Overview
NSU Helps Prepare Compassionate Professionals for the Challenge of Working on the Front Lines as School Psychologists
Participants in the Psy.S. program come from both traditional and nontraditional student backgrounds. Many are already employed in various positions in education, psychology, healthcare, or a similar field, and pursue the Psy.S. degree as means of furthering a personal and professional commitment to the young people of today, who are tomorrow's leaders. The particular issues of adolescents and young adults are compounded in a scholastic setting, and the impact of trained school psychologists in resolving student problems and helping them achieve is reflected in both their personal and scholastic success.
Nova Southeastern University -- a private, coeducational research university located on three Florida campuses -- is the largest independent institution of higher education in the southeastern U.S., the sixth-largest non-profit independent university in the nation, and has Educational Service Centers (Miami, Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville, and West Palm Beach). Nova also offers courses online in a sophisticated distance-learning program, and has produced over 110,000 alumni since its founding in 1964.
NSU's 18 colleges and schools offer in excess of 175 programs of study with more than 250 majors and award professional degrees in law, business, osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, optometry, nursing, and the field of psychological studies.
Graduate student applicants are required to present evidence of scholastic ability, serious interest in psychology and counseling, personal stability, and strong, responsible character. Minimum requirements include a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution. Students may seek admission to main campus programs for fall, winter, or summer sessions. Studies undertaken in NSU's "field-based clusters" start on various dates, with flexible schedules.
NSU's Specialist in School Psychology (Psy.S.) Program Fills the Gap in American Schools' Need for These Professionals
The specialist in school psychology (Psy.S.) program at Nova Southeastern University was developed as a response to the national need for school psychologists. As increased public attention raised awareness of the important role that psychologists play in the nation's schools, NSU designed this particular specialist program to fill the gap.
Designed to meet NASP (National Association of School Psychologists) Standards for Training Programs in School Psychology, as well as the current educational requirements of the Florida Department of Education, the program leads to certification and licensure as a school psychologist under Chapter 490, Florida Statutes.
The program is composed of 79 semester hours over three years of coursework (including two practica) and a one-year internship, for a total of four years. The program schedule is designed for working professionals, with courses offered primarily on weekends and evenings. However, since a full-time, 30-week, 40-hour-a-week internship is required, participants must plan for this requirement and make the proper arrangements in advance. This program is offered on the main campus and at NSU Student Educational Centers in Jacksonville, Tampa, and West Palm Beach, Florida.
Psy.S. Students Benefit from the Dedicated Faculty and a Wide Array of Experimental and Applied Research Enterprises
The Psy.S. program is offered by the Center for Psychological Studies, a graduate school that is enriched by more than 30 nationally renowned full-time faculty members. The relationships that the faculty members develop with Psy.S. students are critical to the development of the student's professional demeanor and character. In addition to a diverse faculty, Nova Southeastern has an intellectually and culturally diverse student body as well.
Students benefit tremendously from the leading-edge expertise of four full-time faculty whose primary interests are in the field of school psychology, in addition to having access to the other full-time faculty members. Several core part-time and adjunct teachers work as private practitioners, school counseling staff, and administrators. Faculty members, in addition to training students to provide care and treatment for those with psychological problems, are equally committed to both experimental and applied research.
Of primary importance is the hands-on training within the center's own non-profit outpatient mental health facility (and other local facilities), which is supplemented by a variety of clinical training and research endeavors. Like all Center for Psychological Studies programs, the Psy.S. courses are led by teachers, researchers, and scientists that are committed to providing the highest-quality educational experience to current and future psychologists and other mental health professionals.
These innovative, intimate training experiences provide students with a sophisticated understanding of psychological research and the delivery of the highest-quality mental health care. The faculty's commitment to training in the area of psychological research and treatment for emotional and psychological problems confronts one of the major challenges in modern life. Few problems place as many demands on our collective human wisdom and expertise as adjusting to an ever-changing world. NSU's programs teach school psychologists to provide a range of psychological care options to the specific spectrum of people -- the young people in school -- that they serve.
Nova's Psy.S. program, like all of them in the Center for Psychological Studies, seeks to create advances in clinical training, research, and service for delivering the psychological services of tomorrow.
Research Efforts Continue to Provide Learning Opportunities, and Students Have Access to First-Rate Tools
There are numerous areas of research in which the Center for Psychological Studies is currently engaged, and the center is uniquely organized so that a single faculty, full-time and adjunct, services all programs. Access to every specialty interest and the clinical skills of the full-time faculty members is possible for all students, further expanding and enriching the educational experience.
Research is supported by extensive state-of-the-art computer facilities, including mainframes, workstations, and microcomputers (desktops and laptops). A variety of methodological, statistical, and computing consultations are available to faculty members and students undertaking research or related coursework. Finally, all students have access to hundreds of databases and online resources, regardless of location, through the university's fully networked electronic library.
