Taken during the first semester, this course is designed to introduce students to the basic concepts of psychological assessment, with a focus on self-report measures of personality and psychopathology. The course will prepare students with foundational skills in conducting a mental status examination and the administration, scoring, and interpretation of several of the most widely used self-report measures of personality and psychopathology. The course will also prepare students to write psychological assessment reports. Students will develop an ability to critically evaluate tests’ strengths and limitations on psychometric grounds. Students must enroll concurrently in the Foundations of Psychological Assessment Laboratory (GPSY 556).

Taken during the second semester, this course offers in-depth instruction in the theory and practice of academic assessment and data-based intervention planning. Emphasis is placed on linking assessment data to classroom and school-based interventions. Students will gain supervised practice in the administration and interpretation of both norm-referenced and curriculum-based measures, and they will develop skills in ethical and culturally responsive application of academic assessments.

Taken during the third semester, this course provides school psychology graduate students with knowledge and practical skills to collaborate with educators and parents with the goal of implementing evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions in school settings. The course emphasizes cognitive-behavioral, behavioral, solution-focused, and trauma-informed interventions tailored for diverse children and adolescents. Legal, ethical, and cultural considerations in providing mental health services in schools are also examined.