Important Information
for Prospective Doctoral Students
in School Psychology

The decision to commit yourself to a doctoral education is not one that should come with out considerable though. Once your decision is made to proceed in School Psychology, what doctoral program best meets your present needs and future aspirations?  Much of this information is available throughout this website; however, what follows are a number of areas of information which will hopefully aid the prospective student in making an informed decision.

• Time to Completion
• Program Costs
• Internship
• Attrition
• Licensure

The Ball Sate School Psychology Doctoral Program requires four academic years of full-time study or its equivalent beyond the baccalaureate degree. Students must complete, including the dissertation, a minimum of 90 semester hours of graduate work beyond the bachelor's degree. A minimum of 72 semester hours is required exclusive of credit for internship and dissertation. This graduate requirement is also exclusive of undergraduate and remedial courses designed to remove admission deficiencies.

In addition, University residency requirements stipulate at least two consecutive semesters of graduate work beyond the master's degree must be taken in residence at Ball State University. The student must complete a minimum of 48 of the required 90 semester hours of graduate work on the Ball State University campus. Candidates who hold master's degrees from other than Ball State may have up to 42 of the 90 semester hours of graduate work at other approved institutions of higher learning accepted (Graduate Catalog).

Fees, tuition and expenses are available at the Graduate School Catalog. General information on types of Financial Assistantships and Fellowships is available at the Graduate School, Assistantships and Financial Support webpage. The Doctoral Program in School Psychology is committed to funding all doctoral students enrolled in full-time study. Our doctoral students receive a Graduate Assistantship that includes a stipend of approximately $10,000+ for the academic year, remission of the contingent portion of the general fee, remission of the graduate course fee, and an out-of-state waiver. Although students are "guaranteed" first and second year support, it has been our experience that the all our students, who seek one, are provided with an assistantship as well. The Program cannot guarantee support from year to year due to Indiana law. However, the pattern of funds available to date has enabled us to fund every full-time doctoral student since the inauguration of the Ph.D. Program in School Psychology in 1985.  Stipends for each five-week summer term are 15 percent of the student's previous academic year.

Intern sites for Ph.D. school psychology students are selected and maintained on the basis of their capacity to offer the most comprehensive repertoire of experiences within the allotted time period. Each site is expected to allow trainees to develop new knowledge and skills and to take substantial responsibility for carrying out major professional functions with appropriate supervisory support and consistent with ethical and legal practice.  A primary consideration in the selection and maintenance of intern sites includes the availability for contact with and supervision by a doctoral-level licensed psychologist.

The program has never had a student who was unable to find and participate in a paid internship. During the last seven years 48% of our interns obtained an APA/APPIC internship. A total of 27% of our interns completed an internship accredited by the American Psychological Association. This is impressive in light of the fact that so few school based internships are accredited by the APA or APPIC. All of the internships are reviewed by our Director Internships and insure conformity theCouncil of Directors of School Psychology Doctoral Level Internships Guidelines (Approved by the Membership, May, 1998) (http://ww.education.ucsb.edu/netshare/cdspp/). During the past seven years 6 students did a two year half-time internship for family and/or personal reasons.

Our attrition rate, which is interpreted as the total percent of students who have exceeded the 7-year limit for matriculation or resigned from the Program was 7.5%.  Of this number 4.6% resigned in good standing and took positions as school psychologists for financial and/or personal reasons.  In fact, students in the distance past were counseled into another program we have never failed to retain a student.  The remainder of the students within the "attrition group" exceed or are about to exceed the seven year rule.  All students have completed the program with the exception of the dissertation.

During the 2006-2007 academic year, doctoral graduates of the School Psychology program completed the Self-Study Graduate Evaluation Measure. In sum, 100% of our graduates were employed in some psychological setting. A total of 78% of our graduates were licensed as "School Psychologists" with 56% being licensed Psychologists by a State (HSPP). This percent of licensed psychologists (health care providers), was impressive in light of the fact that only 53% were eligible due to necessary the post-doctoral experience. So too, some 38% of all graduates were in the past or are at present enrolled in formal Post-Doctoral Training. Of the graduates with a specialization in Neuropsychology (32.5%), were more likely to have had (or are having) formal post doctoral training in that area of that specialization. Of all   the graduate, some 95 % held membership in national professional organizations. The most important part of their training, as reported by graduates, was the integration of clinical experience early in the program (56%).Some 98% reported the training program prepared them more than adequate for the practice of professional psychology.