The Educational Psychology Doctoral Program
The Educational Psychology Doctoral Program is designed to help students integrate theory, research, and practice in the field of psychology and education. Through critical reflection on the literature and the practices in these fields, students gain a deeper understanding of the growth processes of individuals as well as those of learning communities. The Educational Psychology Doctoral Program offers two options: (1) Educational Psychology/School Psychology and (2) Educational Psychology/Human Learning and Development.

School Psychology Doctoral Program or Human Learning and Development Option

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Educational Psychology/School Psychology Option
The doctoral level Educational Psychology/School Psychology option subscribes to the Scientist-Practitioner model and prepares individuals to work as psychologists in schools and other educational settings, to engage in research, to pursue clinical work in schools or other clinical settings, and to pursue academic teaching posts. Individuals completing this option may be eligible to apply to sit for the Illinois Clinical Psychology licensing examination. Students in the Educational Psychology/School Psychology option fall into two groups: 1) students who are completing the certification program as part of the doctoral program, and, 2) students who have already completed the certification program and are currently working as school psychologists. Students completing the certification program as part of the doctoral program must take all the certification coursework in addition to the doctoral courses. Please see pages 265-266 for additional information about the School Psychology certification requirements.

After completion of all course requirements students must successfully complete the comprehensive examination before beginning their year-long doctoral internship in school psychology. NLU’s School Psychology program is one of the four School Psychology doctoral programs in Illinois that sponsor the APA approved Illinois School Psychology Internship Consortium (ISPIC). Students apply to ISPIC to gain a doctoral level internship through the consortium.

Course Requirements
Each doctoral student is required to take doctoral core courses and research and dissertation courses. These required courses and their semester hour commitments are listed below. This common core represents areas of knowledge which the graduate faculty considers essential for all doctoral candidates in education. In addition to the core and research requirements, students will complete the Educational Psychology/School Psychology core, doctoral practicum, doctoral internship, and electives.

Doctoral Course Requirements SH
Doctoral Core (see page 283 of catalog) 6
Research/Dissertation (see page 283 of catalog) 21
School Psychology Core 15
Doctoral Practicum 6
Doctoral Internship 6
Electives 9
Total Degree Requirements 63


Doctoral Core Courses with # of SH

• EPD659 Studies in Family-School Partnerships and Relationship-Building 3
• EPD660 Advanced Studies in Cognition: Learning and Knowledge as Social Practices 3
• EPD667 Advanced Studies in Cognition: Learning through Design-Based Research in Schools 3
• EPD668 Advanced Studies in Social Issues Relevant to Education: Interpersonal Relationship in Culturally  Diverse Educational Environments 3
• EPD669 Advanced Studies in Problem-Solving Special Education and School Psychology Service Delivery Systems 3

Doctoral Practicum SH
EPD692 Doctoral Practicum in School Psychology 6
This practicum is designed to broaden the applied skills of doctoral level school psychology students to include activities essential for the delivery of mental health services to children and youth in schools and other educational contexts. Practicum activities include early identification and intervention activities designed to promote mental health and resiliency. Doctoral students will work under the supervision of mental health professionals, such as a licensed doctoral level psychologist, and the university practicum instructor. A total of 600 practicum hours and 6 semester hour credits are required.

Practicum seminar
Students enrolled in the practicum must attend a bi-weekly seminar.
The seminar, which is associated with the field experience, will be primarily problem-based, and will involve presentation, analysis, and discussion of actual practice experiences. Students may complete the practicum in either one or two years, and will participate in practicum seminars concurrently with their field experience. Students will typically register for 2 semester credits per term. A total of 6 semester hours are required.

Doctoral Internship SH
EPD690B Doctoral Internship in School Psychology 6
The School Psychology doctoral internship is a twelve-month full time experience in broad areas of school psychology, under the supervision of both university and license psychologists in the field. The internship goals, requirements, activities, evaluation, etc. have been developed and are delivered through the Illinois School Psychology Internship consortium (ISPIC). The experience is designed to meet all the professional associations’ requirements for doctoral level School Psychology internship.

Internship goals, activities, and methods of evaluation:
Students begin the internship after completing the required coursework and after successfully passing the comprehensive exam. Students who elect to do their dissertation after the internship can take the Dissertation Proposal Seminar and the advanced research course during or after the internship, while they are working on the dissertation. To obtain an internship, students must apply to the Illinois School Psychology Internship Consortium (ISPIC) and participate in the National Matching Service. National Louis University is one of the four Illinois Universities that sponsor the consortium, which is APA approved. (6 sh)

Electives 9 SH
Elective courses are selected in consultation with an academic advisor.

Shani Beth-Halachmy, PhD, Associate Professor
SBETH@NL.EDU
847/905-2314

National-Louis University is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, 30 N. LaSalle St. Chicago, IL 60602, 1-800-621-7440. National College of Education at National-Louis University is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).