School psychology is a specialized discipline under the broader ambit of psychology that focuses on issues faced by children and adolescents with learning disabilities and behavioral problems. A person with a master’s degree in school psychology is equipped to counsel such students in schools, help teachers and other educators find effective solutions, evaluate existing learning programs, develop new learning programs, utilize learning technologies to help such students and more. School psychologists also conduct extensive research to identify factors in school, at home and in the immediate society and determine the effect of these factors on the learning abilities of the students. Once these factors are identified, school psychologists can design solutions, along with other educators.
The demand for school psychologists is rapidly increasing, as per the projections of the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United States Department of Labor. The rise in employment opportunities for students with a master’s degree in school psychology is due to the increased awareness among educators, schools and parents that learning and mental health are intrinsically connected.
School Psychology Master’s Programs Online
These are the best online master’s program in school psychology.
Florida State University
Florida State University offers Master of Science in Educational Psychology: Learning and Cognition, which is an online degree. Students are taught the application of human cognition and learning, along with developmental theories. The program is designed in such a way that the learnings can be applied in classrooms, but also in organizational learning and government learnings. Those interested in school psychology will have the option of focusing solely on it.
The master’s program comprises 33 to 36 credit hours. Students have the option of selecting either the thesis track or the exam track. The thesis track is ideal for those who are interested in research work and possibly want to pursue a doctoral degree after the completion of their master’s degree. The exam track is ideal for those who want to complete the degree as soon as possible and begin working or those who are already working and want to move up the ladder. Typically, in the thesis track, students can expect to complete their degree after about three years. Whereas, in the exam track, students usually complete their degree in under two years. The online program is only available with the exam track. Some of the courses that will be taught in the online program include methods of educational research or inquiry and measurement for practitioners, theories of learning and cognition in instruction, theories of social psychology, theoretical and practical issues in education and others.
Students must have completed a bachelor’s degree with a minimum GPA of 3.0. They will also have to submit their General Test score of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Three letters of recommendations will have to be submitted as well.
Get in touch with Mary Kate McKee, who is the Academic Program Specialist, on (850) 644-8792 to learn more about the online program.
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama offers an online Master of Arts in Educational Psychology, with specializations in learning and assessment. You will be taught the psychological theories and concepts that are applied in learning. You will be trained to conduct assessments and evaluations of learning processes. The same set of faculty members who teach on-campus also teach the online program. The program consists of 30 credit hours and the tuition is $394 per credit hour. While both students with a background in education and those with no prior experience in the education segment are free to join the program, some of the most recent graduates of this program were education professionals, government agency professionals focused on children and youth, individuals interested in learning sciences, etc. The University of Alabama accepts applications from prospective students all through the year.
This online program is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University offers an online Master’s in Education Psychology, with a specialization in school counseling. After completing this program, you will be a trained and qualified school counselor. You will be able to work with students and teachers at schools and play an important role in ensuring that students at the K-12 level are developing properly both academically and personally. As part of the program, you will have to complete a two-semester long internship at either a public or private school, which will include 400 hours of direct counseling or related activities in the school. Every week one hour will be supervised.
The program used to comprise 42 credit hours and is now being transitioned into a 48 credit hours program. You can calculate the tuition here. Some of the courses you will be taught include foundations of school counseling, multicultural counseling in schools, school counseling theories and techniques, issues in child and adolescent development, school counseling group interventions and assessment in school settings, among others. The elective courses include measurement & evaluation in education, program evaluation, educating individuals with autism spectrum disorders, applied behavior management in the classroom, etc.
You must have an undergraduate degree with a GPA of 3.0 or more to apply for this program. While preference is given to students with two or more years of teaching experience, it’s not mandatory.
University of Northern Colorado
University of Northern Colorado offers an online Master of Arts in Educational Psychology, with an emphasis in teaching applications. This program is designed specifically for current teachers or those who have prior experience in teaching. The program consists of 30 credit hours and students typically complete the program in 18 to 20 months. The tuition is $520 per credit hour. There’s a comprehensive exam in the final semester, in which students have to write a paper on a topic or issue related to their work as teachers or in some other educational setting that applies their knowledge of educational psychology.
Conclusion
A degree in educational psychology will open up employment opportunities in private organizations, as a consultant or trainer, etc., besides school settings. Once you have an in-depth understanding of how humans learn and how their learning abilities can be affected, you put that into practice in a variety of fields.