School Psychology Degree

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Do you enjoy working with children and youth? Would you find satisfaction in helping them succeed academically, socially and emotionally? Positively impacting the lives of young people is the main goal of a school psychologist. With a combination of education and psychology, this professional works to create a better learning environment bridging to a healthier overall life for young people.

School Psychology Degrees

School psychologists team up with administrators, teachers and parents to facilitate a healthier learning experience for students. They address social issues, personal struggles and encourage students to succeed in school and life.

Most school psychologists hold at least a masters degree that combines education and psychology courses with an extensive internship hours. Each state also has requirements for licensing and/or certifications.

School Psychologist Job Description

School psychologists counsel, develop training programs, determine student eligibility for special programs, collaborate with other professionals and students' families, work to prevent school crises and provide support during challenging time for schools and families.

A typical day for a school psychologist could include:

• Counseling students individually and in groups
• Developing programs for students to promote healthier thinking and acting
• Designing and implementing programs to assist teachers and parents in behavior management, social issues and discipline of children
• Support students and families dealing with challenges such as academic problems, a death in the family or abuse
• Determine student eligibility for education and other special programs
• Create and implement programs for students at risk
• Evaluate academic and behavior management programs

Working directly with students, teachers, administrators and parents, a school psychologist should be an effective communicator, well organized, generally positive and professional. Often in challenging positions, this profession ideally works for someone who loves kids and enjoys helping others.

School Psychologist Salary

School psychologists are in greater demand today as children's needs become more complicated and diverse. Although often at the lower to the middle of the psychologist pay scale because they typically work for the government, in the form of public schools, benefits and schedules may make up for less salary. According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, school psychologists averaged almost $60,000 annually in 2006.