School Psychology (Certification)
School Psychology remains a field with career opportunities at the masters’ and doctoral level. This program will adhere to both the standards set forth by National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) and Division 16 School Psychology of the American Psychological Association. Students will follow the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) curriculum for certification in school psychology. This certificate program is conducted in collaboration with Montclair State University’s nationally recognized School of Education who will provide the educational foundations and curriculum courses mandated by the NJDOE.
Along with the School Psychology certificate, the department also offers the following options for graduate study: Clinical Psychology with a concentration in Child/Adolescent Clinical Psychology, Clinical Psychology with a concentration in Clinical Forensic Psychology, and a PhD in Clinical Psychology.
Individuals without a master’s degree who wish to enroll in the certification program must also be enrolled in the MA Program in Clinical Psychology (child/adolescent concentration).
The Office of Graduate Admissions requires the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor’s degree in order to be eligible to apply for a graduate program.
Applicants whose educational goal is to train at Montclair State University to become a school psychologist, must simultaneously complete both the MA program in Clinical Psychology – Child/Adolescent Concentration and the School Psychology Certification applications, regardless of whether applicants hold an MA from another institution in a related field.
At the application review stage, transcripts are reviewed to determine whether an applicant qualifies for the School Psychology Certification portion as a standalone program, or will need to complete both the Clinical Psychology MA and the School Psychology Certification portions of the integrated program.
At the admission interview stage (if selected), any graduate courses which are eligible for transfer credit (up to 6 credits) will be conditionally applied, discussed with the applicant, and a potential individualized course of studies will be drafted so that the applicant has a clear idea of their course of study in the event of being accepted into the program.
In addition, applicants must meet the following departmental requirements: 12 undergraduate credits in psychology, including a course in statistics and a laboratory course in experimental psychology, and approval by the department committee. Applicants with non-U.S. degrees, please visit the international applicants page to review the U.S. degree equivalency information.
In order to make applying for graduate school as seamless as possible for you, we have
created an application checklist. This checklist can be a reference point for you during the
application process to ensure that you have a comprehensive understanding of the steps
needed to apply, as well as all corresponding supplemental materials for your specific
program of interest.
- Application Deadline: Priority deadline of March 15th
- Submit Online Application: Please create your online account and submit your application by following the general application instructions and pay (or waive) the non-refundable $60 application fee. Once this step has been completed, the online portal will allow you to upload your supplemental materials.
The following is a list of the supplemental materials that will accompany your application for the School Psychology (Certification) program:
- Transcript: One from each college attended.
- Essays/Personal Statement:
- Articulate clearly, concisely, and in specific terms your relevant academic, research, and psychology-related experiences and interests
- Please describe how you came to your decision to pursue school psychology and how you see yourself working to facilitate the educational and behavioral health of school-aged populations.
- Finally, you may also highlight any additional strengths that will make you an excellent candidate for our program, as well as explain any areas of relative weakness in your application (e.g., if your GPA is below the recommended minimum or your performance in a course was suboptimal).
- Letters of Recommendation: Two letters of recommendation, preferably from faculty familiar with your work.
- Sample of written work related to the field(s) of psychology, particularly in your desired area of concentration. This might be a paper written for a previous course, an original research project summary, or some other original writing that was prepared and completed prior to this application process.
- Curriculum vitae/resume
This program requires the completion of 65 semester hours. Each program option will have an individualized course of study designed by the program director and faculty mentoring each student through the course of study. More specifically, both the post doctoral and post master’s students will have an individualized analysis of their graduate transcripts and a course of study that meets the state certification requirements tailored to their individual needs. For more information, please visit the program listing in the University Catalog.
If you have any general questions regarding the application process and requirements, please email or call us:
Office of Graduate Admissions
Email: graduate@montclair.edu
Telephone: 973-655-5147
Fax: 973-655-7869
If you have specific inquiries regarding your program of interest, please contact the School Psychology (Certification) Program Coordinator: