Courses

The course surveys the major theoretical approaches to individual counseling in the schools: e.g., Person-Centered Counseling, Rational-Emotive Behavior Therapy, Behavioral Counseling/Therapy, Cognitive and Cognitive/Behavior Therapy, and Solution-Focused Brief Therapy. Theories of change and resiliency research are studied. Students will examine each theory critically, practice techniques from some of them, and define a personal approach to counseling. Prerequisite: Acceptance to the Educational Psychology, the School Psychology credential, the School Counseling, or the School Psychology program. (3 units; As offered)

This course will focus on the variety of psychosocial problems of children and adolescents that impair academic success and life skills. Candidates will demonstrate the ability to differentiate among a wide range of clinical disorders, social and emotional disorders and behavioral disorders of childhood and adolescents. Candidates will review research studies, case studies, assessment tools, treatment design and school based intervention programs to facilitate positive outcomes for students impacted. Candidates will be involved in group processes, observations and case study reviews, fieldwork and research in various domains of psychopathology. Candidates will develop a repertoire of tools to assist them in the identification and intervention of individuals impacted within a linguistically and culturally diverse setting. Fieldwork required. Prerequisite: Acceptance to the Educational Psychology, the School Counseling, or the School Psychology program. (3 units; As offered)

This course is designed to provide school psychology graduate students with the theoretical foundation to implement various evidence-based interventions to promote academic attainment for all students in schools. It is designed to provide an overview of the conceptual models of learning to set the foundation for understanding intervention. Students will be presented course content through lectures, readings, small group discussions, online learning modules, and activities. The instructor is responsible for presenting course content, evaluating student performance, and providing feedback that enables students to meet course objectives. (3 units; Spring)

This course will prepare school counselors and school psychologists with the knowledge, perspectives, and skills needed for effective practice in America's increasingly diverse schools. Through a series of field investigations and readings, students will examine how their own culturally-based beliefs and assumptions affect therapeutic practice, as well as how cultural factors, inter-group interactions, and racism are related to students' school behavior, learning, and academic achievement. Prerequisite: Acceptance to the Educational Psychology, the School Counseling, or the School Psychology program. (3 units; As offered)

This course is designed to provide students with competencies toward developing knowledge and skills related to varied evidence-based methods in psychology and education to promote the social, emotional, and behavioral health and well-being of youth in schools. It is a graduate-level introductory course for school-based professionals. It is designed to provide an overview of conceptual and service-delivery foundations, evidence- based behavioral interventions across tiers (i.e., school-wide, class/small group, individualized), as well as evaluation and data-based decision making. Students will be presented course content through readings, lectures, small group discussion, and case study activities. Students are responsible for participating in these activities and providing the instructor with information that indicates an understanding and mastery of the course content. The instructor is responsible for presenting course content, evaluating student performance, and providing feedback that enables students to meet course objectives. (3 units; Fall)

This course will focus on the basic aspects of effective Crisis Response within the educational setting. Candidates will demonstrate the ability to draw from a variety of approaches and research based intervention strategies to assess and address the needs of students at-risk for academic failure due to depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, familial duress, traumatic events, natural disasters and terrorist events. Students learn principles of psychological triage, crisis response, prevention, mitigation, intervention and critical incidence stress debriefing. Prerequisite: Acceptance to the Educational Psychology, the School Counseling, or the School Psychology program. (3 units; As offered)

This course will focus on the basic aspects of effective communication between education professionals and others involved in the education and care of disabled individuals, including parents and family members. PPS credential candidates will acquire professional knowledge and skills which will be developed through readings, seminar discussions, in-class role plays, and field based practice experiences. They will discuss relevant ASCA/NASP professional standards. Ten hours of fieldwork is required for this course. Prerequisite: Acceptance to the Educational Psychology, the School Counseling, or the School Psychology program. (3 units; As offered)

This course introduces legal and ethical practice to PPS candidates in school psychology. The Code of Ethics, Federal and State laws and Best Practices established by NASP will be reviewed and actively applied through observation of school psychologists, interviews with them, class work, case studies and direct applications in school-based settings. Candidates will demonstrate knowledge of legal and ethical issues faced by school psychologists, professional standards, the fundamentals of Federal and State guidelines and education code. Emphasis will be placed on the legal and ethical issues encountered under Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) such as free appropriate public education, Individual Education Programs (IEPs) and 504 plans, mediation, consultation and collaboration, due process, confidentiality laws, and family and student rights. Fifteen (15) hours of fieldwork are required. Prerequisite: Acceptance to the Educational Psychology or the School Psychology program. (3 units; As offered)

This course is designed to introduce first-year students in the Pupil Personnel Services Credential Program in School Psychology to theory, roles, and functions, and current issues of school psychology as an academic discipline and as a professional field. This course will orient new students to the model of school psychology practice taught within this program: a scholar-practitioner model which requires the ability to think critically within the context of a broad base of practical experience. Prerequisite: Acceptance to Educational Psychology, School Psychology Credential, or the School Psychology program. (2 units, As offered)

This course presents the theoretical foundations necessary to develop skills in interpreting and using individual intelligence assessments. Students will be able to describe the components of a variety of theories of intelligence, including the Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) theory of intelligence, and utilize theory to interpret assessment results and write legally-defensible reports. Additional lab fee. Prerequisite: Acceptance to School Psychology Program. Concurrent Requisite: PPS 547. (2 units; As offered)

This course presents students with the theoretical and practical foundations necessary to work with individual and groups of students. Solution-Focused counseling techniques for individual counseling with be introduced and practiced. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy counseling techniques for individual and groups will be introduced and practiced. Prerequisite: PPS 503. (3 units; Spring)

This course accompanies PPS 544: Individual Intellectual Assessment providing instruction in administering and scoring intelligence tests. As a result of this lab, students will be able to administer and score with fidelity the WISC-V, WJ-IV COG, KABC-II-NU, DAS-II, and a nonverbal assessment of the student’s choosing. Concurrent Requisite: PPS 544. (1 unit; Summer)

This course presents the theoretical foundations necessary to develop skills in interpreting and using descriptive statistics, research methods, and the psychometrics utilized in school psychology. The course will provide graduate students with an overview of individual and group research designs, the psychometric principles of test construction, and the components of a thorough program evaluation. (3 units; Fall)

Students will explore assessments related to psychological processing including TAPS, TVPS, and Beery VMI and will develop competencies in legally and defensible psychoeducational report writing skills. Prerequisite(s): PPS 544 and 547. Concurrent Requisite: PPS 552. (2 units; Fall)

This course accompanies PPS551: Advanced Assessment Seminar I providing instruction in administering and scoring processing tests. As a result of this lab, students will be able to administer and score with fidelity the CTOPP-2, TAPS-4, VMI-6, MTVP-4, and TVPS-4 assessments. Additional equipment fee. Prerequisites: PPS 544, and 547. Concurrent Requisite: PPS 551. (1 unit; Fall)

This course introduces the basic principles involved in identifying and assessing problem behaviors and pathology in the educational setting. Knowledge and data-analysis are used to form conclusions and to communicate them clearly in addressing serious behavior problems. Candidates design positive behavior support plans and comprehensive functional behavior support plans for individuals, as well as school-wide plans to affect positive behavior change. Concurrent enrollment in Practicum III is required. Completion of twenty (20) hours of fieldwork through this course assessing and observing pupils in order to demonstrate the ability to communicate the results effectively and develop appropriate behavior plans is required. Prerequisite: Acceptance to the Educational Psychology or the School Psychology program. (3 units; As offered)

This course presents the theoretical foundations necessary to develop skills in interpreting and using individual processing assessments. Students will be able to describe the components the Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) theory of intelligence and the Lurian theory of neuropsychology to interpret advanced processing assessment results and write legally-defensible reports. Prerequisites: PPS 544, and 551. Concurrent Requisite: PPS 569. (2 units; Spring)

This course accompanies PPS 568: Advanced Assessment Seminar II, providing instruction in administering and scoring processing tests. As a result of this lab, students will be able to administer and score with fidelity the QNST-3R, WRAML, TOMAL, NEPSY-II, D-KEFS, and CAS assessments. Additional equipment fee. Prerequisites: PPS 544, and 552. Concurrent Requisite: PPS 568. (1 unit; Spring)

The course focuses on developing an educational approach to supporting positive academic and social behaviors in the classroom and community using the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). Specifically, students will be presented with the concepts of reinforcement, punishment, stimulus, control, shaping, and fading as they are applied to increasing or decreasing academic and social behaviors. Students will also be presented with information regarding functional assessment, behavior support and behavior intervention plans, and laws (federal and state) governing behavioral issues related to individuals with special needs. Fieldwork required. (3 units)

This course will equip candidates with the theories and skills related to assessment and intervention of students with Mild/ Moderate support needs. Candidates will examine the relationship among assessment, disability, and intervention. Candidates will examine the basic concepts and theoretical foundation of assessment as well as the range of assessments from informal to formal. Issues related to culture, language, faith and disability as they impact student learning are also emphasized. This course will provide candidates with opportunities to connect assessment to interventions that address the unique needs of students with Mild/Moderate support needs. Clinical fieldwork at a designated school site is required. Prerequites: Credential Program Acceptance, EDU 512, EDU 516, and EDU 518 (4 units; As Offered)

This course is comprised of (a) the school psychology fieldwork/practicum; (b) class meetings; and (c) the practicum portfolio. Students will develop competencies in the 10 NASP domains while working in a K-12 school setting 2 days per week (minimum 450 fieldwork hours over the schoolyear) under the direct supervision of a credentialed school psychologist. In addition, students will receive 15 hours of on-campus seminar and group supervision each semester. Students will demonstrate competency through the completion of a Practicum Portfolio. A minimum of 5 units must be completed. May be repeated for a maximum of five (5) units. Prerequisite(s): PPS 547 and 563. Concurrent Requisite: PPS 551. (1-3 units; As offered)

Supervised field experience in paid or unpaid internship in school psychology. Candidates develop competencies in assessment and data based decision making, consultation, and systems change, cognitive and academic interventions, mental health interventions, and home/school/community collaboration. In addition to the required field experience, students are expected to participate in fifteen (15) hours of on-campus seminar and group supervision each semester. Candidates for the PPS credential will complete 600 hours of field experience for each course with satisfactory evaluations by the university and district supervisors. At least 800 hours of the total must be in preschool-grad 12. Of the 1200 hours required, 400 may be completed in other appropriate settings and activities as documented by institutional records. This may be done on a full-time basis over the course of one academic year, or on a part-time basis over the period of no more than two consecutive academic years. Prerequisite: successful completion of all coursework, including 450 hours of field practice, approval for the internship by the Education Committee, and approval of fieldwork site by program coordinator or advisor. Prerequisite: Declared School Psychology Specialization. Pass/Fail. (6 units)

Supervised field experience in paid or unpaid internship in school psychology. Candidates develop competencies in assessment and data based decision making, consultation, and systems change, cognitive and academic interventions, mental health interventions, and home/school/community collaboration. In addition to the required field experience, students are expected to participate in fifteen (15) hours of on-campus seminar and group supervision each semester. Candidates for the PPS credential will complete 600 hours of field experience for each course with satisfactory evaluations by the university and district supervisors. At least 800 hours of the total must be in preschool-grad 12. Of the 1200 hours required, 400 may be completed in other appropriate settings and activities as documented by institutional records. This may be done on a full-time basis over the course of one academic year, or on a part-time basis over the period of no more than two consecutive academic years. Prerequisite: successful completion of all coursework, including 450 hours of field practice, approval for the internship by the Education Committee, and approval of fieldwork site by program coordinator or advisor. Twenty (20) hours of fieldwork required. Prerequisite: Declared School Psychology Specialization. Pass/Fail. (6 units)