College of Education and Human Services
School of Lifespan Development and Educational Sciences
www.kent.edu/ehhs/ldes

About This Program

The School Psychology Ed.S. program provides the comprehensive training you need to become a skilled and compassionate practitioner. Through coursework and supervised practical experiences, you'll develop the skills and knowledge necessary to engage in assessment and intervention to support the academic success, social-emotional needs, mental health and well-being of students in a variety of educational settings. Read more...

Contact Information

• Richard Cowan | rcowan1@kent.edu | 330-672-4450

• Connect with an Admissions Counselor

Program Delivery

• Delivery:
  • In person
• Location:
  • Kent Campus

Examples of Possible Careers and Salaries*

Accreditation

The Ed.S. degree in School Psychology is approved by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP).

^{* Source of occupation titles and labor data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook. Data comprises projected percent change in employment over the next 10 years; nation-wide employment numbers; and the yearly median wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.}

For more information about graduate admissions, visit the graduate admission website. For more information on international admissions, visit the international admission website.

Admission Requirements

• Master's degree in school psychology from a NASP-approved college or university (starting with spring 2027 admission term, an M.Ed. degree in School Psychology from Kent State University is required¹
• Minimum 3.000 graduate GPA on a 4.000-point scale (minimum graduate 3.250 GPA is recommended)
• Official transcript(s)
• Résumé or curriculum vitae
• Goal statement
• Sample of written work
• School Psychology Supplemental Data form (online document)
• Questions in Anticipation of Licensure form
• Two letters of recommendation
• Interview
• English language proficiency - all international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions to waive) by earning one of the following:²
  • Minimum 79 TOEFL iBT score
  • Minimum 6.5 IELTS score
  • Minimum 58 PTE score
  • Minimum 110 DET score

Program faculty take a holistic approach to considering each prospective student's application, including careful consideration of relevant background experience, evidence of high scholastic achievement,  and positive letters of recommendation.

¹

Because Kent State offers an M.Ed. degree in conjunction with the Ed.S. degree, all course requirements in the M.Ed. degree program must be successfully completed at Kent State University prior to matriculating into the Ed.S. degree. Students seeking an Ed.S. degree who have not completed the M.Ed. degree at Kent State University must first apply to the M.Ed. degree in School Psychology. Students' applications to the M.Ed. degree will be reviewed simultaneously for admission into the Ed.S. degree. If admitted, students will matriculate into the Ed.S. degree following the successful completion of the M.Ed. degree within the first year. Program faculty will consider both academic performance and professional deportment considerations in making the final decision to matriculate students into the Ed.S. degree at that time.

²

International applicants who do not meet the above test scores will not be considered for admission.

Application Deadlines

• Fall Semester
  • Priority deadlines: January 15 and May 1
    Applications submitted by January 15 will be considered for interviews taking place during the spring semester. If admitted, students may begin coursework during either the summer or fall semester.
    Applications submitted by May 1 will be considered for interviews taking place during the summer. If admitted, students may begin coursework during the fall semester.
• Spring Semester
  • Priority deadline: October 1
    Applications submitted by October 1 will be considered for interviews taking place during the fall semester. If admitted, students may begin coursework during the spring semester.
• Summer Term
  • Priority deadline: January 15
    Applications submitted by January 15 will be considered for interviews taking place during the spring semester. If admitted, students may begin coursework during either the summer or fall semester.

Program Requirements

Major Requirements

¹

Students must complete SPSY 67792 for two semesters, 3 credit hours each.

²

SPSY 67991 is required for students who complete an internship in the State of Ohio. If taken, students must complete two semesters, 3 credit hours each, for a total of 6 credit hours. All other students complete 6 credits of faculty-approved coursework.

³

Student must complete SPSY 67992 for two semesters, 6 credit hours each. Students are required to undertake an academic year of internship under supervision of the faculty and a qualified school psychologist in public schools. Course requirements need to be successfully completed prior to the internship.

Progression Requirement

• Students who earn a C+ grade or lower or a “U” (Unsatisfactory) in any course for the degree must repeat the course for a better grade.

Practicum and Internship Readiness

• Readiness will be determine by program faculty based on meeting various program expectations, including overall successful academic performance, meeting program standards and guidelines for professional deportment. Because the courses below involves contact with vulnerable populations (e.g., children with disabilities), the program will determine if prospective students are prepared for these courses based on prospective student academic performance and the non-academic professional expectations of the program.
  • SPSY 67792
  • SPSY 67991
  • SPSY 67992
  • SPSY 77792
  • SPSY 77991
  • SPSY 77992

Program Standards and Professional Conduct

The Ed.S.. degree in School Psychology is a professional graduate training program wherein students come into contact with vulnerable client populations. Accordingly, in addition to monitoring students’ coursework performance in terms of academic grades, program faculty also review students’ professional deportment throughout the duration of the program. This review is guided by the ethical principles and professional standards of both the American Psychological Association (APA) and the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP).

Professional functioning is evaluated across multiple domains that reflect these ethical frameworks. These include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Personal and interpersonal functioning
• Commitment to the profession
• Ethics and integrity
• Sensitivity to client issues
• Use of supervision

Some students may not be able to continue in or complete the program should the program faculty determine that, despite acceptable grades, they cannot consistently align with the non-academic professional expectations of the program.

Graduation Requirements

• Grades below B- (or Unsatisfactory grades) are not counted toward completion of requirements for the degree.
• Upon admission to the Ed.S. degree, students will be assigned an advisor.
• Annual State/Federal background checks are required for all field-based experiences.

Licensure Information

Candidates seeking School Psychologist licensure are required to pass the ETS Praxis II School Psychologist test or the domain specific School Psychology Ohio Assessment for Educators test.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

1. Demonstrate knowledge and skills associated with the National Association of School Psychologists' (NASP) Domains of School Psychology Training and Practice, which allows them to gain the credential of 'school psychologist' at the state and national levels (i.e., through both the Ohio Department of Education and NASP's national certification program [Nationally Certified School Psychologist, NCSP]).
2. Demonstrate positive impact on students in applied settings as related to assessment, planning/supports and implementation of interventions related to academic and behavioral needs as identified by key stakeholders in a variety of internship placement settings (i.e., within public schools).

Full Description

The Educational Specialist degree in School Psychology is committed to a scientist-practitioner model of training, which conceptualizes school psychologists as data-oriented problem solvers. The program operates from an eco-behavioral orientation and emphasizes the delivery of school psychological services from a consultative framework to prevent and remediate learning, behavioral and social-emotional concerns in individuals from birth to 22 years.

Students in the program gain competencies, not only in the provision of services to individual children in schools, but also in the promotion and implementation of systemic educational reform. Graduates of the Ed.S. degree are highly prepared to be leaders and innovators of comprehensive support services in a variety of educational settings.

Students who do not hold a master's degree in school psychology from Kent State University must apply to the M.Ed. degree in School Psychology. After successfully completing the M.Ed. degree, students may then matriculate into the Ed.S. degree.

Professional Licensure Disclosure

This program is designed to prepare students to sit for applicable licensure or certification in Ohio. If you plan to pursue licensure or certification in a state other than Ohio, please review state educational requirements for licensure or certification and contact information for state licensing boards at Kent State's website for professional licensure disclosure.