APPIC Doctoral Program Information

GOALS OF THE PROGRAM

The overall mission of our training program is to assist the intern in becoming an independent professional school psychologist who can provide a variety of psychological services to help improve the mental health and educational outcomes of children and adolescents within and outside of school settings. To achieve this goal, we provide interns with supervised experiences, educational seminars, and research or data analysis opportunities to help further develop professional skills, leadership, and professional self-management.
Interns will achieve competence appropriate to their professional development level in the following areas:

1. Evidence-Based Practice in Intervention
2. Evidence-Based Practice in Assessment
3. Consultation and Interprofessional/Interdisciplinary Skills
4. Supervision
5. Cultural and Individual Diversity
6. Research
7. Ethical and Legal Standards
8. Professional Values and Attitudes
9. Communication and Interpersonal Skills

To accomplish these goals, the internship adopts a scientist-practitioner training model and adheres to a developmental model of supervision. Interns are exposed to an increasingly complex set of duties, which begin with an orientation to the intern program and the department's services within the school district. Interns then participate in observational or vicarious learning through observations of psychoeducational assessments, counseling sessions, intervention support teams, and eligibility meetings related to the educational placement of and behavioral interventions for students with various learning and emotional disabilities. At the next level, interns deliver services on their own with the direct supervision of staff psychologists or the interns may co-lead professional activities with assigned supervisors. The supervisors observe interns administering tests, consulting with teachers and parents, and counseling groups and individuals. When the supervisor is assured of the competency of the intern's skills, the supervision becomes indirect and occurs primarily through weekly consultation.