School Psychology - Graduate Certificate

Program Description

The Graduate Certificate in School Psychology is a post-master's certificate designed for those who have completed graduate degrees in some area of psychology or counseling and who require no more than 15 credit hours of additional specialized training to meet the licensure requirements to practice as a school psychologist. Students who are interested in School Psychology but have not completed a graduate degree in psychology or counseling should apply to the 62-hour M.Ed. in Educational Psychology with the School Psychology Concentration.

This certificate does not represent licensure or certification in school psychology. It is intended to supplement an existing graduate degree. Individuals who have less than 45 hours of graduate coursework are ineligible for the school psychology graduate certificate.

• Certificate Program Handbook
• Certificate Program FAQ
• Certificate Planning for Licensure Requirements Form
• Field Placement Handbook

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Career Opportunities With This Certificate

The Graduate Certificate in School Psychology alone is insufficient to apply for licensure as a school psychologist. Instead, it is intended to provide supplemental coursework for individuals who have an advanced degree in another discipline, related to psychology or counseling, and are interested in respecializing in school psychology. Students must have an advanced degree consisting of at least 45 graduate hours to be eligible for the certificate and licensure. 

How Do I Become A School Psychologist?

The Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists (TSBEP) licenses school psychologists in the State of Texas as Licensed School Psychologists (LSP). Licensure can be obtained with a graduate degree in psychology, or related discipline when combined with a graduate certificate in school psychology, with the completion of at least 60 hours, including a practicum and internship in school psychology. The Texas licensure requirements can be found on the TSBEP website. Information on licensing and credentialing requirements in other states can be found at NASP's website.

About the Program

The Graduate Certificate in School Psychology is a unique option for individuals to respecialize in school psychology. While the certificate option is attractive for many individuals who already work in public education, most require more coursework than they realize in order to meet the licensing requirements to become a school psychologist. This program is most appropriate for individuals who have a graduate degree in psychology or professional counseling and have already taken several foundational courses in psychology. 

Upon acceptance into the certificate program, each student will receive an individualized plan indicating which courses they need to meet the licensure requirements. Certificate students follow the same course sequence as the school psychology master’s-level students, but they only enroll in courses on their individual plan. Although the certificate consists of 15 hours, courses are spread across three years because of the practicum and internship requirements. 

Applying to the Program

The school psychology program uses a cohort model and only accepts applications for the fall semesters. Applications for the next fall semester are available from October 1 through March 15.

The application is available through the online application portal on the Graduate School website. There, you will create an application and upload the required application materials. You can check the status of your application within the same portal. Please upload the following materials to your application:

• Statement of Purpose to include the prospective student’s
  • Learning goals
  • Career goals
  • Prior experience working in education and school settings
  • Prior experience working with children
  • Prior experience working with special populations
  • Special skills, knowledge base, and/or abilities 
• Curriculum Vitae (or résumé)
  
  • Educational background
  • Specialized training and licensure/certifications
  • Work experience
  • Conference presentations
  • Awards, fellowships, and scholarships
• Writing Sample
  
  • Sample publication
  • Section of research paper or proposal
  • De-identified professional writing sample other than an FIE
• GRE scores 
  
  • TTU Graduate School has made the GRE optional through Fall 2026
  • If you have them, official scores must be sent from ETS to TTU
  • Must be no older than 5 years. No cut point is set for scores. 
• Transcripts 
  
  • Unofficial transcripts from all institutions attended should be submitted, including TTU. 
  • No cutoff has been set for the GPA in order to be reviewed. Students with an undergraduate Grade Point Average (GPA) below 3.00 or graduate Grade Point Average below 3.50 are encouraged to provide an explanation in their Statement of Purpose
• Three letters of recommendation  
  
  • The three recommenders should include individuals with knowledge of the prospective student’s academic performance and their experience working in education, in school settings, and/or with children 

Financial Aid

Students only enrolled in non-degree-seeking programs are ineligible for federal financial aid.

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schoolpsychology.educ@ttu.edu

Faculty and Coordinators