Ph.D. School Psychology & School Psychologist Certification

Our curricula and training experiences align with requirements set out by the American Psychological Association and National Association of School Psychologists, ensuring students may eventually become a Licensed Psychologist and/or Nationally Certified Psychologist. What is unique to Lehigh, is that within these requirements students are able to carve out an area of specialization through their coursework. All students identify an area of  to accompany their PhD and satisfy this by taking multi-disciplinary classes across the entire College catalogue. 

Examples of concentrations of recent graduates include: 

• Pediatric & Community Based Health 
• Evidence-Based Reading and Math Interventions
• Functional Behavioral Assessment and Intervention 
• School Leadership 
• Neurodiversity 
• Educational Policy 
• Social-Emotional and Behavioral Wellness
• Counseling Techniques 
• Quantitative Research Methods 
• And many others 

Students play a key role in our training program. Each year representatives from the Ed.S. and Ph.D. cohort attend all program meetings with faculty and communicate celebrations and concerns that arise amongst students. This allows pro-active problem solving to ensure a welcoming collaborative climate underscores all students’ educational experiences. Our students are seen and heard. 

Students in the School Psychology programs also host a student-led interest group that plays a role in organizing student led social activities, representation on graduate student senate for travel funding .

Students at Lehigh have the opportunity to interact with faculty beyond the classroom. The School Psychology program regularly hosts social events beyond those hosted by the broader College of Education. Each Fall the School Psychology program hosts a welcome back picnic where students and faculty kick off the new school year and compete head to head in a kickball game. The School Psychology program regularly hosts tailgate events for Lehigh Football games. Prior to Winter-Break faculty and students gather at a potluck dinner to give thanks. In February the School Psychology program hosts a social event at the National Association of School Psychologists national convention to bring alumni of the program together with current students. Finally, every Spring the School Psychology program attends an Iron Pigs game, the local minor league baseball team. All program faculty care deeply about the well being of our students, beyond the grades that students earn in their class.

We train our students to be systems level thinkers and collaborators.