School Psychology Degree Pathways

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

With this pathway, you’ll earn the educational specialist degree, master’s degree, and credential in school psychology. Accreditation by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) allows you to become a Nationally Certified School Psychologists (NCSP) upon graduating and passing the Praxis II School Psychology Examination.

The program is ideal for those who want to work in educational settings. All coursework is taught from a Christian perspective by expert faculty-practitioners.

APU graduates are distinguished from their counterparts by their caring, compassionate approach, strong background, and high ethical standards. With solid preparation in this area, you will be able to effectively assess and improve outcomes for students of all cultures, social levels, and learning abilities.

Read more about careers for school psychologists.

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

With this pathway, you’ll earn not only the educational specialist degree, master’s degree, and credential, but also add specialized coursework in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). Completing your degrees with an ABA specialization gives you extended knowledge needed to provide intensive behavioral treatment and intervention services for students diagnosed with autism and related disabilities.

With an extra 23 units in Applied Behavior Analysis, the specialization is approved by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) and meets the educational requirements for eligibility as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). Additional requirements to achieve certification include successful completion of supervised clinical experience, as well as the certification exam administered by the BACB.

Faculty who teach ABA coursework are fully licensed and experienced BCBA professionals. This specialization also has the distinction of dual accreditation by both the BACB and NASP.

Read more about additional careers with an ABA specialization.

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

With this pathway, you’ll add a specialization in Clinical and Educationally Related Mental Health Counseling to your degrees and credential. Choosing this degree path enables you to acquire advanced skills to effectively meet the needs of students with emotional and behavioral challenges. You’ll also meet the educational requirements for a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC).

Graduates are equipped to provide Educationally Related Mental Health Services (ERMHS) or Designated Instructional Services (DIS). Through supervised field experiences and classroom curriculum, you’ll gain exposure to group and individual clinical counseling, addictions or substance abuse counseling and intervention, psychobiology/psychopharmacology, DSM-V diagnosis, and case conceptualization and treatment for school-based mental health services.

Faculty who teach in the sequence of five courses (15 units) are fully licensed and experienced MFT and LCSW professionals.

Read more about additional careers with an ERMHS specialization.