Tiffany Joel moved to Denver from Vancouver, British Columbia, with her 7-year-old daughter specifically to attend CU Denver’s School Psychology program. Now an academic year toward obtaining her doctor of psychology (PsyD) degree, she’s more certain than ever that coming to CU Denver was the best choice she could have made. The jagged, snowcapped mountain panorama from Denver was a draw. The program’s national reputation, intensive field-based opportunities and strong focus on social justice sealed the deal.
“My favorite part of the experience has been shadowing a school psychologist in the field and conducting assessments with children,” explained Joel. “Essentially, any opportunity I have to interact with kids face-to-face has been a solid reminder that I’ve chosen the right path.”
Passionate about helping children
Joel is captivated by a career in school psychology because she’s passionate about helping children. “School psychology emphasizes the resilience and strengths in children and is very aligned with the way I approach life,” said Joel. There’s something about working with ethnically and socioeconomically diverse populations that she finds especially energizing and magnetic. And, Joel hopes to add ethnic diversity to the field. “As a biracial person, I have a deep understanding of what it means to be ethnically and culturally diverse. I hope to be a role model for students who may not often see people of color in the field of mental health.”
The PsyD continues the school’s long tradition of rigorous, in-depth, supervised clinical experience and our 31-year history of training school psychologists. The 94-credit-hour course of study includes coursework, practica, an externship, a capstone project and an internship. This doctoral program replaces the EdS degree we previously offered. Field experiences include opportunities to serve children who present with a range of behavioral, psychological and social challenges, as well as those from culturally, ethnically and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Completion of this program leads to a PsyD in school psychology, licensure as a school psychologist by the Colorado Department of Education, and prepares graduates to apply for licensure by the Colorado State Board of Psychologist Examiners. The program welcomes applicants who have earned a bachelor’s or master’s degree in psychology or education, as well as other relevant fields.
“Students begin applied coursework in practice settings the very first semester and continue supervised practical experiences throughout the program,” said Franci Crepeau-Hobson, associate professor, School Psychology. “In addition to public school settings, opportunities for field experiences include clinical sites such as residential treatment facilities, hospitals, neuropsychology clinics and autism centers. These experiences allow our students to develop advanced knowledge and skills in screening, psychological assessment, direct and indirect interventions, prevention strategies and research.”
One of only three in the nation
Another huge selling point for the new PsyD is the fact that it is one of only three doctoral programs in the nation to offer an optional bilingual school psychologist concentration, and the only one in the state of Colorado. “The nation is becoming increasingly diverse, and over 20 percent of schoolchildren speak a language other than English at home,” explained Bryn Harris, assistant professor, School Psychology. “There is a growing demand for training bilingual school psychologists who are linguistically and culturally responsive to the needs of English language learners and their families. Bilingual school psychologists are highly sought after in all school districts, as they are uniquely trained for the changing linguistic and cultural demographics of school districts across the country.”
“CU Denver stands head and shoulders above other programs I researched in terms of providing students with the opportunity to be in the field from day one,” said Joel. “I am confident in my choice of schools.”