The Graduate Programs in School Psychology at Illinois State University strives to provide expert quality training necessary to develop a broadly educated school psychologist. The doctoral degree program in school psychology, as compared to the specialist degree program, provides more advanced training in applied skills and has a heavier emphasis on scientific inquiry. Doctoral students are prepared to work as school psychologists in a wider variety of settings including schools, mental health centers, hospitals, colleges and universities, and independent practice settings.

The overarching theoretical orientation represented in the doctoral degree program is the developmental-ecological perspective. This orientation to understanding human growth, development, learning, and maladaptive behaviors is integrated throughout all courses in the program. More specifically, the model assumes services are nested within systems that include society (macrosystem), schools as organizations (exosystem), and classrooms, families, and individual students (microsystems). The sources of problems and potential solutions lie within the various systems impacting the child and family. Students are taught to understand behavior, assess, and intervene at various levels (e.g., school, family, and individual). A developmental perspective is provided so that students recognize the influences of these systems change as children mature. Graduates may not work in all systems, but they develop a respect and appreciation for those who work in each of these systems.

Systematic, collaborative problem-solving is emphasized throughout the doctoral program. Students receive training which allows for participation in and facilitation of the problem-solving of others in a variety of settings. This systematic approach to problem-solving includes moving through a sequence of steps. Although the specific labels for the stages may differ, they typically include problem identification, problem analysis, plan implementation, and plan evaluation. Students are educated to use information from a variety of sources to develop and monitor effectiveness of research-supported interventions for one or more of the various systems in which the graduate works (e.g., for the school, family, or individual child). Students are taught psychological tests represent only one source of information; other sources include a review of existing records and information, observation, and interviews.

The purpose of the doctoral program is to educate students who will promote the highest quality psychoeducational and mental health services for children and families. The program is based on the scientist-practitioner model of psychology. Our goal is to educate psychologists who integrate their knowledge of scientific principles with their applied clinical skills to improve the lives of children and families. This integrated approach to science and practice promotes the development of complimentary skills fostering a career-long process of psychological investigation, intervention, and evaluation. As scientist-practitioners, graduates of the doctoral program are able to distinguish fact from opinion in the application of psychological principles to human behavior, to use existing theory and techniques to develop innovative practice in the field of school psychology, and to develop research to address applied issues.

The program seeks to train school psychologists who demonstrate competencies in general areas of school psychology and to develop additional expertise in specialized areas, guided by students' interest and availability of faculty expertise and field experiences. Specifically, doctoral training develops generalist competencies in psychological assessment, psychotherapeutic interventions, consultation and program evaluation, and supervision. Each student, in consultation with their advisory committee, chooses an area of emphasis from one of these four identified areas, or a specially designed skill sequence to further investigate and develop additional expertise.

In addition to practical applications of school psychology, students in the doctoral program are well-grounded in research methodology. As a result of this dual emphasis, it is expected students’ career choices will fall in various places along the scientist-practitioner continuum. Some graduates of the program may choose careers in which research is emphasized as the primary goal; some may choose careers in which practice is the primary goal, and some will continue to pursue both research and practice. The success of our training model lies in the integration of science and practice. This integrated model leads to a unique focus on psychology as a mental health profession and aids both the researcher and practitioner in the performance of their respective functions. Integrated training provides practitioners with knowledge relevant to a variety of applied settings; such training also provides researchers with an applied perspective to their empirical activity.

Training as a scientist and practitioner in our program requires students' participation in integrated clinical and research experiences beginning in their first year. Coursework provides a scientist-practitioner orientation and opportunities for students to integrate their clinical and research experiences. Each year of the program, the scientist-practitioner model is emphasized and reflected in the experiences made available. These experiences include first year fieldwork and practica, a philosophical emphasis of the introductory and professional seminars and other required courses, and the research orientation of the apprenticeship and dissertation. In the process of demonstrating and supervising clinical activities, faculty actively integrate research and clinical work. For example, grants obtained by school psychology faculty related to domestic violence, early childhood services, autism, and ADHD combine clinical training and research. Coursework, clinical and research supervision, and attendance and participation in conferences demonstrate to students the intertwined roles of practitioners in the schools, consumers of research, and research innovators.

The curriculum emphasizes the importance of knowing about and gaining experience with a wide range of individual differences, including ethnicity, gender, age, culture, religion, race, and lifestyle. Also stressed in the curriculum is the importance of legal and ethical issues guiding service delivery and research. The most fundamental tenet of the doctoral program is for students to acquire scientific knowledge and practical skills to be leaders, innovators, and positive change agents in the service of children and families.

Graduates are educated to assume a variety of leadership positions in professional psychology. As health care providers, graduates deliver a variety of psychological services directly to children, parents, and families. Graduates may be supervisors of other school psychologists and administrators responsible for the development, implementation, and evaluation of educational and mental health programs. As educators, some graduates of the doctoral program will supervise and educate students enrolled in pre-service training at universities and advance the state of scientific knowledge. Regardless of the setting in which graduates will work, they are able to function as scientist-practitioners well versed in collaborative problem-solving.

Objectives and Competencies
Graduates of the doctoral degree program in school psychology work in a variety of settings including public and private schools, hospitals, medical centers, and colleges/ universities. The program has adopted multiple objectives.

The first objective of the program is for students to acquire a solid foundation of basic psychological principles. Students should demonstrate competence in using the principles to understand and explain human behavior.

The second objective is for students to acquire skills in assessment, intervention, and collaborative problem solving (consultation) to address mental health and learning problems in individuals from birth to 21 years of age. Students will:

demonstrate knowledge of the multiple developmental and contextual factors;
identify referral concerns;
select, administer, and interpret appropriate instruments and procedures for assessment, know current best practice, and understand the strengths and limitations of available instruments consistent with best practice;
plan and evaluate empirically supportable interventions as needed, including direct interventions involving classroom-based or home-school collaborations and indirect services, such as consultation with teachers, administrators, parents, or systems; and
communicate (orally and in writing) results effectively to concerned parties, such as children, parents, and teachers.

The third objective is for students to receive professional socialization to the field of psychology and to school psychology specifically. For the program to be successful, students must:

understand the scientist-practitioner orientation;
understand the history and systems of psychology and the specialty of school psychology;
understand legal issues including eligibility criteria for special education services based on federal, state, and typical district policies and ethical principles impacting the practice of school psychology;
demonstrate knowledge of and sensitivity to cultural diversity and individual differences;
demonstrate knowledge of current professional issues and roles in the field (e.g., supervision);
understand multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary team functioning; and
demonstrate knowledge and skills related to clinical and administrative supervision.

The fourth objective is for students to acquire professional-level knowledge about research and skills to conduct it. Thus, students must be able to:

seek answers to empirical questions by extrapolating from theory and research literature and by conducting their own studies;
design, conduct, interpret, and disseminate the results of educational and psychological research as a means of contributing to the knowledge base of the profession;
understand various research methodologies, including applied approaches such as program evaluation of school-based programs;
demonstrate competence in statistics and related computer applications;
demonstrate scholarly writing competence; and
demonstrate competence as an informed consumer of the scientific and professional research literature and the skills and attitude of a life-long learner.