Aim 1: Scholarship and Inquiry. To train future school psychologists to understand and apply scientific methods, so that they may be competent and critical consumers, producers, and distributors of psychological research and utilize research to inform practice.

Students will demonstrate integrative knowledge of, and competency to understand, plan, undertake, and disseminate quality research in the field.

Students will acquire and use advanced skills important for scientific inquiry, such as research design, statistics, and measurement.

Students will conduct and disseminate research to national/local audiences, and through submission of their work for publication consideration.

Students will demonstrate knowledge of, and skills in applying research within their practice.

Aim 2: Evidence-based Psychological and Educational Service Delivery. To train future school psychologists to use collaborative problem-solving to provide evidence-based psychological and educational services to children, families, and systems.

Assessment. Students will have the assessment skills, including selection, application, interpretation, and communication of assessments (cognitive, academic, social, emotional, and behavioral) necessary for competent delivery of professional services.

Intervention. Students will have the intervention skills, including selection, application, interpretation, and communication of interventions (academic, social, emotional, and behavioral) necessary for competent delivery of professional services.

Data-based Decision-making. Students will demonstrate knowledge and competence to design, implement, and evaluate services and programs through data-based decision making to inform their practice.

Supervision. Students will have the knowledge of supervision practices and basic supervision skills.

Consultation and interprofessional/interdisciplinary skills. Students will have the knowledge of consultation practices, and the consultation skills necessary for competent delivery of professional services.

Aim 3: Professional, Ethical, and Legal Practice. To train future school psychologists in the importance of demonstrating behaviors associated with high levels of professional, ethical, and legal practice across a variety of settings.

Students will demonstrate knowledge of, and skills in applying legal and ethical standards within practice and research.

Students will demonstrate knowledge of, and skills in the area of professional practice.

Students will behave in ways that reflect the values and attitudes of psychology and respond to increasingly complex situations with greater independence across training.

Students will engage in self-reflection regarding one’s personal and professional functioning to engage in continuous improvement of professional effectiveness and personal well-being.

Students will demonstrate effective communication and other interpersonal skills to develop and maintain professional relationships with a wide range of individuals.

Students will demonstrate a grasp of professional language and concepts through producing and comprehending oral, nonverbal, and written communication.

Aim 4: Individual and Cultural Diversity.  To train future school psychologists to have the knowledge, skills, and awareness of individual and cultural diversity in their professional roles and activities, and to integrate such knowledge, skills, and awareness in psychological and educational service delivery

Students will demonstrate knowledge, skills, and awareness of cultural diversity as well as demonstrate cultural humility when providing assessment and intervention services.

Students will demonstrate knowledge, skills, and awareness of cultural diversity as well as demonstrate cultural humility when providing consultation and working in interdisciplinary/interprofessional teams.

Students will demonstrate knowledge, skills, and awareness of cultural diversity as well as demonstrate cultural humility in the provision of supervision practices and basic supervision skills.

Core Courses

• PSYX 500 History & Systems in Psychology: Offered every spring
• PSYX 537 Psychological Evaluation of Children: Offered fall, even years
• PSYX 540 Advanced Developmental: Offered every spring
• PSYX 550 Advanced Social Psychology: Offered spring, odd years
• PSYX 565 Advanced Cognition: Offered spring
• PSYX 571 Adv Physiological Psychology: Offered fall, even years
• PSYX 631 Seminar: Clinical Interventions: Offered every semester, varying topics/instructors
• PSYX 632 Special Topics:  Advanced Multicultural Psychology: Offered either fall or spring semester
• PSYX 680 Consultation & Supervision: Offered spring, even years
• COUN 520 Group Counseling & Guidance: Offered every spring
• EDSP 462 Special Education Law & Policy:  Check  EDSP for availability

Elective Course

• PSYX 512 Clinical Field Experience: Offered every semester
• PSYX 526 Psych Eval II:  Objective Approaches & Applications: Offered every spring
• PSYX 532 Adv Psychopathology: Offered every fall
• PSYX 551 Adv Personality: Offered fall, odd years
• COUN 650 Pedagogy and the Professoriate: Check COUN for availability

School-based Practicum

• Practicum and field work experiences in K-12 settings in Missoula and surrounding areas
• Students are immersed in school culture and operation and are familiarized with the roles and functions of school staff (e.g., principal, speech therapists, teachers, social workers)
• Students observe in the classrooms, conduct intervention team meetings, and participate in interdisciplinary team meetings
• Students conduct academic, cognitive, and behavioral assessments
• Students consult with teachers and staff on children’s mental health and learning
• Students implement evidence-based academic interventions
• An emphasis on working with children and families from diverse socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds

On-campus Practicum | Clinical Psychology Center

• Students see clients at our on-campus training clinic, the Clinical Psychology Center
• Students gain experience in behavioral assessment, consultation, manualized and modular treatment packages, and function-based interventions
• Students develop skills in behavioral interviewing, case conceptualization, treatment planning, psychotherapy, progress monitoring, consultation, and writing clinical notes and reports
• Supervision provided by clinical and school faculty

Additional Practicum Opportunities

• Clinical placements serving community mental health needs, e.g., Youth Homes, Missoula County Healthy Relationships Project
• Collaborative work with Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders RiteCare Clinic conducting assessments and using evidence-based interventions for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders
• Opportunities to conduct comprehensive psychological evaluations and facilitate interest-based therapy groups, parent management training through the Clinical Psychological Center

• Students are required to participate in the APPIC Match Process and complete a 2000-hour doctoral internship at an APA-accredited site
• Past Internship placements