The Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology is a component of the University of Nevada, the state's land grant university, located in the College of Education. Masters and doctoral programs are offered in counseling, counselor education, educational psychology and information technology in education.
Counseling & Educational Psychology Department
Mail Stop 281, University of Nevada
Reno, Nevada 89557-0213
(775) 784-6637, FAX (775) 784-1990
In performing its mission, the Counseling and Educational Psychology Department:
a. Offers quality graduate programs in counseling, counselor education,
school psychology, educational psychology, and information technology in education
to meet the needs of the citizens of Nevada.
b. Emphasizes research and scholarly activities that contribute to the advancement
and dissemination of knowledge.
c. Offers course work that supports undergraduate education.
d. Offers community and public service programs.
e. Strives to reflect the ethnic and cultural diversity of the citizens of Nevada.
II. ACCREDITATION AND CERTIFICATION
The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges (NASC) accredit the Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) degree.
III. ADMISSION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR THE ED.S. DEGREE
a. The applicant completes a formal application to the Graduate School/326 (Getchell Library, Room 239, (775) 784-6869.
b. The applicant provides documentation for meeting the following minimum CEP Departmental admission requirements to Graduate School:
c. A completed application to the CEP department must include the following:
e. Following notification from the Graduate School, a letter from the CEP department will be sent to successful candidates informing them of an orientation meeting and the CEP faculty member who has been assigned as their program advisor.
IV. PROGRAM OF STUDY
The Ed.S. degree in school psychology includes a minimum of 36 credits beyond the master's degree. However, additional credits may be needed to meet program or other state and national certification requirements. Courses will also be selected from Curriculum and Instruction (particularly in the areas of Special Education, Reading, and Language Arts). The following represents ONLY a sample program, the actual program will be determined in part by the educational and professional background of the student.
COURSES:
a. Organization of schools and curriculum (3 credits)
CEP 600 Introduction to Counseling and Guidance (3 cr.) OR
CEP782 Consultation and Supervision in Counseling Services (3 cr.) OR
EL706 Administration of Special Programs (3 cr.) a) pupil personnel
b. Psychological and Psychoeducational assessments (12 credits)
CEP642 a/b Individual Appraisal I (3 cr.)
CEP742 Individual Appraisal II (3 cr.)
CEP744 Individual Appraisal III (6 cr.) - NOTE - CEP640 must be
taken prior to CEP744
c. Individual and Group Intervention and Remediation (9 credits)
CEP636 Cognitive Learning (3 cr.)
CEP650 Counseling Process (3 cr.)
CEP651 Counseling Practicum (3 cr.)
d. Ethical and Legal Issues (3 cr.)
CEP780 Law and Ethics (3 cr.) OR
EL734 Special Education Law (3 cr.)
e. Multicultural Issues (3 cr.)
CEP751 Multicultural Counseling (3 cr.)
f. Growth and Development, Personality and Learning (6 cr.)
CEP705 Advanced Human Growth and Development (3 cr.)
CEP738 Theories of Learning (3 cr.)
g. Statistics and Research (3 cr.)
CEP700 Introduction to Educational Research (3 cr.)
(CEP640 is a prerequisite to CEP744)
h. Curricular Adjustments and Recommendations (9 cr.) (Six credits
MUST be in special education)
To choose special education courses, consult with your adviser
CI666 Foundations of Literacy
i. Seminar: Neurology and Learning (6 cr.)
CEP790, Section 001 - Neurological Foundations of Learning and Behavior Disorders
CEP790, Section 002 - Neurological Foundations of Learning and Development
j. Internship (Should not be taken until 30 credits have been completed,
including all courses under b and c above) (6 - 12 cr.)
CEP779 - Internship in School Psychology (1200 clinical hours)
V. PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT
In order to comply with performance assessment requirements of the University of Nevada, Reno and with NCATE (National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Educators) Standard 2, (Assessment System and Unit Evaluation), the Educational Psychology area in the Counseling and Educational Psychology Department has developed a performance assessment plan as part of an assessment system that collects and analyzes data on the qualifications of applicants, the performance of candidates and graduates, and the quality of the program. Data is collected at three points in students' programs: entry, mid-point, and exit. Quantitative data include test scores and rating forms. Qualitative data include information in student portfolios that contain samples of student work corresponding to professional, state, and institutional standards and responses to survey questions.
Entry-Level Assessment:
Entry-level assessment consists of two phases. In the first phase, Educational Psychology faculty use a rating sheet to evaluate qualifications of applicants. The rating sheet includes information about the students' qualifications, such as GPA, GRE scores, letters of recommendation, and samples of written work. Faculty meet at the beginning of the fall (October 1) and spring semesters (February 1) to make student admission decisions.
In the second phase, students who have been admitted to the program will be administered a pretest assessment battery. Students enrolled in the School Psychology program will complete pretest instruments including (1) a content specific multiple choice exam (which is on WebCT) that includes questions related to core coursework; (2) the Defining Issues Test (DIT), a standardized measure of principled reasoning skills; and (3) the Hunt Paragraph Completion Test, a measure of cognitive complexity. At the time of pretest activities, students will be informed of the need to maintain a portfolio that includes representative samples of items that meet professional standards. The Ed.S. portfolio includes examples of case studies, assessment procedures, diagnostic reports, and other pertinent information.
Mid-Point Assessment:
Mid-point assessment will occur when students develop their formal program of study (after 12-15 credits of coursework). At this time, students will submit their portfolios for evaluation by Educational Psychology faculty. Portfolios will be examined to determine if weaknesses exist. A scoring rubric will be used to evaluate the portfolio. If weaknesses are noted on portfolio samples, educational psychology faculty will meet with students to determine remedial procedures. (These may include retaking a course, writing a paper, taking additional coursework, or other relevant tasks.) At mid-point, portfolios will be evaluated using a scoring rubric. If weaknesses are noted, educational psychology faculty will individually work with students to remediate deficits.
Exit Assessment:
After students have completed all coursework, they will enroll in CEP795: Comp Exam. The comprehensive exam will consist of a series of post-test activities including (1) a multiple-choice exam (on WebCT) on course content knowledge, (2) the Defining Issues Test (to determine if gains have been made on principled reasoning scores, and (3) the Hunt Paragraph Completion Test (to determine if gains have been made on cognitive complexity scores). Scores on the Defining Issues Test and the Hunt Paragraph Completion Test are used for program evaluation only.
Students must pass the core course content knowledge exam with a score of 70%. Students who do not pass the exam will be required to take either an oral or written exam over areas of determined weaknesses. The student will work with the advisor to determine the content of the written exam. Content of student portfolios must demonstrate competency in meeting standards of the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). Portfolios will be used to determine students' overall expertise in diagnosis, report writing, and making recommendations for educational placement and interventions. Portfolios are evaluated by the advisor and other educational psychology faculty using a scoring rubric. If weaknesses are noted, students may be asked to retake coursework, write a paper, or work individually with faculty. Faculty will also conduct structured exit interviews with students to determine student satisfaction with their program.
FOR MORE DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES, CHOOSE THE FOLLOWING LINK:
VI. ADDITIONAL PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
a. Committee: A four member committee of faculty will be formed for advisement and approval of the program of study.
b. Program of Study Form: The program of study form must be submitted before 12 credits of course work have been completed. This form can be obtained in the CEP Department. It is completed in consultation with the advisor. (Midpoint portfolio review will occur at this point. See Performance Assessment Document.)
c. GPA: Both the Graduate School and the CEP department require students maintain a 3.5 cumulative GPA to earn an Educational Specialist degree in school psychology.
d. Three Credit per Semester Requirement: Students admitted to the Ed.S. program must enroll in at least three credits per semester or they will be withdrawn from graduate standing by Graduate School.
e. Six-Year Program Completion Requirement: Degree requirements for the Ed.S. degree must be completed in six calendar years from the date of the first course listed on the approved program of study form.
f. Application for Graduation: An application can be obtained from the Office of Admissions & Records.
VII. FINANCIAL AID INFORMATION
The CEP Department has graduate teaching assistantships available. Contact the CEP Department for a graduate assistant application form. However, teaching assistantships are general for doctoral students. Other financial aid is available through the Financial Aid Office in Thompson Student Services Building, Room 200, (775) 784-4666.
VIII. PROGRAM FACULTY
Marlowe Smaby, Ph.D.
University of Wisconsin, Madison, Chairman/Professor (School Counseling),
smaby@unr.edu
Rhoda Cummings, Ed.D.
Texas Tech University, Professor (Educational Psychology), cummings@unr.edu
Livia D'Andrea, Ph.D.
University of Southern California, Associate Professor (Educational Research
and Statistics), livia@unr.edu
Steve Harlow, Ph.D. - (no email communication)
University of Nebraska, Professor (Educational Psychology)
LaMont Johnson, Ph.D.
Brigham Young University, Professor (Information Technology), ljohnson@unr.edu
Cleborne D. Maddux, Ph.D.
University of Arizona, Professor (Information Technology in Education, and
Statistics), maddux@unr.edu
IX. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
To obtain a University of Nevada catalog , contact the ASUN Bookstore, Mail Stop 194, (775) 784-6597. A University of Nevada Graduate School catalog can be obtained by contacting the graduate school, Mail Stop 326, (775) 784-6869. The CEP World Wide Web Page can be viewed at http://www.unr.edu/educ/.
X. COORDINATOR
Steve Harlow, Ph.D.
Professor
Counseling and Educational Psychology Department/281
College of Education Building, Room 3045
University of Nevada
Reno, NV 89557-0213
(775) 784-6637 ext. 2064, FAX (775) 784-1990
Counseling and Educational Psychology Department Home Page
University of Nevada, Reno