School Psychology/School Counseling Dual Program, M.A.

With the school counseling and school psychology dual program, you can complete your California pupil personnel services (PPS) credentials in school psychology and school counseling, and earn your master of arts in school counseling and school psychology.

You’ll gain expertise in assessment and intervention, as well as the knowledge and skills to develop and implement comprehensive guidance and counseling programs. The third year of the program includes a 1,200-hour school psychology internship, along with master’s-level courses.

View our State Professional Licensing and Certificate Disclosure

Program Highlights

• Small class sizes
• Experienced and highly rated university faculty
• Blended schedule with courses in class and online
• Includes both academic classroom training and applied field experience
• Our grads are sought by top districts

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Faculty

Catalog

Program Director: Olivia Calvillo, Psy.D. 

School Psychology and School Counseling

Embarking on the journey to become a dual student in the School Counseling and School Psychology program is an exceptional opportunity to harness the strengths of both disciplines. By joining this program, you'll develop unique qualifications and skills crucial for making a difference in rural school districts, where professionals are urgently needed to foster students' academic success, career development, social-emotional well-being, mental health, and behavioral growth. Our dual program is designed to cultivate transformative leaders, passionate advocates, and effective collaborators who are committed to playing a role in creating safe and nurturing environments that empower all students, ensuring equitable educational opportunities. Together, we can shape the future of education and make a lasting impact on the lives of students in need. Join us in this rewarding journey to become the servant leader our schools desperately require. Becoming a dual student in the School Counseling and School Psychology program is a remarkable opportunity to integrate two vital professions.  

Fresno Pacific University Education Unit's Mission 

Fresno Pacific University's Education Unit seeks to prepare educators whose calling it is to be scholars, peacemakers, professionals, and leaders who carry out the beliefs of the Fresno Pacific University Idea in their diverse educational settings. 

The Fresno Pacific Idea 

The Fresno Pacific Idea reflects the university's interpretation of what it means to be a community of learners committed to a distinctive vision of Christian higher education. The Idea serves as a center for reflection and action and as a guide for forming a vision of the future. Rooted in the past and continuously re-shaped by the present, the Idea provides a foundation for the university's understanding of itself and of the mission to which it is called. 

Program Overview

In the dual-school counseling/school psychology program, candidates will complete separate credentials in school psychology and school counseling and earn a master's degree in school counseling and school psychology.

The marketability and flexibility of obtaining both the school counseling and school psychology credentials will provide many options for both students and school districts. Graduates will be equipped with the necessary expertise in assessment and intervention as well as the knowledge and skills to develop and implement comprehensive guidance and counseling programs. The sequence of courses for the dual program has been carefully determined to provide maximum utility and background experience for fieldwork experiences as well as sequential coursework.

Students will be required to obtain liability insurance through the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) before students can accumulate counseling hours. Students will also be required to obtain liability insurance before students can accumulate psychology hours. The Proof of liability insurance must be obtained by the program director prior to school site-based observations and PK-12 field experience. Students will need to have two separate insurances: School Counseling and School Psychology

The sequence of courses is determined by the program director. In addition to the 90 units, there are three prerequisites (Please note, if you have obtained your bachelor's degree in psychology from FPU, a UC, or a CSU, all prerequisites will be waived). Up to 9 units of credit from an accredited graduate program in counseling, psychology, or a related area may be transferred into the school psychology program, where such courses are judged by the School Psychology Program Director to be equivalent to those required in the graduate program. All other provisions of the general graduate policy on transfer of credit shall apply.

The following additional program requirements must be met prior to recommendation for a School Psychology and School Counseling Credentials:

1. Statement of Intent
2. A master's degree in school psychology/school counseling or a related area.
3. A passing score of 155* on the NASP PRAXIS exam. This exam will serve as the program's comprehensive exam and follows most of the credential coursework.
4. Successful passing of the Program Exit Oral Examination and Portfolio Review.
5. Once the internship, program exit exam, and master's degree requirements are completed, the individual may apply for the Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) Credentials in School Psychology and School Counseling.

*PPP 787 Praxis Tutorial - 1 credit must be complete after two failed attempts at passing PRAXIS.

Accreditation

State of California Commission on Teacher Credentialing

1900 Capitol Avenue Sacramento, California 95814-4213

Admissions Requirements

1. Two current reference forms
2. Statement of Intent
3. All other official transcripts from colleges/universities attended. BA degree required.
4. Letter of explanation if your GPA is under 3.0
5. Interview with program director and committee***

***Program applicants will be required to submit an impromptu writing sample of approximately one page at the time they are scheduled to meet with the program director for an interview. The sample written expression will be part of the documentation required to determine candidate competence. If program prospects are judged by the Graduate Admission Committee to have writing deficiencies (provided they have met the other requirements), they may be accepted if they take a professional writing class.

Prerequisites

Prerequisite courses (all must be passed with a grade of a 'C' or better):

• Child Development
• Educational Statistics and Research Design
• Introduction to Psychology
• *BA in Sociology, Social Work, or Psychology from Fresno Pacific University, the UC or CSU system will waive these requirements.

Program Student Learning Outcomes

Program learning outcomes as based on the California Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) Performance Expectations standards as well as the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) and the American School Counselor Association (ASCA). Each of those Performance Expectations are listed in the School Psychology and School Counseling sections.

Program Length/Semester Starts

The program ranges from 9 to 10 semesters. Coursework is primarily offered as an online synchronous option throughout the program. Cohorts begin in Summer. Attending full time, the 90-unit program will take three years to complete. Following the course sequence provided, students will complete the requirements for their school counseling credential, their school psychology credential, and the master's degree at the end of the third year. Once the student has passed the program exit exam and completed the master's degree requirements, the individual may apply for their Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) Credentials.

Locations Offered

Synchronous Online

Required Courses (90 Units)

• PPC 730 - Foundations of the School Counseling Profession Credits 3
• PPC 731 - Social Emotional Development Credits 3
• PPC 733 - Program Development and Core Curriculum Credits 3
• PPC 734 - Prevention and Intervention Credits 3
• PPC 735 - Academic Development Credits 3
• PPC 736 - College and Career Development Credits 3
• PPC 737 - Social Justice: Equity and Access Credits 3
• PPS 740 - Clinical Practice in School Counseling I Credits 2
• PPS 742 - Clinical Practice in School Counseling III Credits 2-4
• PPS 747 - School Based Practicum Experience: Dual Program Credits 3
• PPS 749 - School Psychology Supervised Practicum Experience II Credits 1
• PPP 750 - Professional Theory and Practice: School Psychology Credits 3
• PPP 751 - Family School Collaboration and Support Credits 3
• PPP 752 - Legal and Ethical Practices in School Psychology Credits 3
• PPP 753 - Assessments in the Schools Credits 3
• PPP 754 - School Wide Practices to Promote Learning Credits 3
• PPP 755 - Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Assessment Credits 3
• PPP 756 - Interpretation Credits 3
• PPP 757 - Identify and Monitor Effective Interventions Credits 3
• PPP 758 - Intervention Based Instructional Support: Development of Academic Skills Credits 3
• PPP 759 - Human Diversity: Best Practices for Assessing Children Credits 3
• PPP 760 - Practices to Promote Behavioral and Mental Health in Today's Schools Credits 3
• PPP 761 - Mental Health Services to Develop Social and Life Skills Credits 3
• PPS 768 - School Psychology Internship I Credits 2 *
• PPS 769 - School Psychology Internship II Credits 2
• PPP 770 - Introduction Concepts and Principles ABA Credits 1
• PPP 771 - Experimental Design and Behavioral Research Credits 3
• PPS 772 - Issues and Values in Schools and Society Credits 3
• PPP 776 - Behavior Assessment Credits 3
• PPP 777 - Behavior Change Procedures Credits 2
• PPP 778 - Behavior Change: Selecting Interventions I Credits 1
• PPP 779 - Behavior Change: Selecting Interventions II Credits 1

• *Note: students may register for PPS 768 Internship only after passing the Exit to Internship oral exam and Portfolio Review.

Master of Arts Core

Complete one group:

• PPP 780PPS - Research: Single Subject Design I Credits: 1-3 and

• Must complete 3 units total

• PPP 781PPS - Research: Single Subject Design II Credits 1 and
• PPP 782PPS - Research: Single Subject Design III Credits 2

• OR

• PPP 783PPS - Research: Quantitative Design I Credits 1-3 and

• Must complete 3 units total

• PPP 784PPS - Research: Quantitative Design II Credits 1 and
• PPP 785PPS - Research: Quantitative Design III Credits 2

Graduate & Degree Completion Admission

Phone: 559-453-3690

Email: GDC.admissions@fresno.edu

Program Requirements

• Interview with program director
• Impromptu writing sample
• Statement of intent*
• Two reference forms
• CBEST score of 100 (credential requirement)
• Official transcripts verifying BA/BS degree**
• Valid California credential or Certificate of Clearance
• Verification of negative TB test (within last 12 months)
• Minimum 3.00 GPA
  • Letter of explanation if GPA is under 3.00

*One to two typed pages providing a statement of career goals and a description of how participation in the graduate program will contribute to your growth and development of these goals.

* *Candidates must bring unofficial transcripts from all universities/colleges attended to interview with program director.

Prerequisites

• Introduction to Statistics
• General Psychology
• Child Growth and Development
• *BA in Sociology, Social Work, or Psychology from Fresno Pacific University, the UC or CSU system will waive these requirements.

 

Cost & Financial Aid

Student Financial Services

Phone: 559-453-2041

Fax: 559-453-5595

Cashier: 559-453-5586

Toll free: 866-321-7502

FAFSA code: 001253

Email: sfs@fresno.edu

Tuition & Fees

Career Opportunities

Graduates are equipped with the necessary expertise in assessment and intervention, as well as the knowledge and skills to develop and implement comprehensive guidance and counseling programs as school counselors and school psychologists.

Career Development Center

Phone: 559-453-2073

Email: career.services@fresno.edu

Career Development Happens Here