North Carolina State University. School Psychology Program. Student Handbook. Prepared by NC State. School Psychology Program Faculty.

Transcription

1 School Psychology Student Handbook 1 North Carolina State University School Psychology Program Student Handbook Prepared by NC State School Psychology Program Faculty August, 2005

2 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page 2 Preface The contents of the Handbook apply to students entering the Program in Fall, Students admitted prior to this time are generally responsible for meeting the policies in place at the time they were admitted, although some policies may change during a student s matriculation at NC State. If you have questions about the applicability of a specific policy to you, please see me or your advisor/chair. This Handbook is just one resource that you will find helpful as you complete your degree program. To understand how the School Psychology Program and its requirements fit within a larger context, it is suggested that you use the Handbook in conjunction with the Psychology Department Graduate Handbook and the NC State Graduate Catalog. Please note that you can print this Handbook, but doing so will disable some of the hypermedia features of the document (e.g., jumping to sections in the Table of Contents or external links). In closing, the Program faculty trusts that you will find the enclosed information helpful as you complete the NC State School Psychology Program. Remember, we are here to help you meet your goals and this information will help you understand what you need to do, and when/how to do it. Jeffery P. Braden, PhD Professor of Psychology Program Director

3 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page 3 Table of Contents Description of the NC State School Psychology Program... 5 History... 5 Current Status... 5 Program Philosophy... 6 School Psychology Program Faculty... 6 The Phase I Curriculum... 7 The Phase II Curriculum... 8 Course Sequence for the Entire Program... 9 Evaluation of Prior Coursework Research Requirements Course Work Non-Course Related Research Requirements Expectations for Research Progress Thesis/Thesis equivalent Dissertation Clinical Training Professional Liability Insurance Coverage Bilingual Training Requirement Professional Services for Pay by Students Practica Professional Conduct Psychoeducational Clinic Practicum (Phase I) Cognitive-Behavioral Intervention Practicum (Phase I) School-based Practica (Phase I) Advanced Practica (Phase II) Supervisor Responsibilities University supervisor Site Supervisor Student Responsibilities Setting up the placement Documentation Tracking Practicum and Internship Hours Practica and Internship Placements that Occur During the Summer Predoctoral Internship Expectations and Planning for the Internship Experience Responsibilities of the Internship Site Supervisor Responsibilities of the University Supervisor Responsibilities of the Intern Obtaining Provisional Licensure from NCDPI for Internships Program Procedures and Processes Program Communications Student Progress Evaluation Obtaining North Carolina Residency for Tuition Purposes Student Representation at Faculty Meetings... 27

4 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page 4 Closing Comments Appendix A: Some Admonitions and Helpful Hints for Success in Thesis and Dissertations Appendix B: Erchul's Selected Tips for Mastering APA Editorial Style (5th ed.) Appendix C: Psychoeducational Clinic Practicum Appendix D: Practicum/Internship Timesheet Appendix E: Student Evaluation Form... 48

5 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page 5 History Description of the NC State School Psychology Program Graduate-level training in school psychology was established at North Carolina State University in the 1960s. Specifically, a master s program began in 1961, followed by a PhD program in The table below lists the tenure-track faculty associated with the Program since it became a PhD program in Faculty Member Joined NC State Left NC State Director John C. Begeny 2005 NA NA Jeffery P. Braden 2003 NA Harold M. Corter William P. Erchul 1984 NA Mary E. Haskett 1990 NA NA Patricia F. Horan NA Edith Kelsey NA Rachel F. Rawls NA Ann C. Schulte 1994 NA NA N. William Walker Current Status The NC State School Psychology Program is fully accredited by the American Psychological Association, the National Association of School Psychologists, and the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. (In addition, NC State s College of Education is fully accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.) The Program is composed of two phases. Completion of Phase I results in a MS degree leading to Level II school psychologist licensure in North Carolina; completion of Phase II results in a PhD degree and leads to North Carolina Level III school psychologist licensure. Graduates are also eligible for the nationally certified school psychologist (NCSP) credential and, with appropriate postdoctoral experience, for certification as health service provider psychologists in North Carolina and listing in the National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology. Students accepted into the Program are expected to complete both Phase I and Phase II. Program graduates have been employed primarily as psychologists in public schools and public and private diagnostic centers. Others have assumed leadership roles in research and academic institutions. Many graduates have settled in the southeastern U.S. and most of this group has remained in North Carolina. Other graduates have relocated to states such as Colorado, Iowa, and Wisconsin.

6 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page 6 Program Philosophy The aim of the NC State School Psychology Program is to develop behavioral scientists who apply their broad-based knowledge and skills to identify and solve psychological and educational problems in the schools and other settings in which children and adolescents actively participate. In addition to preparing professionals to intervene directly with children and adolescents, the Program emphasizes prevention through consultation and education activities with parents, teachers, and other caregiving adults. The Program's theoretical orientation is cognitive-behavioral within an ecological perspective, an emerging orientation that some have termed "ecobehavioral." With a student-to-faculty ratio of approximately 5:1, close working relationships between the Program's faculty and students are encouraged and expected. As one of five doctoral programs in the NC State University s Department of Psychology, the School Psychology Program provides training within the scientist-practitioner model. The scientist goal is met through an integration of practice, theory, and research in course content, readings, field experiences, and research requirements. The practitioner goal is met through supervised field experience in assessment, intervention, and consultation involving students, parents, teachers, school administrators, and other professionals. School Psychology Program Faculty Currently, there are six individuals whose primary or exclusive assignment is to the School Psychology Program. They are listed below: John C. Begeny, Assistant Professor of Psychology. PhD 2005, Syracuse University. Professional Interests: Academic Assessment, Academic Interventions, Teacher Training and Development, International School Psychology. ( ; [email protected]) Jeffery P. Braden, Professor of Psychology and Director of School Psychology Program. PhD, 1985, University of California-Berkeley. Professional Interests: Psychoeducational Assessment, School Psychology, Intelligence, Deafness. ( ; [email protected]) Patricia W. Collins, Psychoeducational Clinic Director, Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychology. PhD, 1988, North Carolina State University. Professional Interests: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Learning Disabilities, Fragile X Syndrome, Parent Education. ( ; [email protected]) William P. Erchul, Professor of Psychology. PhD, 1984, University of Texas at Austin. Professional Interests: Psychological Consultation, Social Power, Interpersonal Communication. ( ; [email protected]) Mary E. Haskett, Associate Professor of Psychology. PhD, 1988, Florida State University. Professional Interests: Child Maltreatment, Parenting Styles, Cognitive-Behavioral Interventions with Children and Families. ( ; [email protected])

7 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page 7 Ann C. Schulte, Professor of Psychology. PhD, 1983, University of Texas at Austin. Professional Interests: Learning Disabilities, School Consultation, School Reform. ( ; [email protected]) The Phase I Curriculum The Phase I curriculum was developed for students who enter the Program with a bachelor's degree in psychology or a graduate degree in an allied field. If you do not possess a bachelor s or master s degree in psychology, it is assumed that minimally you have completed courses in these six areas: Abnormal, Developmental, and Educational Psychology; Learning, Personality, and Statistics. If you lack any of these courses, you must make every effort to remove these deficiencies during year one. All Phase I courses (or equivalent, if taken at another university) are required of all students. You are expected to complete all Phase I requirements through full-time enrollment (i.e., at least 9 credits each semester). Courses to be completed during Phase I a Course Title Credits PSY 535 Tests and Measurements b 3 PSY 641 Psychoeducational Clinic Practicum 6 PSY 641 Practicum in the Schools 3 PSY 680 Research Problems in Psychology 1 PSY 695 Master s Thesis Research c 6 PSY 710 Developmental Psychopathology 3 PSY 710 Academic Assessment and Intervention 3 PSY 721 Seminar in School Psychology 3 PSY 722 Individual Intelligence Measurement 4 PSY 723 Socio-Emotional Assessment 3 PSY 724 Psychological Intervention 3 PSY 725 Child Behavior Therapy 3 PSY 727 Psychological Consultation 3 Various Developmental Psychology Course d 3 Various Multicultural Issues Course e 3 PSY 502 f Physiological Psychology 3 PSY 800 Introduction to Graduate Study 1 PSY 710 Quantitative Methods in Psychology 3 PSY 710 Multiple Regression Phase I Comprehensive Exam g -- [PSY 651 Internship h 12]

8 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page 8 Phase I Curriculum Footnotes: a Course availability information is based on trends observed over the past several years. Courses to be taught by Program faculty are projected over a 2-3 year period; check with your advisor/chair or the course instructor for updated scheduling information. b This requirement will be suspended for students entering Fall, c If you enter the Program having a master s degree, but one that did not include a databased thesis, you will need to complete a thesis equivalent as a Phase II requirement. d Developmental Psychology options include: PSY 584 Advanced Developmental Psychology PSY 782 Adolescent Development PSY 710 Advanced Child Psychology e Multicultural Issues options include: PSY 510 Multicultural Issues in Psychology ECD 525 Cross Cultural Counseling f Recommended choice or required course within Psychology Department s core curriculum (effective 5/00). Other course options are available, but generally will result in additional credits being taken. Check with your advisor/chair for more information. g Before entering Phase II, you must receive a score on the ETS/PRAXIS School Psychology Specialty Area Exam that meets or exceeds the current criterion for the NCSP (now 660). To obtain materials to register for the exam, call ETS at h Internship would be taken at the end of Phase I only by students who exit the Program at the MS level. All others will schedule their internship (PSY 851) at the end of Phase II. See information about the pre-doctoral internship later in the Handbook. Before entering Phase II, students must receive a score of 660 (the current National Certification in School Psychology criterion) or higher on the ETS/PRAXIS School Psychology Specialty Area Exam. When notified of a passing exam score by ETS, the student should forward a copy of the score summary to the Program Director. The Phase II Curriculum Phase II completes the Program and culminates in the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Psychology with an emphasis in School Psychology. If you are entering the Program with a degree in school psychology that contains courses equivalent to most of our Phase I requirements, you may enter at the Phase II level. (However, you must register for the Phase I coursework that has not been waived by the Program Director and/or Director of Graduate Programs in Psychology.) Phase II may be completed on a part-time basis provided the NC State residency requirement (full-time enrollment for one year) is fulfilled.

9 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page 9 Courses to be completed during Phase II a Course Title Credits PSY 792 Family Intervention 3 PSY 841 Teacher-Centered Services Practicum 3 PSY 841 Family Intervention Practicum 3 PSY 851 Internship (minimum 1500 clock hours) 12 PSY 895 Doctoral Dissertation Research 6 PSY 511 b Advanced Social Psychology 3 PSY 591 History and Systems of Psychology 3 PSY 508 b Cognitive Processes 3 Various b Research Design Course c 3 Phase II Curriculum Footnotes: a To help you meet credentialing standards set by many licensing boards, we require you to take one course in each of the following areas: biological, cognitive-affective, social, and individual differences. In the present curriculum, the requirements may be met as follows: biological, PSY 502 (Physiological Psychology); cognitive-affective, PSY 508 (Cognitive Processes); social, PSY 511 (Advanced Social Psychology); and individual differences, PSY 722 (Individual Intelligence Measurement). b Recommended course selection within Psychology Department s core curriculum (effective 5/00). Other course options are available, but generally will result in additional credits being taken. Check with your advisor/chair for more information. c Research Design course options include: PSY 752 Action Research in Psychology PSY 762 Quasi-Experimental Design Course Sequence for the Entire Program Because most courses unique to the School Psychology Program are offered every other year, the sequence in which students typically take courses varies for students admitted on even years vs. odd years. The table on the following page outlines the typical course sequence for students admitted in even years (down the right column) and odd years (down the left column). Therefore, for students admitted in Fall, 2005, the sequence down the left column should give you a good idea of what you need to take and when you need to take it. Of course, waiving courses or other unique factors may influence the courses you take and the sequence in which you take them; likewise, this table only reflects required courses (you will take additional courses that correspond to your unique interests and specialization). Be sure to check with your advisor to ensure you are taking appropriate courses at appropriate times.

10 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page 10 Typical Course Sequence for Odd and Even Year Admissions Odd Year Admission Even Year Admission Fall Year 1 PSY 535 Tests and Meas 3 PSY 535 Tests and Meas 3 PSY 680 Research Problem 1 PSY 680 Research Problem 1 PSY 721 Seminar in SP 3 PSY 710 Dev Psychopath 3 PSY 722 Indv Intell Meas 4 PSY 724 Psy Intervent. I 3 PSY 800 Intro to Grad Study 2 PSY 800 Intro to Grad Study 2 PSY 710 Quant. Methods in Psych. 3 PSY 710 Quant. Methods in Psych. 3 PSY 641 (Clinic) 1 PSY 695 Thesis 2 PSY 710 Acad Assess & Intervent. 3 PSY 710 Mult regr 3 PSY 723 Socio-Emot Assment 3 PSY 641 (Clinic) 1 PSY 641 (School) 3 PSY 695 Thesis 2 PSY 710 Dev Psychopath. 3 PSY 724 Psy Intervent. I 3 PSY 727 Psych Consultation 3 PSY 641 (Clinic) 1 PSY 641 Intervent. ACES 3 PSY 695 Thesis 2 PSY 725 Child Beh Th 3 PSY 502 Physio. Psych. 3 PSY 584 Dev. Psych 3 PSY 792 Family Intervent. 3 PSY 752 Action Research 3 PSY 841 Fam Int Practicum 3 Multicultural course 3 PSY 508 Cog Proc 3 PSY 511 Adv. Social 3 PSY 591 Hist. and Systems 3 Spring Year 1 PSY 641 Intervent. ACES 3 PSY 695 Thesis 2 PSY 710 Mult regr 3 PSY 725 Child Beh Th 3 Fall Year 2 PSY 502 Physio Psych 3 PSY 584 Dev Psych 3 PSY 695 Thesis 2 PSY 721 Seminar in SP 3 PSY 722 Indv Intell Meas 4 Spring Year 2 Fall Year 3 Spring Year 3 PSY 641 (Clinic) 1 PSY 695 Thesis 2 PSY 710 Acad assess & intervention 3 PSY 723 Socio-Emot Assment 3 PSY 508 Cog Proc 3 PSY 641 (Clinic) 1 PSY 641 (School) 3 PSY 727 Psych Consultation 3 PSY 641 (Clinic) 1 PSY 841 (Teach. Serv. Practicum) 3 Multicultural course 3 Fall Year 4 PSY 511 Adv Social 3 PSY 591 Hist. and Systems 3 PSY 792 Fam Int 3 Spring Year 4 PSY 841 (Teach. Serv. Practicum) 3 PSY 752 Action Research 3 PSY 841 Fam Int Practicum 3 Fall Year 5 PSY PSY Spring Year 5 PSY 895 Dissertation 2 PSY 895 Dissertation 2 Fall Year 6 PSY 851 Internship 6 PSY 895 Dissertation 2 PSY 851 Internship 6 PSY 895 Dissertation 2 Spring Year 6 PSY 851 Internship 6 PSY 895 Dissertation 2 PSY 851 Internship 6 PSY 895 Dissertation 2

11 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page 11 Evaluation of Prior Coursework If, within the past eight years, you have completed graduate-level courses with a grade of B or higher that you believe are equivalent to some of those listed above, take the following steps to seek formal approval to waive required courses: 1. Identify the course(s) that you think should be waived as requirements. 2. Meet with your advisor to discuss your ideas. 3. If your advisor agrees, meet with the NC State instructor who teaches the course you want to waive to share your prior knowledge, course work, etc., and seek that instructor's support for waiving the course. However, note there are two exceptions to this procedure: a. When the requested course is outside the department (e.g., a Statistics course), your advisor may make a recommendation in lieu of the course instructor. b. For courses required of students in their first semester, your academic advisor (in consultation with the Program Director and relevant faculty as needed) may waive the course so that you may plan your first semester courses. 4. Assuming you, your advisor, and the course instructor support your request to waive the course, submit your written request to the Program Director. Include a short statement explaining justifying your request (one paragraph for each requested course), and gain signatures of approval from your advisor and the NC State instructor for the targeted courses. You may also provide supporting materials, including syllabi, papers, or other products from your previous course(s). 5. The Program Director will act on recommend waivers for program-area courses, and will forward the entire package of requests to the Dept. Graduate Coordinator. 6. The Dept. Graduate Coordinator will make final decisions on requests to waive departmental & other (e.g., college, university) requirements. The Coordinator will communicate final decisions to the student, advisor, and Program Director with a copy to the student's file to verify approval. 7. Students may appeal decisions using program, department, college, and/or university procedures. This process is aimed at generating a consensus for which courses should/not be waived among the student, the advisor, and the instructor, with review/approval by the area coordinator and department graduate coordinator. With the exception of first semester required courses, you should initiate and complete this process in your first semester of study, so that you can plan accordingly for subsequent semesters. It is your obligation to provide evidence that you have acquired the knowledge, skills, and abilities targeted by NC State University courses from your prior course work. Therefore, you should provide evidence that the course covered similar content (e.g., syllabi), and that you mastered the content (e.g., tests, papers). There are three decisions the Program can make regarding a request: (a) to accept the request, (b) to deny the request, or (c) to accept the request with conditions. An example of a conditional approval is as follows. Suppose a student with prior training in intelligence testing seeks to waive PSY 722. However, the course the student took did not cover a test that is taught in PSY 722. The Program might approve the student s request with the condition that the student take a workshop on the test and supply an error-free protocol and videotape of an administration

12 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page 12 to the PSY 722 instructor. When the request is approved (or, in the case of a conditional approval, the conditions are met), you may request credit for the course. The Psychology Department Graduate Handbook states, Competence developed through older coursework and updated through professional experience may, at the discretion of the program area, be counted for credit up to a maximum of 18 hours. Course Work Research Requirements You must take at least one credit of Research Problems in Psychology (PSY 680) with your advisor during the first year of the Program. The goal of 680 is to provide you with an apprenticeship where you can obtain first-hand experience in research design, methodology, analysis, and/or interpretation of results while cooperating with a faculty member's research, before carrying out your thesis or dissertation research. It is expected that you will log a minimum of 50 clock hours working on PSY 680. Prior to formal registration for the course, you should meet with your advisor to determine the basic conditions of the course. You should develop a written agreement about the proposed research that identifies the major goals or outcomes across the semester, and assign deadlines to each. Because research does not always conform to the will of the researchers, such plans will be subject to revision throughout the semester, but such revisions should be in writing. This agreement should typically include: 1. details about the responsibilities of both you and the faculty supervisor, 2. maximum average weekly time commitment expected of you and amount of time for faculty supervision, 3. a description of the project goals and products, and 4. authorship status should the research project be accepted for presentation or publication. Other course work is required, including formal courses (listed previously) and credits for thesis and for dissertation. The credits for thesis and dissertation are supervised research credits, and must be negotiated with your thesis/dissertation chair. We recommend that you follow the same steps as in PSY 680, in that you meet with your faculty research supervisor at or before the semester begins, and put in writing a plan outlining what you will do and when you will do it to earn your research credit. Non-Course Related Research Requirements The key distinction between doctoral (particularly PhD) programs and nondoctoral programs in psychology is their emphasis on research. Research is the engine that drives progress in school psychology. Because we want our students to lead the field of school

13 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page 13 psychology, we want them to acquire the knowledge, skills, abilities, and dispositions needed to conduct research. Because research is procedural knowledge, rather than a set of facts, the Program requires relatively little in the way of course work. Research is something you must learn by doing; therefore, we have extensive requirements for proposing, executing, and defending research. The two most visible non-course requirements are the thesis (or, for students with a non-thesis Masters, the thesis equivalent), and the dissertation. The thesis and the dissertation are also the requirements that are most likely to delay student progress. Most students understand and meet course-related demands; furthermore, they are also typically very strong in meeting demands of clinical and field practica. However, doing research that is, conceiving, executing, defending, and disseminating research is something most students are less prepared to do as they enter graduate school. Therefore, we have included a number of resources to help you acquire proficiency in and passion for research, and to complete your research requirements. These include (a) Some Admonitions and Helpful Hints for Success in Thesis and Dissertations, (b) Checklist for the Research Proposal, and (c) Selected Tips for Mastering APA Editorial Style (5th ed.) Each of these is included in the Appendixes at the end of this Handbook to help you succeed in meeting research requirements. Expectations for Research Progress It is up to you meet research expectations; it is up to the faculty to provide support to communicate those expectations clearly, and to provide supervision to help you meet those expectations. Feedback, such as that provided within the context of research teams, also can be valuable. Because the timely completion of research projects may be open to various interpretations, the Program faculty have advanced the following expectations for progress on the thesis and the dissertation. Thesis/Thesis equivalent. Program faculty fully expect a student will achieve the following objectives: Advisor approves your concept paper (2-3 pp.) describing the rationale and approach to the thesis/thesis equivalent research by the end of the spring semester of year one. You write and present your proposal by the end of your fall semester in year two. You complete and defend your thesis by the end of the spring semester of year three. Your progress on meeting these objectives is considered as part of the Program and Department s annual student evaluation. You should also note that you may not begin Phase II practica until you have completed your thesis or thesis equivalent. Some relevant departmental benchmarks for these expectations are: (a) continued TA funding is predicated on successfully defending the proposal by December 1 of the third year; (b) all MS degree requirements must be completed within six years of the first course listed on the approved Plan of Work; and (c) the maximum number of credit hours beyond the MS Plan of Work, earned prior to a successful thesis defense, which may later be listed on the PhD Plan of Work, is 12. Note that program expectation for progress are more ambitious than Departmental requirements, as the Departmental requirements represent minimum standards for student progress.

14 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page 14 Dissertation. Our goal (and we hope yours!) is to graduate in six years or less. Therefore, we have identified the following expectations to enable you to meet a six-year date. 1. Advisor approves dissertation concept paper by end of fall semester year four. 2. Write and defend your dissertation proposal by October 15 of year five. 3. Complete and defend your dissertation by the end of the spring semester, year six. Some additional benchmarks for these expectations are: (a) Program policy states the proposal must be defended prior applying for an internship, and (b) departmental policy states that a student has a 10-year limit to earn the MS and PhD at NC State and an 8-year limit to earn the PhD at NC State if his/her prior graduate degree was earned elsewhere. Failure to meet these expectations may result in a marginal or unsatisfactory annual evaluation from the department s Director of Graduate Programs. At the discretion of the Program faculty, it may also result in requiring you to obtain your advisor s consent to enroll in practica and/or didactic coursework. That is, progress on research is a prerequisite for permission to continue in the Program; failure to make progress implies a student is not ready to move forward. We understand that work on your thesis or dissertation may not feel as immediate or pressing as course exams, papers, or practicum activities but failure to make research progress will lead to problems in the Program. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you make research a priority. Clinical Training All graduate programs in psychology require course work and research. What makes clinical programs different from other programs is that they also require clinical training experiences. These include practica, in which students practice clinical skills under the close supervision of faculty and clinical supervisors, and internships, where students function more autonomously under the supervision of a professional psychologist. This section describes Program requirements related to clinical aspects of the Program. Professional Liability Insurance Coverage In an increasingly litigious society such as ours, it is essential that students and faculty who provide psychological services to children, youth, and families have professional liability insurance coverage. Our colleagues' experiences have taught us that any lawsuit whether initiated for legitimate or frivolous reasons can be very costly. Thus, all students in the NC State School Psychology Program must enroll in the professional liability group insurance plan it sanctions. At the start of each academic year, a faculty representative will collect money from you in order to pay your share of the annual insurance premium. In the recent past, the cost per student for this group coverage was about $60, although it is likely that this rate will increase in succeeding years. Failure to submit payment by the stated deadline may result in cancellation of your fall course registration.

15 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page 15 Individual exceptions to mandatory enrollment in this group plan might be made in the rare instance where a student can furnish proof of coverage via an individual professional liability insurance policy sanctioned by the American Psychological Association or the National Association of School Psychologists. These plans also provide high quality coverage, but you should note that these policies tend to be much more expensive than the one offered through the Program. Bilingual Training Requirement The NC State School Psychology Program is committed to promoting students awareness, competence, comfort, and commitment to diversity. We recognize that human diversity exists in many ways, including (but not limited to) individual differences, disability, culture, language, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, and religion. Toward that end, we adopted the following requirement for all students, effective in Fall, Bilingual training in school psychology is increasingly important, because an increasingly large proportion of students in schools come from language backgrounds other than English. Therefore, professional programs in school psychology must ensure their students acquire the dispositions, knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to serve children from diverse language backgrounds. In particular, NC State targets competencies for communicating with parents and students, assessing students, and intervening with students in school settings as essential for all graduates. Additional competencies (e.g., fluency in a language other than English, competency in bilingual education) are also desirable and encouraged, but are not required for all students. Before graduation from NC State, students must demonstrate proficiency in the following competencies: Identifying and recognizing a student s language background and primary mode of communication; Securing and using an interpreter to communicate with the student and family when the NC State student is not fluent in the family s native language or the student s primary mode of communication; Assessing family and cultural contexts, with sensitivity for how they may be similar to and different from the NS State student s orientation and current cultural norms; Interpreting assessment results in the contexts of family, school, and broader cultural and social influences; and Intervening with the child, either directly or indirectly with other adults, to enhance the child s welfare and resolve concerns or problems. To support students in meeting these objectives, NC State includes content relevant to serving children from diverse language and cultural backgrounds into existing courses (e.g., measurement, cognitive assessment, academic assessment & intervention), and course work specifically targeted to enhancing competencies for serving diverse clients. To demonstrate that they have met these objectives, all NC State students must complete a case involving a bilingual client in a practicum or internship setting. To support this requirement, the field setting will provide supervision by a psychologist competent to serve bilingual clients and (if needed)

16 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page 16 interpreters to facilitate communication with the family and child. Together, NC State and the host site will ensure that students are provided relevant cases and support to complete the requirement. Students must have their university supervisor, and their academic advisor, review and approve their case before the Program Director will certify the student as meeting Program requirements. Certification of case completion will be added to the annual progress review checklist to ensure students are aware of and demonstrate the competency. Professional Services for Pay by Students The NC State School Psychology Program is committed to providing extensive supervised practicum experience covering a broad range of educational settings and exceptional populations. These experiences are carefully designed and supervised. Students who provide professional services for pay outside of these experiences may risk violating ethical standards and current professional practice laws. The APA Code of Ethics and the North Carolina Psychology Practice Act explicitly enjoin psychologists to perform work for which they are qualified, and prohibits practice outside of training experiences for anybody not licensed. We also note that professional work outside the Program reduces your ability to complete coursework, field placement, and research requirements in a timely manner. However, we also appreciate that professional services for pay also provide much needed funds and opportunities to hone professional skills. Recognizing that you may find yourself in a position to be offered opportunities to earn money for psychological services outside the jurisdiction of the Program, we have formulated the following policy to ensure that any such work be done under circumstances that are ethically appropriate, are in compliance with the North Carolina Psychology Practice Act, and do not jeopardize your completion of degree requirements. 1. Phase II students may earn pay for professional services that are a part of Program-sanctioned practica and internships. These services must be supervised by Program faculty. 2. Phase II students who are also health service provider psychological associates in North Carolina may earn pay for providing psychological services under the provisions of the current North Carolina Psychology Practice Act. Although these activities may not be directly supervised by Program faculty, the student minimally must inform his or her advisor/chair of any provision of psychological services as a HSP-PA. These are the only two situations in which Program students may earn fees for the provision of psychological services. In addition, the Program provides the following guidelines regarding such activities. 1. You may not use Program test materials for any outside testing. 2. You must provide evidence of an individual professional liability insurance policy (e.g., NASP- or APA-sponsored) that covers your activities. Please note that the liability insurance obtained through the Program does not cover the delivery of psychological services outside the jurisdiction of the Program such as services-for-hire arrangements. 3. As practicing professionals and as academic mentors, faculty are obligated to prohibit activities for which we believe you to be unqualified, that involve inappropriate use of test

17 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page 17 procedures, that interfere with your ability to complete degree requirements, or that, in our judgment, impair your ability to perform other academic, research, or practicum duties. Practica The NC State School Psychology Program views the practicum as an opportunity to gain applied experience and to develop professional practices as a complement to required didactic coursework. The practicum allows you to participate in supervised experiences in assessment, consultation, intervention, research, and professional school psychology issues. In addition to direct service to children, parents, teachers, and administrators, the practicum provides you with an opportunity to observe and interact with a wide range of school personnel and to gain an appreciation for the educational system. The primary purpose of the experience is to develop your applied skills rather than to provide services to the practicum site. Practica are one semester in length and provide a minimum of 50 clock hours per credit. Phase I students typically enroll in three one-credit offerings of general clinical practicum, one three-credit school based practicum, and one three-credit practicum linked to the Psychological Intervention course (all under PSY 641). Phase II students enroll in a three-credit family intervention practicum and a three-credit teacher-centered services practicum under PSY 841. The distribution of hours across the semester will be individually determined, depending on your needs and course schedule, and the needs of the practicum site. The arrangement typically is for one day per week on site. If you would like to gain additional field experience beyond that required by the Program, you should consult your advisor about registering for "extra" PSY 641 or PSY 841 credit hours and supervision arrangements. Note that you must inform Program faculty of all field experiences you undertake, and provide information consistent with those required for other practica. Professional Conduct Please refer to the evaluation form in Appendix E to understand how your professional conduct will be evaluated. In addition, you must abide by ethical, legal, and professional standards promulgated by the American Psychological Association, the National Association of School Psychologists, and the North Carolina Psychology Practice Act. Failure to do so will result in possible failure of the practicum and expulsion from the Program. Two expectations are important, and deserve special mention here: (1) You must refer to yourself as a School Psychologist-in-Training in all meetings with agency personnel and clients and on all reports and written correspondence. (2) You must inform the university supervisor of all practicum activities in which you become engaged. All reports or official documents must be co-signed by the site supervisor. These are but two of the points covered in professional practice guides; it is your professional responsibility to acquire, understand, and act in accordance with relevant ethical and professional practice guidelines.

18 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page 18 Psychoeducational Clinic Practicum (Phase I) You must complete a practicum in the Psychoeducational Clinic, which includes completion of 8-12 cases. (See the Psychoeducational Clinic Practicum appendix for a detailed discussion of this experience). This practicum (PSY ) can begin only after you have completed PSY 722, Individual Intelligence Measurement. Typically, the practicum is distributed in the form of three one-credit courses over three consecutive semesters. Cognitive-Behavioral Intervention Practicum (Phase I) Following the first intervention course, you will gain experience in cognitive-behavioral assessment and treatment with children and parents through this clinic-based practicum. School-based Practica (Phase I) School-based Phase I practica (PSY ) will typically involve assessment, consultation, and intervention at basic levels and will consist primarily of direct service. Although you may remain in the same setting for more than one practicum course, the responsibilities and experiences must vary across semesters. Practica completed in Phase I cannot be paid placements. Advanced Practica (Phase II) Phase II practica (PSY 841) provide you with a more advanced level of training. Thus, these practica should require more independence and responsibility than the Phase I practica. Responsibilities may include development of mental health policies and programs, liaison with community agencies, administrative duties, and counseling with complex cases involving multiple problems. The currently required Phase II practica are Teacher-Centered Services (emphasizing school-based consultation) and Family Intervention (emphasizing family therapy). You may receive payment for Phase II practica if funding is available at the site. You may not begin any Phase II practica until your thesis or thesis equivalent has been successfully defended. To be more competitive for APPIC-listed and APA-accredited internships, some students elect to take additional Phase II practica. Supervisor Responsibilities You will be supervised by a site supervisor and a university supervisor. At least one of the supervisors must have a doctorate in psychology and possess an appropriate credential for the practice of psychology in the specific practicum setting. Under some circumstances, the university supervisor will also serve as the site supervisor.

19 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page 19 University supervisor. The university supervisor should provide ongoing supervision/coordination. It is the supervisor s responsibility to ensure that your role is reasonable given your level of experience, and to assist you in integrating the applied experiences with coursework and student research interests. Site Supervisor. The site supervisor should provide weekly face-to-face supervision for a minimum of one hour per week. He or she will ensure that the contract is carried out as planned. The site supervisor will complete an evaluation of your performance at the completion of the practicum, which must be submitted in order to assign the student a grade. A mid-semester evaluation may also be used to provide formative feedback. Student Responsibilities Setting up the placement. During the semester prior to the proposed start of a practicum, you should inform the university supervisor of your intention to enroll in the particular practicum. This advance notice will allow sufficient time for you and the supervisor to make the necessary arrangements. For the required practica, the university supervisor generally arranges the placement for you. If you wish to pursue additional practica, you should contact the PSY 641 or 841 university practicum supervisor, but you are expected to take a more active role in pursuing and designing the placement. The university supervisor must approve all placements, and he or she may consult with other Program faculty. Following approval of your practicum, you should register for the appropriate hours of PSY 641 or 841. Documentation. There are two basic types of documentation for field experiences the placement agreement and the log of actual experiences. First, with the assistance of site and university supervisors, you will develop a placement agreement. See your university supervisor or your academic advisor to get an example. All three parties should sign the agreement, which you will then submit within the first two weeks of the semester to the university supervisor. The agreement typically includes: names of supervisors, contact information, a list of responsibilities and the percentage of time dedicated to each, a schedule for supervision, and starting and ending dates. Second, while participating in practica, you should record hours and activities using a designated timesheet format. Because this level of record keeping is critical to documenting all field experiences while in the Program, more information is contained in the next section, Tracking Practicum and Internship Hours. Tracking Practicum and Internship Hours It is important for students and Program faculty to have accurate records of practicum and internship hours. You can expect to be asked to provide this information about your training at any number of points in your professional career. For instance, the APPIC internship application asks for extensive information about your prior training. Likewise, when you apply for licensure, many states applications require a precise accounting of your practicum and internship training in specific areas.

20 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page 20 For this reason, you are expected to track your hours in training experiences throughout your tenure in the Program. Practicum hours include all cases and activities in the Psychoeducational Clinic, as well as all required and elective practica in the schools and other sites. Your practicum or internship supervisor should sign your final count of hours at the close of a training experience. Final counts of hours spent on each practicum or your internship should be placed in your student file in Poe 640. You should also keep a copy for your records. The definitions on the next pages and tracking sheet in the appendix were designed to provide the types of information currently required for applying for internship and obtaining licensure in North Carolina. Questions about the definitions or record keeping should be directed to Dr. Schulte. You may obtain an electronic copy of the spreadsheet from her via ; be sure to request the file before you begin your practica so that you can record all relevant hours and experiences. Practica and Internship Placements that Occur During the Summer Field placements in the School Psychology Program follow the nine-month academic calendar that runs from August 15 through May 15. Therefore, if you are participating in a practicum or internship during the fall or spring semester, it is assumed that you are concurrently registered for PSY 641, 841, or 851 credit hours appropriate to the nature of the field experience. Failure to register for academic credit while on practicum or internship increasingly is being interpreted by psychology licensing boards as practicing psychology without a license, a situation that may affect one s ability to become licensed in the future. Although the Department of Psychology requires all graduate students to maintain continuous registration, this policy applies only to fall and spring semesters and not to summer sessions. Recognizing the financial hardship that summer registration would bring to many students, the School Psychology Program does not require you to register for courses during the summer. However, to satisfy the NC Psychology Board s need to document students activities as training experiences, the Program has established an important procedure. Specifically, if you are involved in any field experience between May 16 and August 14, you must complete a Summer Practicum/Internship Experience Form concerning the field experiences you plan to engage in during the summer. You must request complete, and submit the form, with all appropriate signatures, at least one week before the end of the Spring Semester prior to the period where you seek to earn hours. For this to be considered part of your graduate work, the Program Director will indicate on the form that these experiences are an important part of graduate training. A copy of this form then will be placed in your file and a copy will be given to you. You must take personal responsibility to insure that your summer practicum or internship placement has been approved. Without administrative approval, you may be found in violation of the NC Psychology Practice Act. Failure to file this form in a timely manner may be interpreted as evidence you have violated professional practice laws and ethics. Please recognize that this is a serious issue that is critical to ensuring professional integrity and responsibility. You should keep the copy of your approval statement for future applications to licensing boards. Psychology licensing boards are likely to ask you for applied experiences you have had during graduate school. If you list summer experiences and did not register for them as a course, a licensing board may be concerned that you have been practicing

21 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page 21 psychology without a license. Therefore, you will want to include with licensing applications copies of statements indicating the Program Director s approval. Predoctoral Internship The NC State School Psychology Program regards the internship as the final, "capstone" field experience that builds on prior practica and coursework, allowing you increasing autonomy in providing comprehensive psychological services under supervision. The internship is not merely "on-the-job training." It is an organized program of training designed to provide you with a sequence of experiences that will enhance professional attitudes, responsibility, communication skills, critical judgment, and technical skills. Philosophically, the Program faculty believe that all students should be presented with internship training opportunities that will make them eligible for licensure by psychology boards as health service provider psychologists as well as licensure/certification by state departments of education as doctorallevel school psychologists. Following are the Program's specific policy and procedures regarding the predoctoral internship. Expectations and Planning for the Internship Experience 1. The internship will occur after the completion of all Phase I requirements and all Phase II requirements except dissertation. This means that you will not be allowed to begin a predoctoral internship until you have successfully defended your master's thesis/thesis equivalent, passed the ETS School Psychology Specialty Area Exam at the current NCSP criterion, passed prelims, and defended your dissertation proposal. The Program requires you to have an approved dissertation proposal before starting internship because data from psychology doctoral programs at other universities indicate that this requirement reduces the length of one s graduate student career and increases the probability that you will graduate. Note that our program is structured so that you may complete your dissertation research and writing during your fifth year so that you will not need to juggle internship and dissertation work concurrently. 2. Because applying to APPIC (Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers) and APA-accredited internship sites involves meeting a November deadline, if you wish to enter into this application process you must have a signed, approved dissertation proposal on file by October 15 of the year prior to the start of the internship. It is suggested that the dissertation proposal defense meeting date be agreed to by all committee members by September 30. The reason for specifying the above dates is to allow faculty to write the strongest, most favorable letters of recommendation, a scenario made possible only if faculty can unequivocally state that a student will have his or her proposal approved before beginning internship. See the APPIC ( and APA ( for more details about internship standards, the application process, and accredited sites. Internship sites are also listed in directories and other materials the Program will make available to you when you express interest. 3. Effective December 1998, the Program s internship policy became the 1998 Council of Directors of School Psychology Programs (CDSPP) Doctoral Level Internship Guidelines ( If you choose to complete a CDSPP-based internship that is not APPIC-listed or APA-accredited, you

22 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page 22 are subject to different deadlines. However, you may not formally apply for an internship without successfully defending your dissertation proposal. 4. If you cannot complete an internship that follows the current CDSPP Guidelines (i.e., the current Program policy), you may ask the Program faculty for an exemption. To request an exception, you must provide a written request and the justification for it. Typically, exceptions are due to unusual personal hardships due to family conditions, disability, and the like. If the petition is approved by the faculty, your internship still must meet current North Carolina Department of Public Instruction guidelines for internship. You also will be asked to sign a statement indicating your understanding that, although the internship will meet requirements for licensure as a school psychologist in North Carolina, it will not allow you to be regarded as eligible for North Carolina s Health Services Provider Psychologist credential (HSP-P) or similar status in many other states. However, the Program unequivocally endorses internships that are approved by APPIC and/or APA, or that meet equivalent standards including CDSPP Guidelines, and expect students are aware of and plan to complete this type of internship when they are admitted to the Program. 5. If, as a part of specialist-level training in school psychology, you completed a school-based internship of 1200 or more clock hours, you may complete the predoctoral internship in a nonschool setting (e.g., mental health center, community service agency, hospital). If not, you must complete at least 750 clock hours of the required 1500 hours of internship in a school or educationally related facility. (Note that many interns complete 100% of their clock hours in a school or educationally related facility.) This provision is included to ensure compliance with NASP standards for program approval. The remaining sections of this policy apply mainly to internships that the Program arranges for students, in contrast to APPIC-listed and APA-accredited internships that have largely their own policies, procedures, roles, and responsibilities in place. If you are interested in applying for APPIC/APA internships, please arrange a meeting with your committee chair and the Program Director during the spring semester before the application deadline. Responsibilities of the Internship Site Supervisor 1. The major responsibility of the site supervisor is to provide a high quality training experience for the intern, with an appropriate amount and level of supervision. 2. It is imperative that the lines of communication between the internship site and the university training program always remain open. In order to accomplish this goal, it is necessary that the site supervisor inform the university supervisor of: (a) any substantive changes in the original agreement regarding the internship placement (see #2 in next section), and (b) any serious matters regarding the intern's competency to practice in the internship setting. Should these types of issues arise, it is the site supervisor's responsibility to inform the university supervisor as soon as possible, instead of waiting until the end of the semester. 3. The site supervisor plays a key role in determining the professional growth of the intern over time. Therefore, supervisors will be asked to evaluate you each semester using criteria consistent with university requirements and recognized standards for professional practice.

23 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page 23 Responsibilities of the University Supervisor 1. The major responsibility of the university supervisor is to provide the overall coordination for the internship experience and to provide backup supervision as needed. 2. Prior to the start of the internship, the university supervisor, with the site supervisor s and your input, drafts a placement agreement. This document spells out the agreed-upon terms of the internship, and minimally includes the following components: (a) dates of placement, (b) actual site(s) you will be working, (c) names and titles of primary and secondary site supervisors, (d) specific internship activities and percent of time devoted to each, (e) amount of stipend to be paid to you (if applicable), and any special considerations (e.g., release or assigned time for you to conduct dissertation research). 3. The university supervisor is responsible for monitoring your activities across the entire internship. This monitoring process generally will take the form of individual meetings with you and/or group meetings with all interns enrolled in PSY 851 that semester. These meetings are to occur at least every other week. Should the site be too far from campus to allow for participation in PSY 851, or if the internship site is approved, attendance in PSY 851 (but not enrollment) will be waived by the university supervisor. 4. The university supervisor is ultimately responsible for determining your satisfactory completion of internship requirements. That is, the university supervisor assigns a grade to you. To facilitate this process, each semester the university supervisor will ask the site supervisor for written and/or oral feedback regarding your on-site performance. Responsibilities of the Intern 1. When planning to begin an internship, you should inform the university supervisor at least one semester before, and preferably two semesters before, the internship is likely to begin. In preparation for the placement, it is recommended that you suggest possible sites and advance a preliminary internship plan (see 3a below). 2. Although you are welcome to make preliminary contact with internship sites, the university supervisor is responsible for making and approving final arrangements, as indicated above. 3. You are responsible for: (a) developing a written plan outlining major personal goals/objectives/activities for the internship experience, (b) tracking/documenting time spent on various internship activities, and (c) notifying and gaining approval from the university supervisor for any significant deviations from the originally agreed-upon internship plan. 4. If the internship site is paying you directly, you must furnish the Program Director with a copy of the contract that discloses the terms of payment. As the issue of whether internship stipends are taxable income is complex, it is your responsibility to determine whether your stipend is taxable, and to comply with relevant tax laws and regulations. 5. At the conclusion of the internship, you must provide documentation of the actual internship experience to the Program Director. Specifically, it is required that you submit completed

24 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page 24 timesheets described in the earlier section, Tracking Practicum and Internship Hours. This information will facilitate Program responses to future questions from licensure and certification boards regarding your internship experience. Obtaining Provisional Licensure from NCDPI for Internships The trainers of school psychologists in North Carolina have worked with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction to allow school psychology interns the opportunity to become provisionally licensed, and thereby permit them to be paid approximately $22,000 for a full-time internship. (The national average for school psychology internships is about $14,000.) The specific NCDPI policy reads: "Provisional licensure in school psychology is available only to individuals who have finished all requirements for a sixth-year degree in school psychology except for the thesis or internship. Written confirmation from a college or university that it agrees with both the individual's employment and the completion of his or her Program requirements during that employment must accompany the employing school system's request for provisional licensure." It is important to note that an intern can be provisionally licensed only when a specific school system has agreed to the employment/internship arrangement (i.e., you are unable to acquire provisional licensure "just in case" something comes up later). The Program Director will write a letter to NCDPI supporting the intern's employment only after being notified by the personnel director of the sponsoring school system. It is also important to recognize that few school systems willing to hire an intern in this capacity have the ability to offer doctoral-level supervision as specified by CDSPP guidelines. Still, circumstances may allow interns to take advantage of this paid internship opportunity. Program Procedures and Processes The following information is intended to provide you with some nuts and bolts about how the NC State School Psychology Program works. These are intended to be guidelines to help you achieve your goals, including topics on Program communication, organizational principles and processes, academic advising, and the like. Please read these carefully; knowing how the Program works will make it easier for you (and us!) to get what you need. Program Communications Routine correspondence to all Program students will be sent via . Unless you have a specific need, and have alerted the Program Director of your needs, the Program will not use paper memos, letters, or other methods for communication. The move to electronic communication is consistent with the department-wide policy (and our efforts to conserve physical and financial resources). You must inform the Program Director of your current/preferred address for inclusion on the Program listserv. You must notify the Director of any changes to that address, or otherwise ensure that you receive Program messages

25 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page 25 in a timely fashion. This policy also means that you need to develop the habit of checking your regularly. Program documents (e.g., this Handbook) exist in multiple forms. The Department and Program have shifted from printed to electronic documents. Therefore, we will make every effort to distribute documents via the listserv, and post them on the web sites for the Department ( and Program ( If you are uncertain whether you have the most recent or most appropriate copy of a policy, please consult with your advisor. Communication is a two-way street. Although Program faculty will use the listserv to distribute important announcements relating to Program procedures, policies, deadlines, and the like, we also encourage postings from you regarding items of general professional interest. Although there are no formal restrictions on using the listserv, we recommend that people consider posting items that are both of general and professional interest (e.g., upcoming seminars, meetings, current news items, professional resources), although we also encourage occasional personal use (e.g., seeking others to share travel/hotel arrangements for professional meetings, social activities of potential interest to Program members). You may post messages to [email protected]. Note that replies to postings will go to the author of the posting, not to the list in general. We also strongly encourage regular (at least monthly) personal contact with your academic advisor. You should call ahead when there are specific issues to discuss (e.g., research progress, arranging clinical training experiences), but we also welcome informal contact such as phone calls or stopping by the office. When you want information to be shared (e.g., summer contact/address information, change of phone or ), we appreciate receiving notification via , as it allows us to forward the information to the office and other colleagues. Because this is a graduate program, it is your responsibility to take the initiative to keep your advisor informed of your progress and any concerns that might influence your progress in courses, research, or clinical training. Your advisor acts as your advocate with the Program and the department during annual evaluations and any other occasion where your status and progress may be a focus of discussion, so keeping your advisor well informed is to your advantage. Virtually every formal Program decision (e.g., accepting credits for prior study, arranging placements, annual student progress reviews, internship arrangements) requires that your first discuss your plans with your advisor. Therefore, get in the habit of meeting regularly with your advisor to discuss your plans and objectives. Student Progress Evaluation Every spring, the Program faculty meet and review the progress of each student in the Program. Prior to that meeting, an announcement will be posted on the Program listserv informing you of the information you need to provide to your advisor, and the timelines for doing so. The kinds of information we request, and will consider in the annual review process, include (but are not limited to) research progress, performance in courses and clinical training experiences, professional activities (e.g., organizational memberships, presentations, publications), and any other evidence relevant to your professional development and conduct. These meetings are typically closed to protect student confidentiality, although in some unusual

26 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page 26 instances, individuals may request to speak to the faculty about their concerns. All requests must be provided to the Program Director in writing at least one week prior to the meeting. You should prepare a summary of your annual progress, send it to your advisor, and hold a discussion (preferably a face-to-face meeting) with your advisor about your progress before the Program s annual review meeting. In that way, you and your advisor can note your progress, clarify concerns or issues, and otherwise clarify your status and plans for the future. Failure to respond to this request in a timely and professional manner reflects on your professional conduct and commitment to the Program, leaves your advisor with limited information, and is likely to increase the chances of a negative review. Although you should negotiate a plan that works best for you and your advisor, one mechanism for documenting your progress and professional activities is to include a current vita with your summary of annual progress. Note that the Program Director will report data for your annual professional memberships, presentations, publications, and other activities as part of the annual APA accreditation report. Therefore, you must provide accurate information to ensure you, and NC State s Program, are accurately evaluated. The following table provides a brief summary of major milestones you should meet to maintain satisfactory progress. Reviews include all relevant evidence in addition to that provided in the table, such as professional conduct, interpersonal skills, personal integrity, ethical behavior, and other domains relevant to the professional practice of psychology. Because psychologists must serve in a variety of roles, and are often the individuals to whom others turn in times of crisis, the Program is concerned with much more than a student s academic progress in the Program. Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6 Appropriate progress in all courses; Masters Plan of Work on file. All of the above and initial concept for a thesis. All of the above and successful defense of thesis and Praxis exam score of 660 or higher. All of the above, Doctoral Plan of Work on file,. All of the above, successful completion of prelims, defense of dissertation proposal, and approved internship arranged for coming year. All of the above, completion of internship, and defense of dissertation. Following the annual review of progress, your advisor must complete a summary of your progress and a recommendation regarding your status for the Psychology Department s Graduate Coordinator. In some instances, your advisor may solicit additional information from you prior to making a final report and recommendation. The report your advisor submits is the primary basis for the Department s annual review. In most cases, it will be clear to you and all other parties that you are making satisfactory progress in the Program. However, in some cases, students are not making satisfactory progress. Depending on the cause of that judgment, a number of outcomes may be possible: 1. Your status is recorded and considered in future evaluations. In general, an unusual pattern of unsatisfactory performance, or two consecutive unsatisfactory judgments, will be grounds for dismissal. See the Psychology Department s policies for more information.

27 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page Immediate dismissal from the Program. This option is invoked when there is evidence of professional misconduct that is severe and/or persistent, or when there is a major and apparently irreversible change in a student s status relative to the Program (e.g., the student is no longer enrolled, fails to communicate with the Program, etc.). 3. All recommendations of your advisor, in consultation with Program faculty, and the Department s Graduate Coordinator may be appealed under guidelines specified by the Department of Psychology and the NC State University. Please consult appropriate guidelines for more information. The bottom line is that there are remarkably few unsatisfactory evaluations, and in nearly all of those cases, all parties (including the student) are aware of the issues and have put plans in place to correct the barriers to appropriate progress. In situations where students may face an unsatisfactory evaluation, they should consult with their advisors early and often. Being proactive will save you (and everybody else) time and trouble, and will demonstrate your professional integrity and commitment. Obtaining North Carolina Residency for Tuition Purposes The bad news is that, if you are not a North Carolina resident when you enter the Program, you (or the source that supports you!) will pay much more for tuition than in-state residents. The good news is that, unlike most other states, North Carolina allows you to earn residency while you are a full time student. Therefore, nonresident students are urged to take steps during their first year to obtain residency. "To qualify as a resident for tuition purposes, a person must become a legal resident and remain a legal resident for at least twelve months immediately prior to classification" ( NC State Graduate Catalog; see the following URL for this and other residency information Obtaining a North Carolina driver's license, registering to vote in NC, and obtaining an official residence (e.g., signing a rental agreement) are all evidence of residency. Therefore, you should take these steps as soon as possible, ideally before the beginning of your first semester. Note that part of establishing residency involves continuous residency for the first year, so you should consider this requirement when making summer plans. Leaving the state during the summer may impair your ability to obtain in-state residency status. Student Representation at Faculty Meetings Program faculty meetings are usually held on the second Monday of each month from 10:30-12:00 in Poe 634. The Program Director distributes the list of meeting dates prior to the start of each semester on the Program listserv. The faculty believes that student representation is important and, for this reason, asks the students each year to formally elect a representative to attend each faculty meeting. In situations where the student representative cannot attend the meeting, a designated representative may attend in place of the elected representative. The main activities for the representative are to participate in Program meetings, offer student views on issues, vote on action items, and provide feedback to faculty and fellow students before, during, and after meetings about Program issues and concerns. Student representatives will be fully involved and engaged as a member of the committee except when the Program must discuss

28 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page 28 personnel matters, as inclusion in those discussions would violate ethical responsibilities for confidentiality and, in some cases, NC State personnel policies. Closing Comments The School Psychology Program at NC State is a community united around the pursuit and dissemination of knowledge, professional training, and service to all learners. We recognize that these goals sometimes conflict, and that we cannot anticipate all possible situations and circumstances. We have developed Program policies and procedures to help us help you. However, we welcome constructive feedback on how we can enhance and improve the quality of life for everybody in the Program. Please let us know how we can enhance your professional and personal success.

29 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page 29 Appendix A: Some Admonitions and Helpful Hints for Success in Thesis and Dissertations 1. Carefully read those sections of the Psychology Department Graduate Handbook that pertain to thesis dissertation preparation. Do not expect your chairperson to remind you of important dates, notify committee members of meetings, etc. You can download a copy of the department Handbook at: 2. Initially, you should summarize what you are going to do on 2-3 pages (the very basic what, why, how, etc) and share it with your chair (who is, except in very unusual circumstances, your advisor). This preliminary step will prevent your going too far with an untenable idea. (In other words, don't show up the first time with a 25-page document.) 3. If you do not have an idea for your thesis/dissertation, it is perfectly acceptable to work on research originally proposed or suggested by a faculty person (with his or her permission, of course). In such cases, however, publication authorship (should there be any) should be agreed upon beforehand. 4. Keep track of all references in a word processing file or bibliographic database. This will greatly simplify the assembly of your reference section later on. Nothing is more annoying than trying to track down a missing reference when deadlines are imminent. 5. An important section of the discussion section in a thesis/dissertation deals with the limitations of your study. As you conduct your study, compile a list of limitations. This is much easier than trying to remember them after the data have been collected and you've forgotten methodological nuances of previous research. 6. Please remember that the chairperson's job is to guide you through the thesis / dissertation (give you feedback, etc.). Do not expect him or her to be a "nag" throughout the process. 7. It may be advisable to hire someone to read your draft for grammar, spelling, and clarity. It will save you a lot of time. 8. If it appears as though your statistical analysis or design is going to be complex, get help from an expert. Do not rely on your committee or chair to develop the original design or stat procedures. Also, do not rely solely on your own skills unless you are very confident in them. 9. Do not make sweeping changes from draft to draft unless they are suggested. It's like starting over again when you do. Just make changes suggested and always include the last draft with the suggested changes on it.

30 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page If you don't already have one, buy a current APA manual and use it. It is very frustrating for your chair to have to make style/format corrections that are clearly outlined in the manual. [See Erchul's Selected Tips for Mastering APA Editorial Style (5th ed.) that appears later in this Handbook.] 11. Once past the initial stages, proposal drafts should be proofread very carefully. It is very difficult for your chair to read for content when he or she is correcting for APA style, spelling, grammar, etc. In other words, it is unfair to ask your chairperson to be your proofreader. 12. Date all drafts, so your chair and committee can see where you have been, where you are, and where you need to go. 13. Your chair should be satisfied before the formal proposal is released to other committee members. Committee members should receive copies of the proposal at least two weeks prior to the scheduled oral. (Some committee chairs require three complete weeks.) 14. Although it is generally a standard procedure to run everything by your chairperson before giving it to your committee, it may make good sense to work closely with a particular committee member who has specific expertise in your thesis/dissertation area. 15. During any period when you will be working intensely on your thesis/dissertation (meeting regularly, etc.), you must be signed up for 1-3 credit hours in PSY Always include a copy of your literature review outline with your proposal drafts. Stick to it! It is very difficult to sense where you're going if you simply cite study after study, without somehow threading it all together. (Note. Using subheadings when shifting topics in the literature review helps a great deal; some chairs require copious subheadings.) 17. Do not ask your chair to do things like arrange committee meetings, give copies of drafts to committee members, or otherwise run interference for you. This is your only thesis or dissertation; your chair has several going at the same time. 18. Examples of theses/dissertations are available at D.H. Hill Library. With the help of your chair, select a good one (yes, there are good and not-so-good ones) and use it as a guide to arrange sections of your proposal, etc. 19. Provide the chair of your committee with a bound version of the final product (as sent to the Graduate School) for his or her files. 20. Set up personal deadlines for completing sections of the document. You may fail to meet some (or all) of them, but the idea here is to keep you "on track" and aware of the longterm goal of completing the project. Note. For further ideas, see A Suggested Outline for the Research Proposal, which follows.

31 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page 31 A Suggested Outline for the Research Proposal Abstract Introduction Review of Literature Section a Section b Statement of the Problem Hypotheses Methods for Data Collection Sample Instrumentation Procedure Procedures for Data Analysis References Appendices

32 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page 32 Strategies for Beginning the Research Proposal and Some Research Hints If you have not chosen a topic yet, but you have some idea of the areas relevant to school psychology from which you wish to select a topic, then: 1. Block out some time on a regular basis for yourself in order to read and review the literature in the chosen areas of psychology from which you wish to select a topic (e.g., journals, dissertations, research proposals, etc.). 2. After identifying variables of interest within the selected area(s), continue the review of the literature as you take note of reviewers' (or researchers') recommendations for further research. At this point, dissertations have increased value, if you can find those that include the specific variable(s) of interest, because they can direct you to further literature, instrumentation limitations, reliability, validity, etc. Take notes on all literature reviewed henceforth and establish a filing system. 3. Given variables of interest and suggestions for further research, you can begin formulating your research question. (Keep a notebook and a section in it where you can record possible ideas and questions for research.) Write the question(s) down and see if the written question(s) really correspond with your intuitions about the relationship between or among the variables. Discussing this with fellow graduate students is useful, but also talk it over with someone (who may be a graduate student) having some expertise in that field. 4. As you integrate the literature and continue to reflect on the variables of consideration, you may find that your original research question has changed somewhat. When this happens, you must also make appropriate changes in research design and decision rules. (Your design is always a function of, and follows from, your research question, not viceversa.) Reviewing Literature Given article X, to locate literature that: A. pre-dates X, do the following: 1. read the article 2. identify appropriate references in the bibliography 3. secure those articles and repeat the process B. post-dates X, do the following: 1. identify key names and words 2. locate these in the Social Science Citation Index and Psychological Abstracts 3. secure new article and repeat process Checklist for the Research Proposal

33 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page 33 The well-written and well-designed research proposal should produce a yes for each query. Use the following checklist to evaluate your proposal. Abstract (separate page; center this heading) Is the purpose of the study clearly stated? Are all the experimental variables named in the research problem statement? Is the research design clearly presented? Are the procedures concisely described? Is the statistical test or analysis identified? Introduction (start on a new page; title of the proposal appears as a centered heading) 6. Are both the problem and the context of the problem briefly (2 or 3 pages) but adequately described? Review of Literature (start on a new page; center this heading) Are the major references empirically based? Is a clear distinction made between empirical and theoretical support in both your thinking and in your citations? Are the findings of relevant studies presented in an integrated fashion, so that they lend support to your own framework for organizing the area (rather than presenting each study individually, e.g., one per paragraph in a non integrated "list" fashion)? 10. Are all of the cited studies directly relevant to the variables or issues you will address in your proposed study? 11. Are the most important research studies described in a reasonable amount of detail? 12. Are the references organized in a way that helps to make major points clear? 13. Are all direct quotations salient and absolutely necessary? 14. In situations where more than one body of literature is reviewed, is it made clear to the reader why each is discussed, when a new area has been introduced, and how the various bodies are integrated for the purposes of the present study? 15. Have you specified general conclusions and limitations of the reviewed literature? Statement of the Problem (start on a new page; center this heading) 16. Does the statement inquire about a relationship between/among variables? 17. Has the specific proposed study been justified satisfactorily by the presentation in the review of the literature? 18. Have you adequately answered why your research question is an important one to ask? 19. Is this rationale (referred to in 18) firmly rooted in a theoretical base?

34 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page 34 Hypotheses (same section) 20. Are the major hypotheses for the proposed study clearly stated? 21. Are all hypotheses directional? (Be sure you are not predicting support for the null hypothesis.) 22. Do the hypotheses proposed flow logically from the literature reviewed (or have some logical steps been "jumped")? That is, is there a theoretical and/or empirical basis for your predictions? Method (start on new page; center this heading) Participants (sidehead) 23. Is the proposed subject sample described in detail? 24. Is random and independent sampling used where appropriate and practical? Instrumentation (sidehead) 25. Are all the measures named and described in detail? 26. If reliability and validity estimates are available, are they provided? 27. If the instruments have been used in other, similar research, is such use documented here or in the review of literature? 28. If the instrument has been designed by the researcher, are the procedures for estimating reliability and validity described? 29. Are sample items from each instrument provided? 30. Are scoring procedures described? Materials (optional; use only if materials are elaborate and serve as the experimental treatment) 31. Have the materials to be used in the experimental treatment(s) been described? Procedures (sidehead) 32. Are all the experimental manipulations and controls carefully described? 33. Is random assignment of subjects and conditions used where appropriate? 34. Is the research design clearly described? 35. Have operational definitions of all the variables named in the problem statement been provided by this point? 36. Are the procedures free of serious threats to internal validity? 37. Has a balance been achieved between ideal strength of design and practical constraints (e.g., how many children you can locate from your population)? Results (start on new page; center this heading) 38. Are the procedures for generating the raw data described in detail? 39. Are the procedures for transforming the raw data into a form suitable for statistical analysis described? 40. Are the statistical tests and analyses identified? 41. Are the statistical tests and analyses appropriate for the data generated?

35 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page 35 References (start on new page; double-space between entries; see APA Publication Manual for details on the form of reporting) Stylistics And Mechanics 42. Is the APA writing and citation style used? 43. Are references listed according to APA requirements? 44. Is the verb tense appropriate? (Past for already completed events such as "James (1991) found..."; present for current events or general statements such as, "The program is presently being conducted.." or "Memory retrieval processes require real time to..."; and future for anticipated events such as, "Another study will be conducted..."). Use present when referring to the discussion or interpretation of data in a research report or article. The article continues to describe or report specific findings, e.g., Sherman (1992) "interprets the results." Only switch to the past if the interpretation is changed in subsequent articles. 45. Are sentences complete and free of ambiguity? 46. Are paragraphs well-constructed? (Unified in content, longer than one sentence, smoothly written, etc.)? 47. Is writing clear and concise? 48. Is the paper written from the viewpoint of a reader (i.e., someone who doesn't know as much about topic as you do, and often can't remember terms, and can't read your mind so he/she needs to know why you're saying what you're saying)?

36 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page 36 Appendix B: Erchul's Selected Tips for Mastering APA Editorial Style (5th ed.) Note. This is a brief handout that has been presented to students in PSY 800, Introduction to Graduate Study in Psychology. Although the handout offers useful information, the current version of APA's Publication Manual remains the final authority. Basic Editorial Style Issues Precise use of language. 1. That versus Which: Use "that" in restrictive clauses--those essential to the meaning of the sentence: "The animals that scored above the mean on the pretest were used in the experiment." Use "which" in nonrestrictive clauses--those merely adding further information to the meaning of the sentence: "The selected animals, which performed well on the pretest, did not tend to perform well on the experimental task." The key seems to be that, if you can set off the clause with commas, use "which;" otherwise, use "that." 2. While/Since versus Although/Because/etc.: "While" and "since" are words that refer to time. Other conjunctions (e.g., although, because, whereas, but, and) should be used if there is no reference made to time. For example, it is more precise to state, "Although these findings are unusual, they are not unique," than "While these findings are unusual, they are not unique." Verb tense. Be sure your choice of verb tense is correct. Use past preterite for already completed events, such as "James (1991) found..." Present perfect tense also may be used for already completed events. For example, "James (1991) has found..." These two tense forms are particularly appropriate for developing the literature review and method sections. Use present tense for current events or general statements such as, "The program is being conducted currently..." or "Memory retrieval processes require real time to..." Use future tense for anticipated events such as, "Another study will be conducted...". Levels of headings. Although APA specifies up to five levels of headings, most manuscripts will use three or fewer. For three levels, use the following format: Centered Uppercase and Lowercase Heading Flush Left, Italicized, Uppercase and Lowercase Side Heading here. Indented, italicized, lowercase paragraph heading ending with a period. Text continues Manuscripts needing only two levels should employ the first two listed.

37 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page 37 Seriation. 1. Within a paragraph or sentence, identify elements in the series by lowercase letters in parentheses: "Jackson's (1991) method specifies three tasks: (a) sorting stimuli by color, (b) listing the colors represented, and (c) recording the elapsed time." 2. Use semicolons to separate three or more elements of a series that have internal commas: "Browne (1984) divided his sample into three groups: (a) low scorers, who accomplished fewer than three objectives; (b) moderate scorers, who achieved three to six objectives; and (c) high scorers, who accomplished seven or more objectives." 3. Identify separate paragraphs in a series (e.g., itemized conclusions or steps of a procedure) by an arabic numeral followed by a period but not enclosed in or followed by parentheses. Examples of this format are found throughout this handout. Adding emphasis to passages. Words, phrases, or sentences needing emphasis should be italicized. Latin abbreviations. Common Latin abbreviations, along with their correct APA format and meaning, are: cf. compare i.e., that is, e.g., for example, viz., namely, etc., and so forth vs. versus, against et al. and others Note that, with the exception of "et al.," these abbreviations may be used only in parenthetical material. Presentation of Statistics 1. Correct forms for common statistics: p <.05 t(57) = 7.14 F(3, 116) = 8.56 M = 16.45, SD = When reporting means, include an associated measure of variability (e.g., SD). Report correlations, proportions, and inferential statistics to two decimal places, percentages in whole numbers. 3. Use an uppercase italicized N to designate the participants in a total sample (e.g., N = 81), and a lowercase italicized n to designate the number of participants in limited portion of the total sample (e.g., n = 22). 4. Use numerals (figures) to express all quantities that are 10 or above. Use words to express quantities that are below 10.

38 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page 38 References 1. The correct form for referencing a book is: Caplan, G., & Caplan, R. B. (1993). Mental health consultation and collaboration. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. 2. The correct form for referencing a chapter within an edited book is: Harrison, P. L. (1990). Assessment with the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales. In C. R. Reynolds & R. W. Kamphaus (Eds.), Handbook of psychological and educational assessment of children: Vol. 2. Personality, behavior, and context (pp ). New York: Guilford Press. 3. The correct form for referencing a journal article is: Martin, R. P. (1994). Child temperament and common problems in schooling: Hypotheses about causal connections. Journal of School Psychology, 32, The correct form for referencing an online document is: Frederickson, B. L. (2000, March 7). Cultivating positive emotions to optimize health and wellbeing. Prevention & Treatment, 3, Article 0001a. Retrieved November 20, 2000, from 5. Other considerations: (a) when there are multiple authors, a comma is inserted between the next-to-last author's initial(s) and the ampersand; (b) only the first word in an article, chapter, or book title is capitalized; (c) the first letter in each word of a journal's title is capitalized; (d) if the title of a reference work contains a colon, then the first word following the colon is also capitalized; (e) proper nouns are always capitalized; (f) a journal's title and volume number are both italicized; and (g) an issue number, which follows the volume number, is included only if the journal uses pagination by issue rather than by volume. Other Format Considerations 1. Unlike this handout, all text (including references) must be double-spaced. Never use single-spacing or one-and-a-half spacing. 2. Do not justify the right margin, and do not break words at the end of a typed line. 3. Include a margin of at least 1 inch on all sides. 4. Do not confuse the "page header" with the "running head." The page header, which appears in the upper right corner of every page, is merely the first few words of the manuscript's title. It exists mainly for journal editors and copy editors to ensure that all pages from the manuscript are present. Conversely, the running head appears only on the first page (under the page header), does not need to consist of the first few words of the title, and tends to be more

39 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page 39 descriptive. For example, the page header for this handout is "Erchul's Selected Tips," but a better choice for running head might be "Tips for Mastering APA Style." 5. The Abstract must consist of no more than 120 words. Also, the first line of the Abstract is not indented. 6. List references cited in parentheses alphabetically by authors' last names (e.g., Adams, 1994; Birkenstock, 1968; Carter, 1977). 7. Join the names in a multiple-author citation in running text using the word "and." When used in parentheses, tables, and References, join the names using an ampersand, "&." For example, "As Fender and Fullerton (1954) showed...," versus "As has been shown (Fender & Fullerton, 1954),..." 8. Display a quotation of 40 or more words in a free-standing block of typewritten lines and omit quotation marks. Begin this block quotation on a new line, indented five spaces from the left margin. Type the entire quotation doubled-spaced on the new margin. Note that page numbers must be included in parentheses after all direct quotes, regardless of the quote's length. Guidelines to Reduce Bias in Language 1. Describe people at the appropriate level of specificity. 2. Be sensitive to the labels that are frequently applied to people. 3. Acknowledge the often active involvement of participants in psychological research. 4. Address other issues involving gender, sexual orientation, racial and ethnic identity, disabilities, and age. As just one example, one should make reference to "a person with a disability" rather than "a disabled person" in order to avoid the implication that the person as a whole is disabled. For more information on the Internet regarding APA editorial style, check out: Other websites on general writing style issues include: Rev. 6/02

40 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page 40 Appendix C: Psychoeducational Clinic Practicum Note that the following information is provided to give you a general sense of the Clinic Practicum objectives, policies, and procedures. However, all of the information in this Handbook is superseded by the information you receive when you enroll in the practicum. Therefore, you must check with the Clinic Practicum instructor, and the materials you receive in the course, to be sure you fully understand the requirements of the practicum. The Psychoeducational Clinic Practicum (PSY ) aids in the transition from course work to real world application and extends student exposure to test instruments, evaluative procedures, parent and teacher conferencing skills, and report writing practices. Practicum Objectives Clinic practicum objectives are to: 1. Refine test administration and scoring skills introduced in PSY 722, Individual Intelligence Measurement, and PSY 723, Personality Measurement. 2. Learn to administer and interpret intellectual, educational, and personality tests and evaluative procedures additional to those formally taught in PSY 722 and PSY Develop psychological report writing skills. 4. Develop interviewing and oral communication skills by conducting intake interviews and interpretive conferences. 5. Develop the ability to integrate complex information from multiple sources and incorporate it into written and oral communications. 6. Extend knowledge of intervention strategies by developing appropriate psychological report recommendations. Practicum Policies 1. All School Psychology students must assume responsibility (under supervision) for Clinic cases until the above objectives have been met. In most cases, this requirement will be met through completion of 8-12 cases. 2. Students must complete a minimum of two Clinic cases before the first school assessmentbased practicum placement can occur (i.e., PSY ). In addition, the Clinic Director must approve students readiness for psychological practice within the schools, given the level of supervision provided in the schools.

41 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page Under normal circumstances, all cases must be completed within two years of completion of PSY 722, Individual Intelligence Measurement. No degree will be awarded until all cases are satisfactorily completed. 4. Credit is received by registering for one credit (PSY ) semesters when at least three cases will be completed. An Incomplete (IN) will be awarded should the appropriate number of cases not be completed by the date final grades are due. Changing incomplete grades is an inconvenience to both students and faculty and should be reserved for special and unavoidable circumstances. 5. Student responsibilities are to: a) complete a scheduling form at the beginning of each semester. b) assume primary responsibility for all intake and exit conferences (including teacher and child conferences when necessary), testing, report writing, editing, and school observations. c) ensure that a testing or conference room is available and has been set up appropriately so that the supervisor can observe. d) ensure that all test materials are available when needed. See Procedures for the Use of Clinic Test Materials. e) complete cases by the agreed-upon time (usually within two weeks of the last testing session). Failure to complete responsibilities for specific cases by dates agreed upon with the Clinic supervisor may result in a grade of IN or U. f) keep a log of completed cases using the attached Clinic Practicum Case Record form. Note that each case must be initialed by the supervisor. When all cases have been completed, you should have the Clinic Practicum Case Record form signed by the Clinic Director and return a copy to both the Clinic Director and to your Chair. 6. Supervisor's responsibilities include: screening initial telephone inquiries from potential clients, making appointments, being present at intake and exit interviews, reviewing test protocols and reports, observing testing, and providing feedback. 7. Students should identify themselves as a "School Psychologist-in-Training" in all meetings with families and professionals and on all reports and correspondence. 8. Maintaining security of test materials and information is essential. Report drafts should be torn in several lengthwise pieces or put through a paper shredder. Drafts and computer scoring results should not be saved on the hard disk drive when an NC State computer is being used. Reports should be on a separate computer disk that is stored securely. Any communication with teachers or other individuals must first receive parental permission. Administration of highly secured instruments such as the Wechsler scales should not be observed by others except under unusual circumstances which have received prior approval from the Clinic Director or other supervisor.

42 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page 42 Practicum Procedures 1. Time Management: a) Cases must be completed within two weeks from the last testing date. Please do not accept a case if you cannot meet this deadline. b) Notification of your appointments with clients will be through a note in your mail box, and/or a telephone call. You must confirm that you have received notification through a return note, or telephone message to the supervisor. Be sure to contact your supervisor 2-5 days before the appointment to discuss intake procedures. c) It is your responsibility to set up supervisory appointments and to otherwise ensure that the established time line is met. d) Supervisors will normally require 2 to 3 days between receiving a report draft and giving feedback. e) Plan to be at the Clinic at least 15 minutes before intake and exit interviews. 2. Report Drafts: a) All drafts should be typed double-spaced (except for those portions of the report that are similar for all reports or which have been reviewed and found to be adequate). b) Use of the current version of Microsoft Word software is encouraged. c) The first draft should be submitted via attachment. All supporting materials should also be submitted and can either be handed to your supervisor directly or placed in a secured envelope in the supervisor's faculty mailbox. Subsequent drafts can be submitted electronically without supporting materials. Drafts should be dated. 3. Final Reports: a) You are responsible for the completion of the final report on departmental letterhead. b) Justify margins and use the spell checker. c) Make a copy for your own files if you would like. Give the original and two copies, all on original letterhead, to your supervisor. 4. Handling of Materials: a) Client folders with intake/parental permission forms and statement must be left with your supervisor. Other test/background materials may be taken home.

43 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page 43 b) Original copies of client's report cards, prior psychological reports, etc., should be left in the folder. 5. Professional Attire: You represent the University, the Program and the Clinic. When working with clients, it is important that your dress and demeanor be professional. Procedures for Use of Clinic Test Materials 1. A secretarial staff member in Poe 640 will secure test materials for you. Make arrangements with this individual either in person or by telephone. It is your responsibility to ensure that test materials are available when needed. Test kits are to be returned to this designated secretary. A check-out log is kept in the test closet, and should be completed when instruments are checked out. 2. Test kits may be checked out for a maximum of one day. They must be used in Poe Hall and may not be taken home. In some cases, such as when an instrument is being learned for the first time and outside practice is necessary, materials may be taken home overnight. However, prior permission must be obtained from the Clinic Director. 3. Test kit manuals, norm tables, etc. may be checked out overnight. Checkout must occur after 2:00 p.m., and materials must be returned and replaced in the test closet before 9:00 the next morning. Note: If a manual is taken from a test kit, a "Post-it" note must be put on the test kit indicating that the manual is temporarily unavailable. 4. It is your responsibility to ensure that all test materials are available at the time needed. Availability is usually not a problem; however, it becomes more of an issue when the Clinic owns only one copy of a needed instrument. Therefore, tests can be reserved by having a secretarial staff member place a "Post-it" on the instrument itself. This note should contain your name and the anticipated times (date and hours) the test will be needed. Those reserving kits will have first priority for their use during the time reserved. When reserved kits are used, access to the kits is as noted in No. 1 above. 5. Test confidentiality must be observed at all times. Parents should not be allowed to observe administration of most tests; test materials should be kept confidential at all times; and test protocols, reports, etc., should be closely guarded. When using a computer, store reports on your personal disk. After using computer scoring programs, insure that client data is deleted. Hard copies of preliminary test reports should be disposed of properly as well.

44 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page 44 Appendix D: Practicum/Internship Timesheet This spreadsheet is to be used to track hours in practicum and internship settings. The categories and definitions are designed to allow you to track your time in a manner that allows you to readily document the types of experiences you have had when filling out the APPIC Internship Application, or applying for licensure with the NC Psychology Board. Counting Hours For the purposes of this form, hours refers to actual clock hours, not semester/quarter hours. You should round time to the half hour. For example, if you consulted with a teacher for 45 minutes, you would count this as one hour in the Case-centered Consultation cell for that week (entry I D on the sheet). You should enter each clock hour one time only. Therapy Experience These are actual clock hours in direct service to clients. Here, direct service means that your efforts are focused on a particular client and you are interacting directly with the client or a primary caretaker (parent/teacher) of the client. Note that some activities we might call indirect service elsewhere in the NC State School Psychology Program (e.g., case-centered consultation) are considered direct services here. Time spent preparing for direct service activities (e.g., reviewing a psychological report about a client to prepare for an intake session), or documenting direct service activities (e.g., session notes) will be recorded in a different category. Hours and Individuals In the Hours cells, you should count actual clock hours. In the Individuals cell, you should record how many individuals your time was divided among. For example, if you did a one hour Anger Coping Group at an elementary school that included 6 children, you would record a 1 in the hours column for Group Therapy/School-Age/Hours (IB3) and a 6 in the Individuals column. Family Therapy Traditional family therapy is included in this category, as well as activities such as work with parents and their child to develop a home/school note system.

45 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page 45 Parent Consultation Code parent consultation when you meet with parents, but do not include the child in your work. This category should also be used to code sessions with parents that grow out of assessment cases when the content of the sessions goes beyond simply reporting test results and into treatment planning. Generally, if parent feedback regarding assessment results goes beyond one session, it should be considered parent consultation. Case-Centered Consultation Code case-centered consultation when you are working with a caregiver (that is not a parent) to improve a client s functioning in the setting where the caregiver works. Also code conjoint behavioral consultation in this category. Case-Based Support Activities Record the amount of time spent completing activities that support the provision of health services to specific clients. Examples of activities that fit here include writing case notes, reading client files and documentation, consulting with other professionals about a case, researching a particular treatment or disorder (with reference to a specific client) and planning interventions. Assessment Hours recorded in the Behavioral Assessment section include classroom observations, home observations, and observations in other settings (e.g., playground, clinic). Hours recorded in the Psychoeducational category include psychodiagnostic test administration, interpretation, scoring, and report writing. As noted in the Parent Consultation session, if you spend more than one session interpreting test results to parents, you should record the subsequent sessions as parent consultation. Prevention Record hours in this category where time is spent developing or implementing programs that focus on primary or secondary prevention. For example, attending school-based assistance team meetings where prereferral interventions for several children are discussed would be coded in this category. Other examples of Prevention activities are developing a school-wide antibullying program, developing a crisis intervention plan for a school, working with a group of teachers to address the needs of second language learners in the classroom, or teaching a class for parents in successful homework strategies.

46 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page 46 Other Interventions Code hours spent in intervention-based activity that does not fit in other categories. For example, time spent in crisis intervention activities at a school would be coded here (e.g., informing students, staff, and parents of the death of a student). Supervision Of Other Students/Staff Code hours spent functioning as the supervisor to less advanced students. Do not count hours spent in group supervision with peers. Teaching Include only actual class time. Consultation with Organizations/Systems Intervention Code hours spent in consultation that is not client-focused here. (If your time was spent in reference to a specific client, code your hours in ID above.) Examples of activities that might be coded in this category include time spent helping teachers interpret group test results, meeting with a principal to discuss handling of disciplinary incidents in the school, or showing a teacher how to use curriculum-based measurement. Also code inservice presentations that you make here. Program Evaluation/Outcome Assessment Code time spent helping an organization evaluate outcomes here. Activities in this category could include time spent developing, coding, and analyzing a survey regarding teacher views of inclusion; assisting a school in developing a plan to evaluate a new reading program; or developing and implementing an accountability system for summarizing activities of a psychological services unit. Other Professional Experience Code time spent in other activities that constitute professional experience here. Hours coded here should be for activities that do not fit any of the categories above, but could still be considered some form of professional activity that enhances training or functioning. For example, attending a staff meeting could be coded here. Time spent documenting services (such as filling out this timesheet) would also be coded here. Time spent traveling between schools is not accrued professional time and would not be counted here.

47 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page 47 Supervision One-to-One Supervision hours should be coded for regularly scheduled, face-to-face individual supervision with the specific intent of overseeing the psychological services rendered by the student. Hours recorded for Group Supervision should be actual hours of group focus on specific cases. Many group supervision sessions combine supervision with didactic and support activities. If this is the case for your group supervision time, count the didactic portions under the Continuing Education category below and case-focused discussions in this category. Continuing Education Code time spent in training and other educational experiences here. This category includes time spent in an orientation to a new site, workshops, grand rounds, lectures, and didactic supervision experiences (e.g., presentation on bilingual assessment during group supervision). If you can link your continuing education experience to the needs of a specific client, the hours should be coded in Case-Based Support Activities above. Other Code time spent on practicum that does not constitute professional experience here, but counts toward your total clock hours on a site. An example of an activity that might be coded here is time spent traveling between schools. Do not count travel to your site, only between sites during the day.

48 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page 48 Appendix E: Student Evaluation Form North Carolina State University School Psychology Program Student Practicum dates to Day(s) of Week Practicum Type Practicum Site Field Supervisor NCSU Supervisor Approximate number of hours spent per week: Credit Hours A. Overview 1. Approximately how often did you interact with the student? 2. Please check and/or list the types of activities that were assigned to the student and, if someone other than you supervised the student in these activities, please indicate who was responsible for the supervision. A. Observation: 1. In special education classes 2. In regular classes with special education students 3. In regular classes with referred children B. Observation (0) and/or Participation (P) in: (Please indicate 0 and/or P for each item) 1. Teacher consultation concerning referred children 2. Parent consultation concerning referred children 3. IEP/special ed committee meetings 4. Student support team meetings C. Participation in: 1. Standardized testing 2. Non-standardized assessment procedures D. Observation and/or Participation in: 1. Intervention with individual students 2. Intervention with groups of students 3. Workshops presented to teachers 4. Workshops presented to parents 5. Reporting relevant research to school staff

49 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page 49 Please rate the student in the following areas by either circling, or placing an X to the right of, your rating. When rating, please keep in mind that average means a typical performance for a student (keeping in mind the experience level of the student being rated) and should not necessarily be considered a poor rating. Providing additional comments that you feel are appropriate also would be very useful; this information will be used to identify strengths and weaknesses in individual students as well as in the NCSU School Psychology Program. B. Assessment Skills Please judge the student s technical competence with: 1. Standardized tests (please list those tests you are basing this judgment on): Observation procedures: 3. Non standardized assessment techniques: 4. Integrating and interpreting findings:

50 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page Clearly communicating findings through: a. written reports: b. oral reports (e.g., in parent teacher conferences): 6. Other comments: C. Consultation/Intervention Skills Please judge the student s ability to: 1. Pinpoint area(s) of primary concern to consultees: 2. Develop effective ways of addressing those concerns: 3. Utilize counseling skills (i.e., working directly with parents and students):

51 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page 51 D. Knowledge Base 4. Carefully evaluate each concern dealt with: 5. Follow up on cases to ensure that no further problems arise: 6. Other comments: Please judge the student s knowledge base in: 1. Psychological and educational theory and research: 2. Legal and ethical standards: 3. Intervention methods with behavioral problems: 4. Intervention with academic problems:

52 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page Special education programs, eligibility requirements, etc.: 6. Other comments: E. Knowledge Application Please judge the student s ability to apply knowledge base in his/her 1. Use of theoretical information and research results: 2. Development, implementation, and evaluation of plans for dealing with novel situations. 3. Willingness to seek new knowledge: 4. Research design and evaluation skills: 5. Other comments:

53 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page 53 F. Interpersonal Skills (the degree to which the individual works effectively with other persons in the school setting, and includes communication skills, ability to establish positive relationships, respond to reactions of others, etc.) 1. School psychologists and other specialists (e.g., in staff meetings): 2. Teachers and administrators: 3. Children and youth: 4. Parents, guardians, and advocates: 5. In general, respect shown for others professional skills and competencies: 6. Other comments:

54 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page 54 G. Professional Behavior Please judge the student s professionalism, drawing from the following characteristics: 1. Dependability: 2. Utilization of suggestions and/or constructive criticisms: 3. Promptness: 4. Ability to work independently: 5. Ability to assume responsibility: 6. Initiative:

55 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page Enthusiasm: 8. Appropriate attire: 9. Professional manner: 10. Other comments: H. Conclusions 1. Please describe any specific strengths or weaknesses in the knowledge base or skills of this student that have not been mentioned previously. 2. Please describe general strengths and weaknesses you have observed in the performance of NCSU School Psychology students whom you have supervised previously.

56 Fall, 2005 NC State School Psychology Student Handbook Page Overall rating of this student (please consider the student s experience level in making this rating): a. Judgment of student s potential as a practicing school psychologist: b. Other comments Field Supervisor Signature Date Student Signature Date (Signature indicates only that the student is aware of and has discussed the evaluation with the field supervisor; agreement with the ratings is not implied by the student s signature.) Thank you for taking the time to complete this form. Please confer with your student, sign and date the document, and have the student sign and date the document. Please mail the original evaluation to the NCSU School Psychology Program faculty supervisor at the Department of Psychology, PO Box 7650, NC State University, Raleigh, NC, ; please keep a copy of this evaluation for your records.