School Psychology (PhD)

The following list includes examples of where current and former students have done their pre-doctoral internship.

• AHRC New York City, NY
• Center for Effective Child Therapy at Judge Baker Children’s Center, Boston, MA
• Devereux, Villanova, PA
• Franciscan Hospital for Children, Boston, MA
• Hawaii Psychology Internship Consortium (Kauai School District), Kauai, HI
• Mailman Center for Child Development
• May Institute, Randolph, MA
• Milton Hershey School, Hershey, PA
• Newton Public Schools, Newton MA
• Primary Children’s Hospital, Salt Lake City, UT
• University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM
• Washburn Center for Children, Minneapolis, MN

Northeastern University’s School Psychology MS/CAGS and PhD Programs offer an optional concentration in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) that provides students with the opportunity to apply to sit for the BCBA exam upon completion of the concentration. This optional sequence includes additional coursework from Northeastern University’s Certificate Program in ABA under the direction of Dr. Nicole Davis. Three of the courses are already part of the regular school psychology curriculum (CAEP 6206 Learning Principles, CAEP 6328 Single Case Design, and CAEP 6347 Behavior Management).

Students take four additional online courses that are part of Northeastern University’s Certificate Program in ABA (CAEP 6326 Behavioral Concepts and Principles, CAEP 6327 Behavior Assessment, CAEP 6329 Service Administration, CAEP 6336 Systematic Inquiry in Applied Research). In addition, students have the opportunity to gain supervised experience hours by taking CAEP 8417 Intensive Practicum in ABA I and CAEP 8418 Intensive Practicum in ABA II. These two courses fulfill 50% of the required supervised experience hours. The ABA courses are independently offered by the School Psychology PhD Program and are not required for the program.

None of the online courses are permitted to substitute for courses in the required PhD curriculum. If students are interested in pursuing the ABA concentration, they should inform the ABA and School Psychology program directors of their interest at the start of the program because this choice will have implications for their coursework and fieldwork in year 1 of the program.

(i) Research

• Demonstrate the substantially independent ability to formulate research or other scholarly activities (e.g., critical literature reviews, dissertations, efficacy studies, clinical case studies, theoretical papers, program evaluation projects, and program development projects) that are of sufficient quality and rigor to have the potential to contribute to the scientific, psychological, or professional knowledge base.
• Conduct research or other scholarly activities.
• Critically evaluate and disseminate research or other scholarly activity via professional publication and presentation at the local (including the host institution), regional, or national level.

(ii) Ethical and legal standards

• Be knowledgeable of and act in accordance with each of the following: (1) The current version of the APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct, (2) Relevant laws, regulations, rules, and policies governing health service psychology at the organizational, local, state, regional, and federal levels, (3) and Relevant professional standards and guidelines.
• Recognize ethical dilemmas as they arise, and apply ethical decision-making processes in order to resolve the dilemmas.
• Conduct self in an ethical manner in all professional activities.

(iii) Individual and cultural diversity

• An understanding of how their own personal/cultural history, attitudes, and biases may affect how they understand and interact with people different from themselves.
• Knowledge of the current theoretical and empirical knowledge base as it relates to addressing diversity in all professional activities including research, training, supervision/consultation, and service.
• The ability to integrate awareness and knowledge of individual and cultural differences in the conduct of professional roles (e.g., research, services, and other professional activities). This includes the ability to apply a framework for working effectively with areas of individual and cultural diversity not previously encountered over the course of their careers. Also included is the ability to work effectively with individuals whose group membership, demographic characteristics, or worldviews create conflict with their own.
• Demonstrate the requisite knowledge base, ability to articulate an approach to working effectively with diverse individuals and groups, and apply this approach effectively in their professional work.

(iv) Professional values, attitudes, and behaviors

• Behave in ways that reflect the values and attitudes of psychology, including integrity, deportment, professional identity, accountability, lifelong learning, and concern for the welfare of others
• Engage in self-reflection regarding one’s personal and professional functioning; engage in activities to maintain and improve performance, well-being, and professional effectiveness.
• Actively seek and demonstrate openness and responsiveness to feedback and supervision.
• Respond professionally in increasingly complex situations with a greater degree of independence as they progress across levels of training.

(v) Communications and interpersonal skills

• Develop and maintain effective relationships with a wide range of individuals, including colleagues, communities, organizations, supervisors, supervisees, and those receiving professional services.
• Produce and comprehend oral, nonverbal, and written communications that are informative and well-integrated; demonstrate a thorough grasp of professional language and concepts.
• Demonstrate effective interpersonal skills and the ability to manage difficult communication well.

(vi) Assessment

• Demonstrate current knowledge of diagnostic classification systems, functional and dysfunctional behaviors, including consideration of client strengths and psychopathology.
• Demonstrate understanding of human behavior within its context (e.g., family, social, societal, and cultural).
• Demonstrate the ability to apply the knowledge of functional and dysfunctional behaviors including context to the assessment and/or diagnostic process.
• Demonstrate understanding of human behavior within its context (e.g., family, social, societal, and cultural).
• Demonstrate the ability to apply the knowledge of functional and dysfunctional behaviors including context to the assessment and/or diagnostic process.
• Select and apply assessment methods that draw from the best available empirical literature and that reflect the science of measurement and psychometrics; collect relevant data using multiple sources and methods appropriate to the identified goals and questions of the assessment as well as relevant diversity characteristics of the service recipient.
• Interpret assessment results, following current research and professional standards and guidelines, to inform case conceptualization, classification, and recommendations, while guarding against decision-making biases, distinguishing the aspects of assessment that are subjective from those that are objective.
• Communicate orally and in written documents the findings and implications of the assessment in an accurate and effective manner sensitive to a range of audiences.

(vii) Intervention

• Establish and maintain effective relationships with the recipients of psychological services.
• Develop evidence-based intervention plans specific to the service delivery goals.
• Implement interventions informed by the current scientific literature, assessment findings, diversity characteristics, and contextual variables.
• Demonstrate the ability to apply the relevant research literature to clinical decision making.
• Modify and adapt evidence-based approaches effectively when a clear evidence-base is lacking.
• Evaluate intervention effectiveness, and adapt intervention goals and methods consistent with ongoing evaluation.

(viii) Supervision

• Demonstrate knowledge of supervision models and practices.
• Apply supervision knowledge in direct or simulated practice with psychology trainees, or other health professionals. Examples of direct or simulated practice examples of supervision include, but are not limited to, role-played supervision with others, and peer supervision with other trainees.

(ix) Consultation and interprofessional/interdisciplinary skills

• Demonstrate knowledge and respect for the roles and perspectives of other professions.
• Demonstrates knowledge of consultation models and practices.