Psychology

School Psychology: FAQs

General School Psychology Program Questions

• What is the Education Specialist (EdS) degree?
• Do I have to have an undergraduate degree in Psychology to be admitted to the graduate program in School Psychology?
• I already have a master's degree in a related field (psychology, counseling, education). Do I need to complete all of the coursework for the Ed.S. in school psychology to become certified?
• Can previously earned graduate credits count towards the EdS in School Psychology?
• What courses could I take to prepare for the program?
• Is the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) required for admission?
• Where do I send my application materials?
• How much does the program cost?
• Is financial assistance available?
• Are there any application deadlines I should be aware of?
• Do you only accept students for admission in the Fall Quarter?
• Do you accept part-time students
• How do I apply for a Graduate Teaching Assistantship?

Q: What is the Education Specialist (EdS) degree?

A: The EdS degree in School Psychology is an advanced professional graduate degree that resides between a masters and a doctorate degree in terms of credits required, typically requiring 2 years of full-time study and a 1 year internship. Specialist-level training is the minimum level of education required for National Certification as a school psychologist and for state certification in the state of Washington.

Q: Do I have to have an undergraduate degree in Psychology to be admitted to the graduate program in School Psychology?

A: No. There are some prerequisite courses but you may take these during the course of your program if you are admitted. However, these prerequisite courses do not count toward your degree or certification. See the admissions information page for more details

Q: I already have a master's degree in a related field (psychology, counseling, education). Do I need to complete all of the coursework for the Ed.S. in school psychology to become certified?

A: Graduate credits earned in another degree program can be accepted and applied towards the Ed.S. degree and individualized programs can be developed in consultation with the program director. In order to earn certification as a school psychologist, students must complete the Ed.S. degree program.

Q: Can previously earned graduate credits count towards the EdS in School Psychology?

A: The program may count up to 20 quarter units of graduate credit earned as a part of a master’s degree towards the EdS degree. The courses must be equivalent to the content of the courses in the EdS course of study as determined by the School Psychology Graduate Program Committee.

Q: What courses could I take to prepare for the program?

A: Completion of prerequisite statistics coursework prior to entering the program is very helpful. The prerequisite courses are PSY362 Introductory Statistics and PSY363 Intermediate Statistics or their equivalent. If you have previous coursework in statistics the Department of Psychology can review the course to determine possible equivalency. For admissions, coursework in at least an introductory statistics course is highly recommended.

Q: Is the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) required for admission?

A: No. The GRE is not required for application to this program.

Q: Where do I send my application materials?

A: You will need to send all application materials directly to CWU's School of Graduate Studies, not to the department of Psychology.

Q: How much does the program cost?

A: CWU offers a high quality school psychology graduate education at a cost that is considerably lower than other institutions. As of the 2022-2023 academic year, the total cost for tuition and fees for the 3 year on-campus program is $35,426. In addition, the majority of 3rd year interns have secured paid internships for the 3rd year of graduate study.

Q: Is financial assistance available?

A: Yes, each year the department awards a number of Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA) on a competitive basis. These assistantships may include tuition remission as well as a salary.

Q: Are there any application deadlines I should be aware of?

A: The application deadline for the School Psychology program is February 1 for fall admission.

Q: Do you only accept students for admission in the Fall Quarter?

A:Typically, students are only admitted to the program for the Fall quarter for the academic year program. Please check with the Program Director for more information.

Q: Do you accept part-time students?

A: At times part-time students may be accepted. Please check with the program director to discuss your particular situation.

Q: How do I apply for a Graduate Teaching Assistantship?

A: There is a separate application process for assistantships. Please check with the Graduate School for application information.