Support Student Development and Thriving with an Educational Psychology Degree

Never more complex, today’s classrooms encompass a wide spectrum of cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds and learning abilities. The need has risen dramatically for invested educational psychologists qualified to guide students through the challenging issues facing them today. The most effective in these positions demonstrate insightful skills beyond basic training, and dedication to serving all students, empowering them to succeed as lifelong learners.

Nationally, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that employment opportunities for school psychologists are continually expanding. Azusa Pacific University’s NASP-accredited dual degree program pairs the Educational Specialist (EdS) degree in School Psychology with the Master of Arts in Education: Educational Psychology and the School Psychology Credential. The combined educational psychology degrees and credential enable you to serve in a vital capacity addressing mental health needs in school systems. Many candidates also opt to pursue one of APU’s school psychology degrees with an additional specialty. These programs provide extended career options in schools or clinical settings.

Degree Pathways in School Psychology

Pathway 1: Educational Specialist Degree with Master’s and Credential, 66 Units

Become a sought-after Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP) when you graduate and pass the Praxis II School Psychology Examination.

Pathway 2: Add an Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Specialization, 89 Units

In addition to the dual degrees and credential, an ABA specialty equips you to expand your role in schools and clinical settings, providing vital services and treatment for children and adolescents with autism and related disabilities. This program satisfies the educational requirements for a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA).

Pathway 3: Add a Clinical and Educationally Related Mental Health Counseling Specialization, 81 Units

Adding a specialty in ERMHS to your dual degrees and credential opens up further career opportunities within school systems, where you will provide designated support for students with emotional or behavioral disorders. This specialization also satisfies the educational requirements for a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC).

Learn more about the three school psychology degree pathways and compare coursework.

How You Can Impact Student Mental Health as a School Psychologist

As students increasingly face complex challenges to learning and personal development, the need for school psychologists continues to grow. Read more about the field and role of school psychologists.

Program Highlights

  • Earn your EdS degree and master’s degree, plus meet credential requirements, and prepare for career advancement.
  • Opt to satisfy the educational requirements for a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA; 23 additional units) or Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC; 15 additional units) and increase your capacity to meet behavioral or clinical needs.
  • Graduate highly marketable and competitively qualified to serve as a professional school psychologist in a public school setting.
  • Benefit from an efficient path toward meeting state requirements and earning nationally recognized, dual advanced degrees from a top Christian university.

Learn more about the program and our faculty.

School of Education Accreditation

Azusa Pacific University receives accreditation from the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC). In addition, the School of Education receives accreditation from the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), which is transitioning to the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), making APU one of only three private schools in California with this distinction. Further, our credential programs are accredited by California’s Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC). Our Educational Psychology program is also accredited by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). These notable accreditations set APU graduates apart from other candidates and ensure that your degree will be recognized throughout the United States and internationally.

University Reputation

U.S. News & World Report’s America’s Best Colleges 2023 edition named Azusa Pacific to its list of top national universities and several other significant lists, including First-Year Experiences and Top Performers on Social Mobility. The Princeton Review designated APU as 1 of 126 institutions in the “Best Western Colleges” section of its 2023 Best Colleges guide. APU’s School of Nursing was named a top nursing school in California for 2023 by College Factual and Niche. APU was included as a top-100 degree producer by Diverse: Issues In Higher Education and is a designated Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). Azusa Pacific is also a Military Friendly School and Yellow Ribbon University, serving more than 500 military-connected students and families, and is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as an R2 Doctoral Research University.

Note: This information is current for the 2022-23 academic year; however, all stated academic information is subject to change. Please refer to the current Academic Catalog for more information.