2026-2027 Academic Catalog

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School Psychology

School of Psychology Admission Requirements

Successful applicants to the School Psychology (SPSY) program will have obtained a minimum 3.2 undergraduate GPA. Applicants will also submit a current resume or vita, a personal statement that outlines their reasons for pursuing a degree in School Psychology at CU Denver, and three letters of recommendation. The highest ranked applicants will be invited to a mandatory full-day virtual group interview that includes a program orientation and small group interviews. Interviewees will also complete a writing assignment. Individuals who are admitted to the program will be invited to an optional Admitted Students Gathering a few weeks after the interview.

Application must be submitted by November 15 and additional materials must be sent in by December 8 for fall semester admission. Application materials include the following:

  • $50 Application fee for domestic students, $75 application fee for international students (may be paid via credit card, e-check or by mailing in a check)
  • Letter of intent/personal statement
  • Resume or CV
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Official transcripts from each higher education institution attended

Programs

Faculty

Professors:

Franci Crepeau-Hobson PhD, NCSP, LP, University of Northern Colorado | Program Director

Bryn Harris PhD, NCSP, LP, Indiana University

Clinical Associate Professor

Rachel Stein, PhD, NCSP, LP, University of California at Santa Barbara

School Psychology (SPSY) Courses

SPSY 5010 -  Theoretical and Historical Influences in School Psychology  (3 Credits)  
Provides an overview of the history of psychology, including the dark side of psychology and its contributions to colonization and inequities. The course also covers a range of counseling and psychological theories applicable to school psychologists, children, and educational contexts, with an emphasis on socio-cultural contexts. Consideration is also given to the influence of history and theory on school psychological practice.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
SPSY 5100 -  Trauma-Informed Education: Intro to the Neurosequential Model in Educ™  (3 Credits)  
Introduction to the core concepts of the Neurosequential Model™ (NM) that impact learning. Core concepts include basics of brain organization, brain development, understanding state-dependent learning, the stress response systems, and the impact of trauma and neglect on children. Typically offered: fall.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Typically Offered: Fall.
SPSY 5200 -  Trauma-Informed Educ: Application of Neurosequential Model in Education™  (3 Credits)  
Focuses on helping educators and other school personnel better understand and teach challenging children by offering practical strategies and classroom practices related to structuring classroom schedules, activities and interactions that can help all children (not just children impacted by trauma and adversity) learn in an optimal way. Typically offered: spring.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Prereq: SPSY 5100.
Typically Offered: Spring.
SPSY 5800 -  Workshop: Topics in School Psychology  (1-6 Credits)  
Repeatable.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Repeatable. Max Credits: 15.
SPSY 5840 -  Independent Study: SPSY  (1-4 Credits)  
Repeatable.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Repeatable. Max Credits: 9.
SPSY 5900 -  Identity, Power, and Privilege in Educational and Mental Health Contexts  (3 Credits)  
The course is designed to foster students’ understanding and appreciation of diverse identities within school psychology practice, educational and mental health contexts, and policy. This course will focus on advancing an understanding of integral concepts such as identity, power, privilege, race, ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Repeatable. Max Credits: 3.
Prereq: SPSY 6100
SPSY 6000 -  Learning and Affective Aspects of Behavior in School Psychology & Education  (3 Credits)  
Reviews theories of learning and affect pertinent for school psychologists and explores their roles in human functioning, Content includes basic components of cognition, including attention, memory, and decision making and how this impacts learning and children.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Restriction: Graduate level students.
SPSY 6100 -  Legal & Professional Foundations  (3 Credits)  
This course covers the application of legal and ethical practice in school psychology. Topics include developing an ethical mindset, landmark court cases, understanding legally compliant special education practices, legal and ethical decision making, and applying these ideas to school-based settings.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Restriction: Restricted to SPSY majors within the School of Education and Human Development.
SPSY 6120 -  School Psychology Foundations II - Applications  (3 Credits)  
This course covers topics related to the legal and ethical practice of school psychology, including landmark legal rulings; best practices in special education; functional behavior assessment and behavior intervention plans; and ethical decision making. Practicum II in the schools is required while students are taking this course.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Coreq: SPSY 6911 Restriction: Restricted to SPSY PsyD majors within the School of Education and Human Development
SPSY 6150 -  Psychoeducational Assessment I  (3 Credits)  
Focuses on assessment of cognitive ability, cognitive processes, and achievement in children and adolescents. Topics include selection, administration, and interpretation of ability and achievement tests; psychological report writing, and psychometric, historical, theoretical, and cultural issues in assessment. Test administration required.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Restriction: Restricted to SPSY majors within the School of Education and Human Development.
SPSY 6160 -  Psychoeducational Assessment II  (3 Credits)  
Focuses on the assessment of adaptive behavior, personality, and social-emotional functioning in children and adolescents. Topics include selection, administration, and interpretation of these types of measures; cultural considerations in psychological assessment, psychological report writing, and developing interventions. Test administration required.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Prereq: SPSY 6150.
SPSY 6170 -  Applied Developmental Science and Assessment  (3 Credits)  
Examines theories and research in developmental psychology to provide a foundation for clinical services to children and families in applied settings. Includes coverage of developmental assessments and services for infants/toddlers.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Prereq: SPSY 6150.
SPSY 6350 -  School-Based Interventions: Children, Youth and Families  (3 Credits)  
Provides theoretical and practice-oriented introduction to child therapy in schools. Weaves together skills and techniques essential to theory and implementation of psychotherapeutic techniques. Course activities compliment the systemic and group-based interventions examined in SPSY 6400.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Prereq: SPSY 5010.
SPSY 6400 -  School-Based Interventions: Groups, Classrooms and Systems  (3 Credits)  
Provides students with advanced study of research on and techniques of classroom and small group interventions. Includes instruction on the evaluation of intervention effectiveness. Systemic, school-wide interventions are addressed.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Prereq: SPSY 5010. Restriction: Restricted to SPSY majors within the School of Education and Human Development.
SPSY 6410 -  Psychoeducational Assessment of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students  (3 Credits)  
Prepares students to provide psychoeducational assessments to children who are culturally and/or linguistically diverse. Content includes differentiation of language disorders versus language acquisition, and developing recommendations for accommodations and interventions to meet the unique psychoeducational needs of diverse children and youth.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Prereq: SPSY 6150.
SPSY 6420 -  Crisis Prevention, Planning and Intervention  (3 Credits)  
Introduces students to crisis theory, prevention research, and intervention strategies. The course is designed for school mental health professionals interested in developing advanced crisis counseling and intervention skills sufficient for use in school settings. The course emphasizes the importance of practical hands-on opportunities for skills development.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Prereq: COUN 5010 or SPSY 5010
SPSY 6450 -  Consultation and Data-based Decision-Making  (3 Credits)  
Provides an overview of the most common consultation methods used in school-based practice: behavioral, mental health, organizational formats, and other consultation models. Also reviews data-based problem solving frameworks. Provides acquisition and practical application of behavioral consultation skills at practicum.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Prereq: SPSY 6100
SPSY 6500 -  Case Conceptualization and Diagnosis  (3 Credits)  
This course provides advanced training in case conceptualization, psychopathology, and diagnosis. It includes the practical application of categorical classification using the DSM, with a focus on major childhood diagnostic categories and consideration of the client’s cultural context.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Restriction: Restricted to SPSY majors within the School of Education and Human Development.
SPSY 6510 -  Typical and Atypical Development and Mental Health and Wellbeing  (3 Credits)  
Covers theories, research, and key social-cultural concepts in typical and atypical child and adolescent development. Includes an emphasis on exploring adversity and atypical developmental trajectories in a variety of cultural contexts and how these impact well being.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
SPSY 6550 -  Learning and Academic Interventions in School Psychology  (3 Credits)  
Based on a decision-making and accountability model, this course offers training in the investigation of theoretical and applied issues related to the design, implementation, and evaluation of academic interventions for students in schools.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Prereq: SPSY 6150.
SPSY 6600 -  Social Influences on Development, Behavior, & Well Being for School Psychologists  (3 Credits)  
Examines the social influences on human behavior, development, and wellbeing. The course focuses on people’s interactions together in varying sociocultural contexts, with an emphasis on children and educational contexts and areas most critical to school psychologists.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Restricted to SPSY-PSYD majors within the School of Education and Human Development.
SPSY 6700 -  Advanced Seminar in School Psychology  (3 Credits)  
This course covers advanced topics related to the practice of school psychology including applying and interviewing for internship, certification/ licensure, capstone preparation and completion, and the development of a professional identity.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Prereq: SPSY 6911 Restriction: Restricted to SPSY majors
SPSY 6911 -  School Psychology Practicum  (3 Credits)  
Supervised practice in providing comprehensive psychological services to children in grades preschool to 12. Students are placed in public schools or affiliated school-related agencies and supervised by practicing, licensed school psychologists. Repeatable.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade with IP
Repeatable. Max Credits: 6.
Requires prerequisite courses of SPSY 6100, SPSY 6150, SPSY 6160, and SPSY 6420.
SPSY 6915 -  Practicum with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students  (3 Credits)  
This school psychology practicum experience is focused on developing multicultural competencies with culturally and linguistically diverse students through either a cultural immersion experience in Mexico or a local practicum placement in a culturally and linguistically diverse setting. Repeatable.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade with IP
Repeatable. Max Credits: 9.
Prereq: SPSY 6100 and SPSY 6150.
SPSY 6917 -  Advanced Practicum in Psychological Assessment  (1 Credit)  
Under faculty supervision provide psychological assessment services to clients in the UC Denver Student and Community Counseling Center.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Repeatable. Max Credits: 1.
SPSY 6918 -  Clinical Externship  (1-3 Credits)  
Clinical experience under supervision of licensed mental health professionals. Students participate in assessment and/or intervention in a variety of settings. Note: All field placements must be approved by the SPSY Program Director in advance of registration. Repeatable.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade with IP
Repeatable. Max Credits: 6.
Prereq: SPSY 6911
SPSY 6930 -  School Psychology Internship  (1-6 Credits)  
Supervised experience in the practice of school psychology with children and adolescents in a school or clinic setting. Repeatable.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade with IP
Repeatable. Max Credits: 6.
Prereq: SPSY 5900, SPSY 6100, SPSY 6410, SPSY 6911, SPSY 6350, SPSY 6400, SPSY 6450, and SPSY 6500
SPSY 7500 -  Biological and Neuropsychological Bases of Behavior  (3 Credits)  
Examines the biological basis of behavior emphasizing the relationship between the functions and structures of the brain including neuroanatomy, brain development, neurophysiology, neurochemistry, and psychopharmacology; and neuropsychological assessment principles.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Prereq: SPSY 6150.
SPSY 7980 -  Clinical Supervision & Admin of Psych Services  (3 Credits)  
Course prepares school psychologists to function in supervisory and administrative capacities in delivering mental health services. Content includes examination of clinical supervision theories, models, techniques; focus on development of skills for administrative roles, and understanding organizations from a systems perspective.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade
Prereq: SPSY 6918 Restriction: Restricted to SPSY PsyD majors within the School of Education and Human Development
SPSY 8980 -  School Psychology Doctoral Capstone Project  (2 Credits)  
The Capstone Project is a culminating component of the program. Production of a scholarly project that illustrates the student’s understanding of relevant topics in school psychology, the scope of contemporary practice, and the various roles of the professional school psychologist. Repeatable.
Grading Basis: Letter Grade with IP
Repeatable. Max Credits: 4.
Prereq: SPSY 6911 and SPSY 6700. Restriction: Restricted to SPSY-PSYD majors within the School of Education and Human Development.
Additional Information: Report as Full Time.
Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.