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School Psychology
Masters in School Psychology
Uniquely qualified to support both students’ ability to learn and teachers’ ability to educate, school psychologists are important members of virtually every learning environment. The Master of Science (MS) in School Psychology degree program provides learners with the basic training and building blocks to learn how to conduct assessments and interventions, as well as support student’s academic, behavioral and mental health.
Completion of the school psychology master’s degree alone is not intended to adequately prepare learners to be eligible to sit for a licensure or certification exam as a school psychologist. Learners who are interested in pursuing state or national certification as a school psychologist should also complete a Capella EdS in School Psychology or PsyD in School Psychology.*
* It is important to understand all educational and individual requirements for licensing. Capella University cannot guarantee licensure, certification, or endorsement. State regulations vary regarding professional licensure. It is your responsibility to understand and comply with requirements for your state. Review Professional Licensure Disclosures by state for this program here.
Classes start January 10
Use the code WINTER to waive the $50 application fee.
At a Glance
- Online and in-person
- GuidedPath
- 11 courses
- 20 max transfer credits
- 53 total credits
Reduce your tuition by $2,500
Enroll in a qualified program and apply for a $2.5K Capella Progress Reward, a scholarship to help fund your master’s degree. Eligibility rules and exclusions apply. Connect with us for details.
Admission requirements
Applicants to the MS in School Psychology program must provide the following information for admission:
- A bachelor’s degree from an institution accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, or from an internationally recognized institution
- Your official bachelor's transcripts, with a grade point average of 2.7 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
- Official transcripts from all previous educational institutions, including any graduate or professional school coursework
- A goal statement
- Two letters of recommendation completed by professionals who can assess your aptitude for graduate education in school psychology
- Your resume or curriculum vitae (CV)
- A valid, government-issued form of photo identification
- A $50 nonrefundable application fee, required at the time of application, to cover transcript requests, transcript evaluation and other administrative costs
GRE and GMAT are not required for admission.
International student requirements
If you completed your most recent academic coursework, degree or credential at an institution outside the United States, regardless of citizenship or where you currently live, you are considered an international applicant.
- Minimum score on acceptable test for proof of English proficiency
- Transcript evaluation
Learn more about international student admissions.
Perhaps your career path and interests are leading you toward preparing to pursue for state or national certification as a school psychologist. Capella’s MS in School Psychology paired with the EdS in School Psychology may be a pathway for you.
To help you complete the programs, they are both offered in our GuidedPath learning structure, a more structured learning format with an active peer community and faculty guidance.
- Based on the quarter system; 1–3 courses per 10-week quarter
- 1 semester credit = 1.5 quarter credits
- Weekly assignments and courseroom discussions
- Pay for what you take, price varies by courseload or term
- Admissions into the MS in School Psychology program does not guarantee admissions to the EdS in School Psychology program
$32,670 - $52,470*
Max transfer credits – Average transfer credits
$495 per credit
View EdS in School Psychology full program details »
*This is only an estimate, using general program pricing, and it does not include fees (including travel expenses for residencies, practicum, application and resource kit fees, etc., are not included in the estimate). Your price may be higher or lower depending on your specialization, transfer credits, and tuition discounts. If transfer credits are allowed in this offering, the prices above show what you would pay if you brought in the average number of transfer credits and the price if you brought in the maximum allowed transfer credits.
A structured learning format with an active peer community and faculty guidance. We’ll set the schedule, you meet the deadlines.
- Based on the quarter system; 1–3 courses per 10-week quarter
- 1 semester credit = 1.5 quarter credits
- Weekly assignments and courseroom discussions
- Pay for what you take, price varies by courseload or term
$16,335–$26,235*
MAX TRANSFER CREDITS–AVERAGE TRANSFER CREDITS
$495 per credit, 53 total quarter credits, 20 max transfer credits
*This is only an estimate, using general program pricing, and it does not include fees (including travel expenses for residencies, practicum, application and resource kit fees, etc., are not included in the estimate). Your price may be higher or lower depending on your specialization, transfer credits and tuition discounts. If transfer credits are allowed in this offering, the prices above show what you would pay if you brought in the average number of transfer credits and the price if you brought in the maximum allowed transfer credits.
Questions about cost?
Contact an enrollment counselor.
| PSY6000 |
Foundations of Practice for School Psychology Learners
In this course, learners gain an understanding of the School Psychology specialization and the standards developed for the field by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). Learners formulate a plan to meet program and state requirements for clinical training, including certification and licensure requirements; ethics and professional standards, including the NASP practice domains; and the specialization's course requirements and residency sequence. Learners also assess school psychology skills, identify networking opportunities, and develop a professional portfolio. For MS and EdS in School Psychology learners only. Must be taken during the learner’s first quarter. Cannot be fulfilled by transfer. |
5 quarter credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSY6095 |
Theories of Counseling and Psychotherapy
This course provides an overview of foundational counseling and psychotherapy theories and research-based practice. Throughout the course, learners examine various schools of therapeutic intervention; their underlying theoretical assumptions; and their historical, cultural, and ethical context, with an emphasis on the application of current theory in a variety of clinical populations. |
5 quarter credits |
| PSY7233 * |
Psychological Assessments for School Psychologists 1
In this course, learners develop the skills needed to correctly administer, score, and interpret norm referenced intelligence tests (verbal and non-verbal) while simultaneously considering various diagnostic issues present within multiculturally diverse school populations and reflecting the established standards of educational and psychological testing. Learners examine measurement and measurement tools, including instruments used to assess cognitive function and intelligence; synthesize norm-referenced assessments with observational assessments to develop recommendations for research-supported interventions; and create audience-appropriate psychological reports. For MS, EdS, and PsyD in School Psychology learners only. Test kits are required and are available for loan at psytestkits@capella.edu. Prerequisite(s): PSY7610. |
5 quarter credits |
| PSY-V6002 |
Response to Intervention and Functional Behavior Assessment
Learners in this residency gain skills and techniques related to Response to Intervention (RTI) introduced as an authority in the identification of specific learning disabilities in the Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA). Learners build skills to implement the RTI framework in local and state education agencies. Learners also examine and practice skills related to the RTI components for screening students, monitoring student progress, providing evidence-based interventions, and identifying students with special learning needs in a collaborative approach. Learners practice identifying appropriate circumstances and steps for conducting a functional behavioral assessment (FBA), developing the behavior intervention plan (BIP) and identifying the individual components of an FBA and BIP, including reviewing standardized assessment measures and completing FBA and BIP forms. Learners gain skills in synthesizing and interpreting case study data, and integrate and summarize this data, orally and in writing, to provide important feedback to school personnel about a student’s challenging behaviors. Grading for this course is S/NS. Prerequisite(s): PSY7234 and PSY-R6000. Concurrent registration in PSY5063 recommended. Cannot be fulfilled by transfer. |
4 quarter credits |
*Course has prerequisite(s). See catalog for details.
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See all our accreditations and recognitions.
Completion of Capella's MS in School Psychology program alone is not intended to adequately prepare learners to be eligible for licensure or certification as a school psychologist. MS in Psychology learners who are interested in pursuing state or national certification as a school psychologist should also complete a Capella EdS in School Psychology or PsyD in School Psychology.
It is important to understand all educational and individual requirements for licensing. Capella University cannot guarantee licensure, certification or endorsement. State regulations vary regarding professional licensure. It is your responsibility to understand and comply with requirements for your state. Review Professional Licensure Disclosures by state for this program.
Meet your School Psychology faculty
Our distinguished faculty members hold top credentials in their fields. They’re here to teach you critical knowledge and skills and to help enrich your education and career by bringing real-world relevance to the courseroom.
Ja'net M. Howard, PsyD, ABPP
Program Director
James Oyler, PhD
Core Faculty
Charletta Carter-McWoodson, Ph.D. NCSP, LSP
Core Faculty, School Psychology,
Psi Chi Faculty Advisor
Support to reach the finish line
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