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School of Education - George Mason University

Do you enjoy helping others, solving problems, and being part of a team? Have you always wanted to work with children? Become a school psychologist, one of the top jobs in Social Services ranked by U.S. News and World Report.

The School Psychology Program at Mason encompasses three years of full-time study, with an internship of 1,200 hours in the third year. For most students, the program follows a cohort model, meaning that students admitted for the same year take the same classes and field experiences or practica in sequence at the same time. In the classroom, students obtain knowledge of evidence-based services in assessment and evaluation, counseling, consultation, prevention, and intervention. Students also take classes in research methods and statistics. Across the five practica and internship, student integrate the skills of a practicing school psychologist with the classroom knowledge.

The MA is awarded at the end of the second year. Students also complete the 22-credit school psychology graduate certificate in order to be eligible for Virginia licensure in school psychology. Upon successful completion of the MA, student are automatically accepted to the graduate certificate.

Our faculty and staff have strong relationships with our local schools, and many of our GMU alumni have elected to remain in the metropolitan DC area. A number of our alumni have risen to positions of leadership in the schools and enjoy partnering with the faculty to train the next generation of professionals as supervisors, guest lecturers, and adjunct faculty. At the same time, our graduates are qualified to be Nationally Certified School Psychologists and have obtained internships and jobs in states ranging from New York, to Florida, Texas, Arizona, and California, to name a few.

The field of school psychology continues to expand and grow. Become a professional in this dynamic and important profession.

If you have additional questions, please see our Frequently Asked Questions page.

Careers in the Field

School psychologists are uniquely qualified members of school teams that support students' ability to learn and teachers' ability to teach. They apply expertise in mental health, learning, and behavior to help children and youth succeed academically, socially, behaviorally, and emotionally.

The majority of the graduates of the program are employed as school psychologists in public school districts across the United States. Our graduates also work in private and charter schools, universities, independent practice, and in educational research. More information about School Psychology as a career can be found at National Association of School Psychologists Careers.

Internships and Licensure

In the third year of the program, students complete a 1200-hour internship in a school district. These positions are advertised by schools and in the metropolitan DC area, they are generally paid. Interns go through an interview process, and once hired, they are considered employees of the school. While many of our students elect to remain in the Maryland/Virginia schools, our students are eligible and prepared for internships across the country. Our students have sought and obtained internships nationally. Students receive supervision from their field-based intern supervisor as well as from university faculty. Upon successful completion of internship and graduation from the program, students take the national Praxis Exam in school psychology. This leads to licensure by the State Board of Education as a school psychologist. Students are also eligible for National Certification in School Psychology (NCSP), which is an additional certificate that is well respected in the field. Because the Mason program is an NASP-approved program, the application process for the NCSP is streamlined.

Complete and detailed requirements for the Mason School Psychology Training Program internship appear in a separate document entitled The School Psychology Internship: A Handbook of Guidelines.

Licensure Disclosure

George Mason University will verify completion of the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) state-approved preparation program at the graduate or undergraduate level. Such verification does not guarantee the issuance of a Virginia Collegiate Professional, Postgraduate Professional, or Pupil Personnel license from the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is solely the student's responsibility to comply with all requirements for licensure by the Commonwealth. Under Virginia law, a social security number is required for licensure.

This program has been identified by George Mason University as one that may lead to a career requiring professional licensure/certification. Federal regulations require Mason to disclose information as to whether this program meets/does not meet the educational requirements for licensure/certification in your state, or whether such a determination has not been made. Please consult our Licensure Disclosure Tool for the disclosure statement specific to your desired state/program combination.