Students in the program are trained to think and act as both social scientists and applied psychologists. As social scientists they are expected to be involved in educational program planning, policy formation, and serve as resource persons. As practitioners, they must have the training to render diagnostic and remedial services. The doctoral program has a strong theoretical base in the areas of human development, learning, individual differences, research methods, and statistics. Professional and practical courses emphasize familiarity with cultural diversity, both regular and special education classrooms, and the development and application of both individual and group measurement skills in the cognitive, learning, and the socio-emotional domains.
Students receive intensive applied training during practica and internship.
Specific program objectives reflecting the practitioner-scientist orientation equip students with the competency to perform a range of professional functions. Regardless of the professional setting, Ph.D. school psychologists are fully recognized as psychologists and thus are subject to the same ethical responsibilities and standards appropriate to the profession. To pursue the doctoral degree, students usually select a doctoral committee during the first or second semester of doctoral level graduate work. Until the student's committee is appointed, the director of the program acts as the student's program advisor. A cognate is an area of specialization or concentration in the student's degree program.