PhD in School and Health Service Psychology

School Psychology PhD

Academics

The School and Health Service Psychology Doctoral Program

The program is a 99-hour program that provides primary training in school psychology while also preparing students for clinical/counseling practice. It adopts an integrated training approach that combines assessment and intervention strategies to better understand human behavior when working with children, youth, adults and families.

Program Aims:

  • To prepare psychologists who are knowledgeable and skilled in the health service specialty areas of school and clinical/ counseling psychology.
  • To equip psychologists to deliver evidence-based clinical services effectively.
  • To train psychologists who are competent in research. 

In achieving its aims, the program implements a thoughtful and coherent plan for producing ethical, responsible, and competent psychologists who employ scientific knowledge and critical and creative problem-solving methods. The program also provides graduates with relevant knowledge and experiences about the role of cultural and individual differences in psychological phenomena as they relate to the science and practice of health service psychology.

Graduate Program Characteristics

Acceptance Rates

The program accepts 8-10 students per year and maintains an enrollment of 35-42 students. The average number of degrees awarded per year is 6-8, a trend that has been increasing over the past 4 years.

Student Body Composition

Racial/ethnic minority enrollment is currently approximately 50% of the total doctoral enrollment in the School and Health Service Psychology program. There has been a consistent number of individuals identifying as Latino, Black, two or more races, and/or as international students since 2021. Currently, about 80% of the students are female. Students come from diverse socioeconomic and geographic backgrounds, and most enrolled students hold bachelor's or master's degrees in psychology or education.

Time to Completion

Although the time limit for completing the doctoral degree is 10 years, the School and Health Service Psychology Doctoral Program strongly encourages full-time students to complete their doctoral program within 5 years of acceptance. Students accepted under advanced placement can complete the program within 4 years.

Employment

All graduates within one year of graduation are currently employed by public schools, private practices and/or universities. Based on a survey completed by graduates from 2020-2025, all graduates are currently employed in the field. Five (5) are employed at K-12 campuses, five (5) work in private practice, one (1) in a college/university setting, one (1) in a combined K-12 campus and private practice, and one (1) in a combined college/university and private practice. All graduates within the last 4 years hold a License of School Psychology (LSP) in Texas. The majority are also Provisionally Licensed Psychologists (PLP) in Texas, and two have secured the Licensed Psychologist (LP) status. Salary ranges were between $61,000 and $100,000 per year.

Accreditation

The PhD in School and Health Service Psychology is not currently accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA). The program is actively engaged in the accreditation process and is seeking APA accreditation. Applying for or seeking accreditation does not guarantee that accreditation will be granted.

Graduate Assistantships

The School and Health Service Psychology Doctoral program provides 16 assistantships for qualified graduate students. Graduate assistantships in the School and Health Service Psychology Doctoral program require assisting in research and/or teaching, or assisting with undergraduate courses. Graduate assistantships require 20 hours of work per week. A 20-hour assistantship carries a stipend of $21,225 for 9 months of employment (fall and spring semesters), but stipends vary by assignment and the applicant's educational level.

To be considered for a graduate assistantship, applicants must indicate when accepted into the program. Graduate assistantship positions are competitive (e.g., there are typically more students than assistantship slots) and are not guaranteed with an offer of admission.

Application Requirements

The following are the minimum core requirements to apply to the PhD Program:

  • Completion of a bachelor’s degree in psychology or closely related field from an accredited college or university verified by submission of undergraduate transcripts, with a minimum 3.0 undergraduate GPA.
  • Applicants with completed graduate course work should submit graduate transcripts with a minimum 3.25 GPA. Applicants with master’s degrees in Health Service Psychology areas could be eligible for advancement placement (see below).
  • The most competitive undergraduate juniors in psychology or psychology-related fields may apply for early admission to the PhD program through the SFA Overlap Program.
  • Three letters of recommendation from academic faculty and/or work supervisors who can evaluate the applicant’s qualifications for graduate study.
  • A statement of interest in the program, including a description of how the program fits with the applicant’s long-term career goals.
  • Current resume or curriculum vitae.
  • Completion of a livestream interview with the program faculty.
  • Submission of a “live” written sample.

Applicants are not required to submit Graduate Record Examinations, or GRE, results as part of the admissions packet 

Advanced Placement

A select number of students may qualify for advanced placement, which requires them to complete 72 semester hours, including the full-time academic-year internship.  

To qualify for this track, students must:  

  • Hold a master's degree in School, Clinical, or Counseling Psychology from a regionally accredited institution. 
  • Grades of B or better on ALL graduate-level courses:
    • Introduction to a health service psychology area (i.e., School, Clinical or Counseling Psychology) - 3 credit hours
    • Abnormal Psychology or Psychopathology - 3 credit hours
    • Assessment - 6 credit hours
    • Ethical and legal standards - 3 credit hours
    • Individual and cultural diversity - 3 credit hours
    • Intervention (e.g., therapy, counseling, ABA, etc.) - 6 credit hours
    • Supervised practical/internship (at least 300 hours).

Resources

How to Apply

You will need to submit:

  • 3 letters of recommendation.
  • A personal statement with the following prompt:
    • "Please provide a narrative piece describing how your character and experiences have formed you into someone who will contribute positively and effectively to school and professional psychology. In this essay, please explain social, educational, cultural, and economic obstacles you have overcome in your journey to get to where you are today and your future objectives.”
  • Curriculum vitae that describes degrees and previous experiences in the field of psychology and education.
  • Application deadline is March 1, 2027.

Residency and Class Schedule

Each student must enroll as a full-time student, taking at least 9 credit hours each fall and spring semester and 6 credit hours during the summer. Most courses are conducted face-to-face and require the instructor and students to be present in the same room for lectures and practices. During the fall and spring semesters, these face-to-face classes are typically scheduled on Mondays from 9 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. to increase student interaction and accommodate working students or those commuting from nearby areas. Summer courses may be offered fully online, via livestream, or in hybrid formats.

Program Contact:

Email: PHDSPSY@sfasu.edu
Office: 936.468.2906