School Psychology Educational Specialist | Marywood University Scranton, PA

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The Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) Program in School Psychology is interdisciplinary in nature and is intended for students who seek state certification as a PreK-12 school psychologist. The Ed.S. degree program is designed as a 75-credit graduate program for students who wish to work in schools or related agencies. The program is competency-based and aims to train professionals in a scientist-practitioner model to provide the wide range of services expected of school psychologists. Emphasis throughout the program is on realistic integration of didactic instruction and experiential learning, with the candidate expected to demonstrate continual progress toward independent professional functioning.

The Ed.S. degree program is fully approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and follows standards and guidelines for School Psychology training established by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and National Association of School Psychologists (NASP).

Students may enter the program post-baccalaureate or post-master’s degree. Those seeking entrance post-baccalaureate earn a Master of Arts degree in Psychology upon completion of 48 credit hours and other degree requirements for the General/Theoretical concentration. Applicants seeking admission post-master’s degree should expect to complete a minimum of 30 graduate credits, including a 1,200-hour internship, within three academic years. Part-time students, entering post-baccalaureate, are expected to complete the program and internship within five years.

Integral member of multidisciplinary teams

Assess barriers to learning / determine strategies to improve learning

Promote wellness, resilience, and safe school environments

Provide consultation, counseling, training / instruction, crisis intervention, and mentoring

Work with students, families, teachers, related service professionals, administrators

Program Highlights

Hands-On Experience

Students have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in the field of psychology right on campus through the Psychological Services Center, where they can apply classroom knowledge in real-world settings by engaging directly with clients, supporting mental health services, and working alongside experienced professionals.

Ranked Among the Best

Marywood is ranked #14 Best Value School by U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges rankings for 2026, making Marywood a great, centrally located option for students in Northeastern Pennsylvania who want to stay closer to home.

Personalized Attention

11:1 faculty-student ratio with personalized attention from highly credentialed faculty for each student.

About the School Psychology Ed.S. Program

Admissions Requirements

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Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university
“B” average during undergraduate study or demonstrated potential for graduate work
Completed Application: https://admissions.marywood.edu/apply/
Two letters of recommendation
Essay (1-2 pages): Essay outlining professional and personal qualities that you believe will help make you a successful school psychologist
Professional resume/CV (optional)
Official transcripts from all previously attended institutions

Those admitted to the program are expected to demonstrate continued professional growth. The progress of each candidate is reviewed yearly. To be recommended for certification, a student must also pass the Praxis II (School Psychology) standardized examination(s).

Note: Program requirements and curricula are subject to change, pending Pennsylvania Department of Education and NASP Training Standards.

Transfer of Credits:

All credits transferred must reflect at least a “B” grade, be from a regionally accredited institution, be similar in content and demand of equivalent Marywood courses and have been within the preceding five years. The Director of School Psychology must approve all transfer credits. The following criteria must also be met:

The student has attained Full Acceptance Status in the program.
The student has provided a syllabus of the proposed transfer course.
The student has provided an official transcript showing an earned grade of “B” level or above in the course(s) to be transferred. Grades lower than “B” are not transferable.
The student completed the transfer courses in the past five years prior to making this request.
The student met with his/her academic advisor who will make a recommendation of approval of transfer.

Transfer students applying at the Ed.S. level can transfer in previous related graduate credits of the required coursework for the Ed.S. degree, to be determined by the admissions committee. Transfer credits will not be applied to the following courses:

PSYC 549A Practicum
PSYC 549B Internship
PSYC 549C Internship
PSYC 551 School Psychology Law and Ethics
PSYC 562 Cognitive Assessment
PSYC 563 Assessment of Learning
PSYC 581 Socio-Emotional Assessment of Children and Adolescents

Final written approval is made by the Director of School Psychology with copies of the final determination placed in the student’s file and emailed to the student.

Facilities & Technology

McGowan Center for Graduate and Professional Studies

The McGowan Center for Graduate and Professional Studies, located on the corner of University and North Washington Avenues, contains classrooms and related clinical/professional space for Communication Sciences and Disorders, Psychology and Counseling, Education, and Business students. The Marywood Market is also located here.

The McGowan Center is home to the School of Education and the School of Business and Global Innovation. The Counseling/Student Development Center is also located here.

The building has modern classrooms, computer labs, and controlled lab settings for the Psychology and Communication Sciences and Disorders programs. Students from the School of Education may utilize the Curriculum Lab, which houses hundreds of school textbooks, teacher manuals, and other teaching materials.

Market Marywood is a convenience store located on the first floor of the McGowan Center. It features favorite beverages, snacks, Ben and Jerry's ice cream, on-the-go sandwiches, fruit, and salads.

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McGowan Center Classrooms

The Communication Sciences and Disorders program has many facilities and features a Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic, where students have the opportunity to work with individuals with speech, language, and hearing difficulties. The clinic is equipped with video monitors and a complete audiological evaluation facility.

The Psychology and Counseling program features distinctive teaching and research facilities to support counseling and psychology students.

The School of Business and Global Innovation operates facilities such as The Wall Street West Financial Lab and a Flight Simulator for students in Aviation Management.

The School of Education maintains a curriculum lab of texts, manipulative materials, and software designed for K-12 programs. For those interested in working with infants, toddlers, and preschool-age children, there are ample opportunities to observe and teach right on campus.

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Psychological Services Center

The Psychological Services Center (PSC), located in Room 1009 in the McGowan Center for Graduate and Professional Studies, is a clinic and training facility. It serves the community as an outpatient mental health clinic that provides services to individuals across the life spectrum from young children to older adults. The entry of the PSC is privately located on the north side of the McGowan Center on Marywood's campus. The PSC is composed of several individual, couple, family, and group therapy rooms, as well as a reception area and waiting room.

Individual Therapy
Marital/Couples Therapy
Family Therapy
Child Play Therapy
Parent Training
Educational & Geriatric Assessment
Psychological and Personality Assessment

Lecturer

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Courses & Curriculum (75 Total Credits)

Fall, Spring, & Summer Semesters: Year One (42 Total Credits)

Course Numbers	Course Names	Credit Hours
*Fall Semester*		*12 Total Credits*
PSYC 503*	Research Methods & Stats I	3
PSYC 508*	Biological Bases of Behavior	3
PSYC 547a	Intro to School Psychology	3
PSYC 561	Intro to Psych Testing	3
*Spring Semester*		*12 total credits*
PSYC 504*	Research Methods & Stats II	3
PSYC 523*	Contemporary Learning Theories	3
PSYC 581	Socio-Emotional Assessment	3
PSYC 517*	Personality Psychology	3
*Summer I Semester*		*9 Total Credits*
SPED 507	Char. of Mild/Mod Disabilities	3
PSYC 585	Family School Intervention	3
PSYC 532	Child Psychopathology	3
*Summer II Semester*		*6 Total Credits*
PSYC 514*	Human Development	3
PSYC 521*	Social Psychology	3
*Summer III Semester*		*6 Total Credits*
PSYC 555	Professional Contribution	0
COUN 532	Multicultural Issues Prof Couns	3

Fall, Spring, & Summer Semesters: Year Two (27 Total Credits)

Course Numbers

Course Names

Credit Hours

Fall Semester

12 Total Credits

PSYC 539

Behavior Management

PSYC 552a

School-Based Consultation

PSYC 562

Cognitive Assessment

PSYC 563

Assessment of Learning

Spring Semester

9 total credits

PSYC 549a

Practicum

PSYC 551

School Psychology Law & Ethics

COUN 518

Found. Counseling Techniques

Summer I Semester

9 Total Credits

EDUC 561

Methods/Assessment ESL

Summer II Semester

6 Total Credits

SPED 520

Evidence-Based Practice

Year Three: Ed.S. Internship/Certification** (6 Total Credits)

Course Numbers	Course Names	Credit Hours
PSYC 549b	Internship	3
PSYC 549c	Internship	3

Course Numbers

Course Names

Credit Hours

PSYC 549b

Internship

PSYC 549c

Internship

*Foundational graduate psychology coursework required for Competency Exam.

**Internship = minimum 1,200 clock hours/field-based experience; take Praxis II exam for PA State Certification (Aug-Nov); apply for PA State Certification on first day of graduation month.

Note: Program requirements and curricula are subject to change pending PA Department of Education Guidelines and NASP Graduate Preparation Training Standards.

Upon entering the Educational Specialist Program post-baccalaureate, students work to complete the requirements of the Master of Arts Degree in General Theoretical Psychology and gradually enroll in courses specific to the school psychology certification. The M.A. degree is earned after completion of 48 core-credits and a Professional Contribution or Thesis (see General Theoretical Concentration). Afterwards, students continue to enroll in courses, university-based practica, and internship specific to satisfying requirements for an Educational Specialist degree.

Internship Guidelines

PSYC 549A Practicum is completed the semester immediately prior to the field-based internship experience (PSYC 549B, PSYC 549C). Students who do not enroll in PSYC 549B the semester immediately following PSYC 549A are required to retake PSYC 549A during the regular schedule in the upcoming academic year. Students earning a grade C+ or lower in PSYC 549A are ineligible to begin the 1,200 hour field-based internship the following semester and a Corrective Action Plan will be automatically developed.

The Director of the School Psychology program provides guidance in students’ selection of field-based internship sites (PSYC 549B, PSYC 549C). Field-based internships sites must be approved by the Director of the School Psychology Program prior to mailing of the memorandum of understanding to the site. To be eligible for the internship experience, the student must have successfully completed all coursework requirements (including PC/Thesis) and been awarded a master’s degree. The 1,200 hour internship is completed on a full-time basis over the course of one academic year. The internship experience begins only in the fall semester. Students are not permitted to complete the internship experience at a site where they attended school, are/were employed, and/or are a relative or friend to a site stakeholder.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon entering the Educational Specialist program post-baccalaureate, students work to complete the requirements of the Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in general theoretical psychology and continue enrolling in courses specific to school psychology certification. The M.A. degree is earned after successful completion of 48 credits, including passing a masters competency exam and Professional Contribution or Thesis. . Students then continue to enroll in courses, university-based practica, and internship specific to satisfying requirements for the Educational Specialist degree.

Student Resources

From #DayOne , Marywood is here for you each step of the way.

Centers of Excellence

Marywood University hosts three academic Centers of Excellence on campus; The Center for Law, Justice and Policy, The Center for Urban Studies, and The Mother Theresa Maxis, IHM Center. Each center provides students with the tools and resources to excel in their academic endeavors, fostering a dynamic environment where they can engage deeply with their respective fields of study and make meaningful contributions to their communities and beyond.

Accreditation

Marywood University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSHE). / ADDRESS / 3624 Market Street, 2nd Floor West, Philadelphia, PA 19104. | Phone: (267) 284-5000

The Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) in School Psychology is one of twelve graduate preparation programs in school psychology fully approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education .

MISSION STATEMENT

The School Psychology Program at Marywood University has evolved in scope over the last 50 years and has as its firm foundation Marywood University’s tradition of service. It is an interdisciplinary program that prepares ethical practitioners to be life-long learners, committed to enhancing the well-being of youth, families, and systems that serve them in a rapidly evolving and increasingly diverse and interdependent world.

Ed.S. Program Goals and Learning Outcomes

Goal 1: Apply foundational knowledge gained in the field of psychology, particularly as it relates to core substantive areas of
school psychology.