School psychologists are experts in both psychology and education. They apply that knowledge to help children and youth with disabilities, psychological concerns, and special talents achieve their full potentials academically, socially, and emotionally. School psychologists are an integral part of the educational team of a school yet they often work directly with students and their families, assessing academic skills and aptitudes, determining eligibility for special education services, evaluating social-emotional development and mental health status, training parents on approaches that will assist their children's learning, and providing individual or family counseling to resolve emotional or interpersonal issues that may interfere with school performance.

School psychologists also play a critical administrative and leadership role. For example, they lead efforts to make schools safer and improve learning outcomes, promote tolerance and appreciation of diversity, improve teacher effectiveness and classroom behavior management skills, address substance abuse issues, and prevent and manage crises.
 

The demand for trained, caring school psychologists is at an all-time high. Because of the high need, the majority of School Psychologists graduates will choose to work in public schools yet private settings also actively pursue School Psychologists.

• Offered in Chicago and Grayslake, Illinois.
• Three years full time or four years part time (Grayslake program offered in a flexible format convenient for working professionals).
• Having graduated its first class in June 2009, the School Psychology program has received conditional approval (a standard step for new programs along the way to full approval) from the National Association for School Psychologists (NASP). This qualifies graduates to sit for the National Certification in School Psychology (NCSP) examination. Work toward full approval is well underway.
• Last year, 100% of our third-year students secured paid internships in Illinois public schools.
• Prepares graduates to earn a Type 73 certification/endorsement with a specialization in School Psychology in the state of Illinois.
• Students benefit from superior theoretical preparation, coupled with an unrivaled amount of real-world experience. Students spend almost half of their time working in the schools over the duration of the program. The full-time group will work one half day a week in the schools during their first year, two days a week in the schools during their second year practica, and full time in the schools during their internship year.
• Students learn essential diagnostic, therapeutic, and consultative skills, prevention and crisis practice and theory, research and program evaluation methodologies, the impact of diversity and cultural issues in the field, and the legal, ethical, and professional guidelines of school psychology.
• Students gain in-depth understanding of the impact various mental health treatments have on diverse youth populations, and learn from an integrative-systemic focused model aimed at enhancing the educational experience for all youth.