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Program Information

Please note that the information below was collected for the 2006-07 academic year. For the most current information, we encourage you to contact the program directly.

University: University of Massachusetts at Amherst
Program's Mailing Address: School Psychology Program
City:Amherst
State:MA
Zip:01003
Phone: 413-577-1470
Fax: 413-545-1523
Website: www.umass.edu/education/schoolpsychology/index.html
Department in which program is housed: Student Development and Pupil Personnel Development
College in which program is housed: School of Education
Program director: John M. Hintze, Ph.D.
E-mail: hintze@educ.umass.edu
Phone: 413-577-1470
Additional Program Director: John M. Hintze, Ph.D.

Degrees Offered, Program Approvals, and General Requirements

Master's Degree (36-45 hours)

Degree name:
Total Graduate Credit Hours:
Comprehensive qualifying exams required:
Thesis required:
Professional paper in lieu of thesis required:
Professional project in lieu of thesis required:
State Department of Education approved:
NCATE approved program:
Other approval/accreditation:
Other agency:

Specialist Level (60+ hours)

Degree name: Certificate of Advanced Graduate Standing (CAGS) in School Psychology
Total graduate credit hours: 66
Thesis required: no
Professional paper in lieu of thesis required: no
Professional project in lieu of thesis required: yes
NASP approved program: yes
State Department of Education approved: yes
NCATE approved: yes
Other approval/accreditation:
Other agency:

Doctoral Degree

Degree name: Doctorate in School Psychology
Total graduate credit hours: 108
Comprehensive quailfying exams required: yes
Thesis required: no
Professional paper in lieu of thesis required: no
Professional project in lieu of thesis required: no
Dissertation required: yes
NASP approved program: yes
State Department of Education approved: yes
NCATE approved: yes
APA accredited: yes
Other approval/accreditation:
Other agency:

Respecialization Degree

Degree name:
Total graduate credit hours:
Comprehensive qualifying exams required:
Thesis required:
Professional paper in lieu of thesis required:
Professional project in lieu of thesis required:

Program(s) Philosophy

The training program in School Psychology at the University of Massachusetts is based on an ecologically oriented, scientist-practitioner training model. The Program's educational philosophy holds as a basic premise that high quality professional training requires graduate student immersion in faculty supervised, pre-professional activities including course work, service delivery, and research. The mission of our training program is to prepare professionals who: 1. Practice school psychology with sensitivity to the individual case, paying careful attention to relevant features of individual history, culture, and context, and the person's educational, social, behavioral, and emotional needs. 2. Practice school psychology within an ecological, problem-solving approach using evidence-based practices to address the educational, social, behavioral, and emotional needs of individuals or groups, and to promote healthy development of all children, students, and familits. 3. Practice school psychology using evidence-based prevention and intervention practices to address the educational and social needs of school systems, families, and communities, emphasizing system level applications. 4. Practice school psychology consistent with the ethical quidelines of the American Psychological Association and the National Association of School Psychologists, and consistent with State and Federal Law. 5. Contribute to the professional knowledge base of school psychology with an emphasis on assessment, prevention, and intervention practices, by conducting valid and meaningful research, and engaging in professional dissemination activities. 6. Provide leadership in the field of school psychology at local, state, regional, and national levels. The doctoral program (109 semester hour credits minimum) typically takes five years to complete and includes a one-year internship experience. The M.Ed./CAGS program (66 semester hour credits minimum) typically takes three years to complete and also includes a one-year internship experience. Both programs are full-time. Typically, students with backgrounds in psychology, education, and/or special education seek admission in our program. Our graduate students hail from many states and reguions across the United States and vary in age, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and background experience. The School Psychology Program's ecological orientation has its primary foundations in cognitive, behavioral, social, and developmental psychology. The orientation prepares professional school psychologists as problem solvers with a focus on the prevention and intervention of achievement and social/behavior problems in the natural context(s). Specific attention is directed to assessment for understanding student-environment relations than is directed to understanding aspects of within-child functioning. The curriculum includes coursework in contemporary behavioral assessment and curriculum-based measurement, interventions for achievement and behavior problems, instructional design and methods of special education, instructional and behavioral consultation, and policy and legal studies, with the common goal of preparing school psychologists who are well skilled in the prevention of achievement and behavior problems via early screening and early intervention. Integrated with the ecological perspective are the scientist-practitioner aspects of our training model. Here, the focus of the program is on careful integration of scientific methods of knowi

Student Enrollment Data

Master's Level

Total number of students:
Number of full-time students:
Number of part-time students:
Number of students who applied for the 2006-2007 year:
Number of students accepted for the 2006-2007 year:

Specialist Level

Total number of students: 12
Number of full-time students: 12
Number of part-time students:
Number of students who applied for the 2006-2007 year: 30
Number of students accepted for the 2006-2007 year: 10

Doctoral Level

Total number of students: 22
Number of full-time students: 22
Number of part-time students:
Number of students who applied for the 2006-2007 year: 90
Number of students accepted for the 2006-2007 year: 10

Respecialization

Total number of students:
Number of full-time students:
Number of part-time students:
Number of students who applied for the 2006-2007 year:
Number of students accepted for the 2006-2007 year:

Student Characteristics

Master's Level

Total number of students:
Number of females in program:
Number of males in program:
Number of American Indian or Alaskan Natives in program:
Number of Asians in program:
Number of African Americans in program:
Number of Hispanics or Latinos in program:
Number of Native Hawaiians or Pacific Islanders in program:
Number of Whites in program:
Number of students with mixed ethnicities in program:
Number of international students in program:
Number of students with unknown ethnicities in program:

Specialist Level

Total number of students: 12
Number of female students in program: 12
Number of male students in program: 0
Number of American Indian or Alaskan Natives in program: 0
Number of Asians in program: 0
Number of African Americans in program: 1
Number of Latinos in program: 0
Number of Native Hawaiians or Pacific Islanders in program: 0
Number of Whites in program: 10
Number of students with mixed ethnicities in program: 0
Number of international students in program: 0
Number of students with unknown ethnicities in program:

Doctoral Level

Total number of students: 22
Number of female students in program: 20
Number of male students in program: 2
Number of American Indian or Alaskan Natives in program: 0
Number of Asians in program: 1
Number of African Americans in program: 3
Number of Latinos in program: 2
Number of Native Hawaiians or Pacific Islanders in program: 0
Number of Whites in program: 21
Number of students with mixed ethnicities in program: 1
Number of international students in program: 1
Number of students with unknown ethnicities in program:

Respecialization

Total number of students in program:
Number of female students in program:
Number of male students in program:
Number of American Indians or Alaskan Natives in program:
Number of Asians in program:
Number of African Americans in program:
Number of Latinos in program:
Number of Native Hawaiians or Pacific Islanders in program:
Number of Whites in program:
Number of students with mixed ethnicities in program:
Number of international students in program:
Number of students with unknown ethnicities in program:

Admission Deadlines

Master's Level

Fall admissions?
If yes, deadline for admissions:
Spring admissions?
If yes, deadline for admissions:
Summer admissions:
If yes, deadline for admissions:
Application fee:

Specialist Level

Fall admissions? yes
If yes, deadline for admissions: January 15
Spring admissions? no
If yes, deadline for admissions:
Summer admissions? no
If yes, deadline for admissions:
Application fee: $65

Doctoral Level

Fall admissions? yes
If yes, deadline for admissions: January 15
Spring admissions? no
If yes, deadline for admissions:
Summer admissions? no
If yes, deadline for admissions:
Application fee: $65

Respecialization

Fall admissions?
If yes, deadline for admissions:
Spring admissions?
If yes, deadline for admissions:
Summer admissions?
If yes, deadline for admissions:
Application fee:

Whom to contact to apply? John M. Hintze, Ph.D.
Application address (if different from program's mailing address):
Application city:
Application state:
Application zip/postal code:

Admission Requirements

Master's Level

Require a written goals statement?
Require letters of recommendation?
Require personal or phone interview?
Require minimum overall undergraduate GPA on 4.0 scale?
If yes, minimum overall GPA:
Require minimum GPA for undergraduate major?
If yes, minimum GPA for major:
Require specific undergraduate major?
If yes, specific major required:
Require minimum number of undergrad psychology prerequisites?

Specialist Level

Require a written goals statement? yes
Require letters of recommendation? yes
Require personal or phone interview? yes
Require minimum overall undergraduate GPA on 4.0 scale? no
If yes, minimum overall GPA:
Require minimum GPA for undergraduate major: no
If yes, minimum GPA for major:
Require specific undergraduate major? no
If yes, specific major required:
Require minimum number of undergraduate psychology prerequisites? no

Doctoral Level

Require a written goals statement? yes
Require letters of recommendation? yes
Require personal or phone interview? yes
Require minimum overall undergraduate GPA on 4.0 scale? no
If yes, minimum overall GPA:
Require minimum GPA for undergraduate major?
If yes, minimum GPA for major:
Require specific undergraduate major? no
If yes, specific major required:
Require minimum number of undergraduate psychology prerequisites? no

Respecialization

Require a written goals statement?
Require letters of recommendation?
Require personal or phone interview?
Require minimum overall undergraduate GPA on 4.0 scale?
If yes, minimum overall GPA:
Require minimum GPA for undergraduate major? no
If yes, minimum GPA for major:
Require specific undergraduate major?
If yes, specific major required:
Require minimum number of undergraduate psychology prerequisites?

Entrance Tests for Program Admission

Master's Level

GRE Verbal
Minimum:
Preferred:
Average:
GRE Quantitative
Minimum:
Preferred:
Average:
GRE Analytic
Minimum:
Preferred:
Average:
GRE Verbal + Quantitative
Minimum:
Preferred:
Average:
GRE Advanced Area
Advanced area:
Minimum:
Preferred
Average:
Miller's Analogy Test
Minimum:
Preferred:
Average:

Specialist Level

GRE Verbal
Minimum:
Preferred:
Average: 550
GRE Quantitative
Minimum:
Preferred:
Average: 600
GRE Analytic
Minimum:
Preferred:
Average:
GRE Verbal + Quantitative
Minimum:
Preferred:
Average:
GRE Advanced Area
Advanced area:
Minimum:
Preferred:
Average:
Miller's Analogy Test
Minimum:
Preferred:
Average:

Doctoral Level

GRE Verbal
Minimum:
Preferred:
Average: 550
GRE Quantitative
Minimum:
Preferred:
Average: 600
GRE Analytic
Minimum:
Preferred:
Average:
GRE Verbal + Quantitative
Minimum:
Preferred:
Average:
GRE Advanced Area
Advanced area:
Minimum:
Preferred:
Average:
Miller's Analogy Test
Minimum:
Preferred:
Average:

Respecialization

GRE Verbal
Minimum:
Preferred:
Average:
GRE Quantitative
Minimum:
Preferred:
Average:
GRE Analytic
Minimum:
Preferred:
Average:
GRE Verbal + Quantitative
Minimum
Preferred:
Average:
GRE Advanced Area
Advanced area:
Minimum:
Preferred:
Average:
Miller's Analogy Test
Minimum:
Preferred:
Average:

Tuition and Fees

Master's Level

State Residents
Per credit hour tuition:
Total full-time tuition per semester (based on 12 credit hours):
Non-State Residents
Per credit hour tuition:
Total full-time tuition per semester (based on 12 credit hours):

Specialist Level

State Residents
Per credit hour tuition: $110
Total full-time tuition per semester (based on 12 credit hours): $5000
Non-State Residents
Per credit hour tuition: $1320
Total full-time tuition per semester (based on 12 credit hours): $9000

Doctoral Level

State Residents
Per credit hour tuition: $110
Total full-time tuition per semester (based on 12 credit hours): $5000
Non-State Residents
Per credit hour tuition: $1320
Total full-time tuition per semester (based on 12 credit hours): $9000

Respecialization

State Residents
Per credit hour tuition:
Total full-time tuition per semester (based on 12 credit hours):
Non-State Residents
Per credit hour tuition:
Total full-time tuition per semester (based on 12 credit hours):

Financial Assistance

Master's Level

Total percentage of students receiving aid for current year:
Is there any financial assistance directed toward minority recruitment?
Out-of-state students receive in-state tuition?
Tuition waiver included:
Teaching Assistantships
Percentage of students receiving:
Annual full-time amount:
Average number of hours per week:
Research Assistantships
Percentage of students receiving:
Annual full-time amount:
Average number of hours per week:
Traineeships/Training Grants From Foundations or Governments
Percentage of students receiving:
Annual full-time amount:
Average number of hours per week:
Other Assistantships and Grants
Percentage of students receiving:
Annual full-time amount:
Average number of hours per week:
Fellowships and Scholarships
Percentage of students receiving:
Annual full-time amount:
Average number of hours per week:

Specialist Level

Total percentage of students receiving aid for current year: 90
Is there any financial assistance directed toward minority recruitment? yes
Out-of-state students receive in-state tuition? no
Tuition waiver included: full
Teaching Assistantships
Percentage of students receiving: 20
Annual full-time amount:
Average number of hours per week: 10
Research Assistantships
Percentage of students receiving: 30
Annual full-time amount:
Average number of hours per week: 10
Traineeships/Training Grants From Foundations or Governments
Percentage of students receiving: 50
Annual full-time amount:
Average number of hours per week: 10
Other Assistantships and Grants
Percentage of students receiving:
Annual full-time amount:
Average number of hours per week:
Fellowships and Scholarships
Percentage of students receiving:
Annual full-time amount:
Average number of hours per week:

Doctoral Level

Total percentage of students receiving aid for current year: 90
Is there any financial assistance directed toward minority recruitment? yes
Out-of-state students receive in-state tuition? no
Tuition waiver included: full
Teaching Assistantships
Percentage of students receiving: 20
Annual full-time amount:
Average number of hours per week: 10
Research Assistantships
Percentage of students receiving: 30
Annual full-time amount:
Average number of hours per week: 10
Traineeships/Training Grants From Foundations or Governments
Percentage of students receiving: 50
Annual full-time amount:
Average number of hours per week: 10
Other Assistantships and Grants
Percentage of students receiving:
Annual full-time amount:
Average number of hours per week:
Fellowships and Scholarships
Percentage of students receiving:
Annual full-time amount:
Average number of hours per week:

Respecialization

Total percentage of students receiving aid for current year:
Is there any financial assistance directed toward minority recruitment?
Out-of-state students receive in-state tuition?
Tuition waiver included:
Teaching Assistantships
Percentage of students receiving:
Annual full-time amount:
Average number of hours per week:
Research Assistantships
Percentage of students receiving:
Annual full-time amount:
Average number of hours per week:
Traineeships/Training Grants From Foundations or Governments
Percentage of students receiving:
Annual full-time amount:
Average number of hours per week:
Other Assistantships and Grants
Percentage of students receiving:
Annual full-time amount:
Average number of hours per week:
Fellowships and Scholarships
Percentage of students receiving:
Annual full-time amount:
Average number of hours per week:

Other Support

Field-Based Experiences

Master's Level

Total practicum hours:
Total minimum in-school practicum hours:
Total minimum internship hours:
Total minimum in-school internship hours:
Percentage of paid internships:
Minimum internship salary:
Average internship salary for current interns:

Specialist Level

Total practicum hours: 600
Total minimum in-school practicum hours: 600
Total minimum internship hours: 1500
Total minimum in-school internship hours: 1500
Percentage of paid internships: 100
Minimum internship salary: 18000
Average internship salary for current interns: 22000

Doctoral Level

Total practicum hours: 600
Total minimum in-school practicum hours: 600
Total minimum internship hours: 1500
Total minimum in-school internship hours: 750
Percentage of paid internships:

100
Minimum internship salary: 18000
Average internship salary for current interns:

22000

Respecialization

Total practicum hours:
Total minimum in-school practicum hours:
Total minimum internship hours:
Total minimum in-school internship hours:
Percentage of paid internships:
Minimum internship salary:
Average internship salary for current interns:

Competency-Based Exam Scores

Note: These are based on the prior year's graduates.

Master's Level

Total number of students who graduated during the prior year:
Average total Praxis II score for those students who graduated during the designated time period:
How many graduates applied for the NCSP within one year after graduation?
What percentage of the applicants above attained the NCSP?

Specialist Level

Total number of students who graduated during the prior year: 3
Average total Praxis II score for those students who graduated during the designated time period:
How many graduates applied for the NCSP within one year after graduation?
What percentage of the applicants above attained the NCSP?

Doctoral Level

Total number of students who graduated during the prior year: 3
Average total Praxis II score for those students who graduated during the designated time period:
How many graduates applied for the NCSP within one year after graduation?
What percentage of the applicants above attained the NCSP?