News in Brief: UVA School of Education and Human Development Launches New School Psychology Program

The UVA School of Education and Human Development will offer a new education specialist program in school psychology beginning in the fall of 2024. Graduates of the program will be eligible for certification as school psychologists in preK-12 schools.  

Grounded in the scientist-practitioner model of training, the new program will prepare graduates to deliver comprehensive school psychological services, including intervention, assessment, and consultation, to diverse student populations in educational settings.  

Students will receive specialized training in evidence-based assessment and interventions, as well as how to collaborate closely with youth, families, school staff, administrators, and community partners to create safe and supportive environments and address the most pressing mental health challenges facing youth today.  

With training in both education and psychology, school psychologists are uniquely qualified to help identify and provide support to students experiencing academic, behavioral, and mental health difficulties in school.

Michael Lyons, associate professor and director of the clinical and school psychology program, said he is excited to be able to expand the school’s offerings with a program that will help address a critical need in schools. “In Virginia and across the country, we are facing a tremendous shortage of school psychologists while at the same time youth mental health needs are rising,” he said. “This program is designed to develop not just more school psychologists, but excellent critical thinkers who will integrate research findings into their daily work and advocate for equitable, effective programming.”  

The typical length of study for the full-time program is three years. Students will receive a Master of Education in school psychology after their first year, followed by a second year of coursework and a full-time, year-long internship in a school setting completed during their final year of training.  

The program is now accepting its first cohort to start in the fall of 2024. The deadline to apply is February 1. For more information, including admission requirements, visit the program webpage or contact Interim Degree Coordinator Katy Zeanah.  

The University of Virginia’s Ed.S. in school psychology is seeking both National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) accreditation “Candidacy Status” and to offer an approved Virginia Department of Education school psychology endorsement program in spring 2024. Accepted students will be notified of updated approval statuses for both accreditation and licensing organizations.