Thomas Fagan, Ph.D.
Director of School Psychology

Welcome to the School Psychology Programs website. There are two programs in school psychology. The Master of Arts/Educational Specialist degrees program is designed for persons seeking non-doctoral preparation for practice as a school psychologist, primarily in public school settings. Students complete the MA degree of 36 semester hours and then enter the EdS degree level for an additional 30 semester hours including an internship. The MA/EdS program is jointly sponsored by the Department of Psychology and the College of Education, Health and Human Sciences, and usually takes three years to complete. Graduates obtain a credential to practice as a school psychologist from the Tennessee State Department of Education or similar agency in other states. More than 120 program graduates now serve as school psychologists in the Mid-South Region and across the United States. The program is approved by the National Association of School Psychologists and formally accredited as part of the education unit at the University of Memphis by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education.

The Master of Science/Doctor of Philosophy degree program is designed to prepare students for various school psychology roles in public school and community settings and for academic careers. The program includes most of the course content of the Master of Arts/Educational Specialist degree program, but it has a stronger emphasis on statistics, research design, and scientific thinking and requires advanced courses in assessment, consultation, and intervention and advanced practicum experiences. Supervised teaching experiences are also provided. A year-long pre-doctoral internship is required. The combined degree program requires at least 103 semester hours and is usually completed over a five-year period. Graduates are employed in public and private schools, developmental disabilities and medical centers, and academic positions in AZ, GA, HI, IL, LA, NC, TN, and TX. The program is identified as a Designated Psychology Program according to the criteria of the National Register of Health Services Providers in Psychology and Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards, and students are successful in obtaining APA-approved internships. The School Psychology Program is currently preparing its application for APA accreditation, and anticipates submission of its self-study document during the 2012-2013 school year. Information about the APA accreditation process can be found by contacting the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association at the Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation; 750 First Street, NE; Washington, DC  20002-4242; Phone: 202-336-5979 ; and TDD/TTY: 202-336-6123. The Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association’s website is at http://www.apa.org/ed/accreditation/

The Graduate Catalog also has important details about the program and admission requirements. More information about School Psychology faculty can be found by clicking the links below.

Thomas Fagan, Ph.D.
Randy Floyd, Ph.D.
Beth Meisinger, Ph.D