Program of Study for the Masters and Specialist Degrees

The Specialist degree program offered through the Miami University School Psychology program is a three-year, 74-semester hour program, designed specifically to meet NASP/CAEP accreditation standards and to lead to state and national credentialing as a school psychologist.

Students obtain a Master’s of Science degree at the completion of the first year of study and comprehensive examinations. The Specialist in Education degree is awarded after the student successfully completes the internship year, passes the Praxis Exam, and successfully defends their small group research project.

After completion of the first full academic year of study (31 credit hours, which includes summer coursework required after the first two semesters of study), students are eligible to receive the Master’s of Science degree that is awarded in August. Because there is no August commencement ceremony, students may apply to "walk" at commencement in either May or December, although their degree will be awarded in August.

A Master’s Comprehensive Examination for the M.S. degree is required in addition to the 31 credit hours of coursework, and is scheduled immediately following the first Spring semester.

Application for receiving the M.S. degree needs to be completed in two places:

1. Students must register with the Commencement Office by the end of the Spring Semester
2. Students must work with their academic advisor to complete the required graduation paperwork (e.g., M-1 form). Each student will obtain signatures on the required form and submit paperwork to the EDP office (edp@MiamiOH.edu) no later than the end of June. You can locate dates on the Steps to Graduation page on the Graduate School's website to be aware of any changes.

The Master’s Comprehensive Examination takes place in June after the summer of Year 1. The exam covers foundational areas in the school psychology program and is designed to allow students to integrate and apply knowledge from classes and field experiences. Students must pass their Comprehensive Exams to graduate with the MS degree.

The program coordinator provides guidance prior to the exam date, typically in the winter of Year 1. Individual professors and/or the program coordinator will provide more information to students about test preparation, the exam questions, submitting the take-home essays, and the grading system. Each exam question is scored anonymously by two faculty raters. Faculty meet with students individually over the summer, following exam grades being released, for a first-year check in - we call this process the First Year Review meeting.

Students are enrolled in the Specialist in Education (EdS) coursework upon graduation with the MS degree. EdS coursework takes place in years 2 and 3 and includes an additional 43 credit hours for a total of 74 credit hours. Please see the Course Sequence for more information.

Students must complete the Small Group Research project requirement, as well as pass the Praxis Exam #5403 to receive the EdS degree.

The anticipated EdS degree graduation is in August following the internship year. Because there is no August commencement ceremony, students may apply to "walk" at commencement in either May or December, although their degree will be awarded in August.

After completion of the supervised internship with 1200+ hours (end of the third year) and a passing score on the Praxis School Psychology exam, students apply to become a Licensed School Psychologist through the Ohio Board of Psychology, which allows for employment as a school psychologist within Ohio. Graduates are also eligible to apply to become a Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP). The NCSP credential indicates completion of a program that meets national standards and increases the likelihood of certification in other states.