. Starting Ed.S. salaries typically range from approximately $30,000 to $55,000 annually.
This article was adapted from an article from gradPsych , the magazine of the APA’s Association of Graduate Students (APAGS). See www.gradvsych.avags.org or Greer, M. (2005). Postgrad growth area: School psychology. GradPSYCH, 3(1), 32-33.