Psychology, Psy.D. in School-Community

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Robert Motta, Graduate Program Director, (516) 463-5029

This program prepares students to become psychology practitioners who provide services to schools and community health service settings. Emphasis is placed upon training the psychologist as a consultant who brings about change within school and community settings, and who is also a provider of psychological services for individuals and families. The practice of school-community psychology is viewed as involving assessment, intervention, planning and prevention in public schools, special education facilities, geriatric facilities, veterans centers, centers for the homeless, police departments, facilities for the disabled, facilities for the drug addicted, etc.

The program is designed to accommodate beginning-level students who enter with a bachelor’s degree, and advanced-level students who enter with the master’s degree in psychology. Students who are accepted directly upon completion of the bachelor’s degree will attend a full-time, 94-credit program. Advanced students who have already completed a master’s degree in psychology may attend full- or part-time. Course and credit requirements for advanced students will be determined on an individual basis, following review of official graduate transcripts.

All students are required to complete a one-year internship and practicum experiences as part of their training. A wide range of school and community settings are available for student training. In addition, completion of a doctoral dissertation in an area within the broad field of school-community psychology, is also required. The program faculty have varied areas of special expertise and are able to provide specific training in childhood and adult behavior disorders, posttraumatic stress disorders, alcoholism, forensic (police) psychology, homelessness, education and issues related to gifted and talented children, immigration and cultural adaptation, etc.

Applications completed by January 15 will be screened for regular acceptance. Applications completed after April 1 will be considered only if there are openings in the program. Information about the program and application material can be obtained from the Graduate Admissions Office. Students are accepted only for the fall semester of each year.

Admission Requirements

Beginning Level

Students admitted with a bachelor’s degree will be required to meet the following admission criteria:

Successful completion of the baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution.
GRE Verbal, Quantitative and Writing scores must be provided from an examination within the previous five years of the date of application. For non-native speakers of English, a TOEFL may be required unless waived by the program director, after having received evidence of English-language proficiency.
A score on the GRE psychology subject test is required.
A cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better in the following psychology courses which were completed prior to admission:
- Human Development
- Elementary Statistics
- Experimental Design
The courses below are recommended, not required.
- History and Systems of Psychology
- Physiological Psychology
- Psychometric Theory
Three letters of recommendation.
A personal statement.
A personal interview.

Advanced Level

Students admitted at the advanced level, who already possess a master’s degree in psychology, will be required to meet the following admission criteria:

Successful completion of a master’s degree in psychology from an accredited institution.
GRE Verbal, Quantitative and Writing scores must be provided from an examination within the previous five years of the date of application. For non-native speakers of English, a TOEFL may be required unless waived by the program director, after having received evidence of English-language proficiency.
A score on the GRE psychology subject test is required.
Three letters of recommendation.
A personal statement.
A personal interview.

Program Requirements - Total Semester Hours: 96

Required Courses

The following courses are required unless transfer credit is obtained. For students who enter at the advanced level, transfer credit is determined on an individual basis.

PSY 201 - Graduate Statistics I Semester Hours: 3
PSY 202 - Graduate Statistics II Semester Hours: 3
PSY 207 - Cognition and Perception Semester Hours: 3
PSY 209 - Classical Concepts in Psychology Semester Hours: 2
PSY 210 - Current Literature in Psychology Semester Hours: 2
PSY 214 - Neural Bases of Behavior Semester Hours: 3
PSY 220 - Consultation in Schools and Health Service Settings Semester Hours: 3
PSY 223 - Research Design II: Independent Projects Semester Hours: 3-4
PSY 224 - Research Designs for Health Service Programs Semester Hours: 3
PSY 227 - Interviewing and Counseling in Professional Psychology Semester Hours: 3
PSY 231 - Theory and Practice of Intellectual Evaluation Semester Hours: 3
PSY 232 - Intellectual, Academic and Vocational Evaluation Semester Hours: 3
PSY 233 - Assessment and Intervention Strategies Semester Hours: 3
PSY 240 - Personality Assessment Semester Hours: 3
PSY 251 - Special Topics Seminar Semester Hours: 1-4
PSY 253 - Advanced Developmental Psychology Semester Hours: 3
PSY 254 - Childhood Psychopathology Semester Hours: 3
PSY 257 - Psychology of the Emotionally Disturbed Child Semester Hours: 3
PSY 258A - Social Psychology and the School System Semester Hours: 3
PSY 269 - Psychology and the Criminal Justice System Semester Hours: 3
PSY 274 - Ethics and Professional Practices in Psychology Semester Hours: 1-3
PSY 275 - Cross-Cultural and Diversity Issues in Professional Psychology Semester Hours: 3
PSY 280 - Community Intervention Programs Semester Hours: 3
PSY 282 - Preventive Mental Health Semester Hours: 3
PSY 330 - School Psychological Services Internship I Semester Hours: 3
PSY 331 - School Psychological Services Internship II Semester Hours: 3
PSY 349 - Community Internship and Supervision I Semester Hours: 3
PSY 350 - Community Internship and Supervision II Semester Hours: 3
PSY 601 - Dissertation Seminar Semester Hours: 3
PSY 602 - Dissertation Proposal Preparation Semester Hours: 3
(See footnote *)
PSY 603A - Extended Dissertation Advisement Semester Hours: 3
(See footnote */**)
PSY 604 - Dissertation Advisement Semester Hours: 3
(See footnote *)
PSY 605A - Dissertation Extension Semester Hours: 3
(See footnote **)

Electives

Students are permitted to take six semester hours of electives chosen from the following, under advisement of the Program Director.

ANTH 200 - Fundamentals of Anthropology Semester Hours: 3
EADM 214 - Theories and Practices of Supervision Semester Hours: 3
EADM 241 - Supervision of Instruction and Curriculum Development Semester Hours: 3
EADM 243 - School Finance Semester Hours: 3
EADM 245 - Selected Issues in School Administration Semester Hours: 3
EADM 249 - Management Technology Semester Hours: 3
ELED 227 - Elementary School Curriculum Semester Hours: 3
FDED 210 - Contemporary Educational Movements Semester Hours: 3
FDED 220 - Aesthetic Education Semester Hours: 3
FDED 244 - Seminar: Alternative Education Semester Hours: 3
FDED 248 - Multicultural Education in the Metropolitan Area Semester Hours: 3
PSY 212 - Human Development Semester Hours: 3
PSY 235 - Personality Evaluation I Semester Hours: 3
PSY 236 - Personality Evaluation II Semester Hours: 3
PSY 250 - Health Psychology Semester Hours: 3
PSY 251 - Special Topics Seminar Semester Hours: 1-4
PSY 252 - Independent Topics in Psychology Semester Hours: 1-4
PSY 256 - Theories of Psychological Counseling Semester Hours: 3
PSY 263 - Current Theory and Research in Psychology of Aging Semester Hours: 3
PSY 281 - Current Theory and Research in Rehabilitation Semester Hours: 3
PSY 399 - Psychotherapy with the Deaf Via Total Communication Semester Hours: 3
PSY 405 - Clinical Seminar in Neuropsychological Assessment Semester Hours: 3
PSY 413 - Clinical Seminar in Addiction Treatment Semester Hours: 3
PSY 417 - Clinical Seminar in Major Mental Disorders Semester Hours: 3
PSY 430 - Clinical Seminar in Group Psychotherapy Semester Hours: 3
REHB 230 - Philosophy and Principles of Vocational Rehabilitation Semester Hours: 3
REHB 232 - Medical Information in Rehabilitation Semester Hours: 3
SED 205 - Perspectives on Educational Practice Semester Hours: 3
SOC 272 - Youth, Social Policy, and the Criminal Justice System Semester Hours: 3
SPCH 242 - Aphasia and Related Disorders Semester Hours: 3
SPCH 243 - Language, Learning and Literacy: Development and Disabilities From Kindergarten Through Adulthood Semester Hours: 3
SPED 200 - Administration and Supervision of Special Education Semester Hours: 3
SPED 250 - Education of the Gifted Semester Hours: 3

Graduation Requirements

Completion of the 96-credit program with a cumulative grade point average of B or better. Advanced students will be given transfer credit based on an individual analysis of their prior graduate academic record.
Successful completion of a qualifying examination which must be taken and passed following the first year in the program. This examination is given in May of each year. Students who fail the qualifying examination twice will be dropped from the program.
Students must maintain a B average each semester, receive no more than one C per semester and no more than three C’s in total toward the Psy.D. or the student will be dropped from the program.
If a student earns a grade of D in a course, the instructor of that course will inform the Program Director who will then convene a meeting of the Core Program Faculty to discuss the circumstances under which the D was earned. If this is the first D earned during his or her course of study, the student will be immediately placed on probation and a remedial plan for the student will be developed by the faculty. In the case of a D, course credit will not count toward the degree being sought but the grade is included in determining the cumulative grade-point average. The course or its equivalent, must be repeated. A second grade of D received in any course while enrolled in the program is grounds for immediate dismissal. The Core Program Faculty will decide if the dismissal is warranted. A letter which reviews the discussion and outcome of the meeting will be generated by the Program Director with a copy sent to the student.
A grade of F in any class is grounds for immediate dismissal from the program. If a student earns an F, the instructor of that course will inform the Program Director who will then convene a meeting of the Core Program Faculty to discuss the circumstances under which the F has been earned. A letter which reviews the deliberations of the Core Program Faculty will be generated by the Program Director with a copy sent to the student.
Students are expected to behave in an ethical and professional manner according to the guidelines for student conduct and academic honesty at Hofstra University, and the Ethical Standards for Psychologists published by the American Psychological Association. Satisfactory interpersonal behavior and professional performance in classes and meetings, on practica and internships, etc. is expected. If a report of an ethics violation or an interpersonal problem which may be impeding professional growth is received, the Program Director will convene a meeting of the Core Program Faculty to discuss the circumstances under which the violation or problem arose. After a faculty investigation, a report will be issued that may clear the student of any wrongdoing, place the student on probation with a plan for remediation or dismiss the student from the program. A letter, which reviews the deliberations of the Core Program Faculty, will be generated by the Program Director with a copy sent to the student.
Successful completion of an approved doctoral dissertation project.
Satisfactory performance at an oral defense of the doctoral dissertation project.

Footnotes

*A student who has not made sufficient progress on the dissertation to gain permission of the members of the committee to begin collecting data, will have to repeat the course, paying full fee. A student must maintain continuous enrollment in this course, registering for it during the fall and spring semesters. A student must complete the work for this course within two semesters. If sufficient progress has not been made by the end of this period, the student will have to enroll in 603A, Extended Dissertation Advisement. This course may be taken only once. If the student does not complete the work for this course by the end of the semester, the student will be dropped from the program.

**A student who does not complete the dissertation during the semester of enrollment in 604, Dissertation Advisement, will have to repeat the course, paying full fee. Once 602, Dissertation Proposal Preparation or 603A, Extended Dissertation Advisement has been completed, a student must enroll in 604, Dissertation Advisement, the following semester and maintain continuous enrollment in this course during the fall and spring semesters. A student must complete the work for this course within three semesters. If the dissertation is not completed by the end of this period, the student must immediately enroll in 605A, Dissertation Extension. The student will be dropped from the program if all requirements for the dissertation are not fulfilled by the end of 605A. Once a candidate has begun work on the dissertation, a leave of absence from the program will not be granted, except in highly unusual circumstances.

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