Capstone/Portfolio
School Psychology Program Capstone Requirements
M.Ed.: Comprehensive Exam. All students enrolled in the combined M.Ed./Ed.S. program in School Psychology must take and pass a written comprehensive exam in order to satisfy university master's degree requirements. Students matriculated in the Ed.S. program alone are exempt from having to take this written comprehensive exam. Comprehensive exams are usually offered from on the first Friday of November and the last Friday of April. Students taking the master’s comprehensive should have taken, or be currently enrolled in, SPY 601, SPY 602, SPY 603, SPY 604, SPY 607, COU 601, COU 608, COU 614, COU 632, COU 653, and two additional classes. Students may sign up to take the exam via the departmental administrative assistant. Students’ exams are coded by number and read anonymously by a panel of faculty. If a student does not pass the comprehensive exam on the first attempt, it is possible to retake all or part of the exam at the next scheduled exam period. Faculty may request to meet with a student for an oral explanation of a written answer that is deficient.
Ed.S.: PRAXIS Exam in School Psychology. Students are required to take the School Psychology PRAXIS exam as one capstone experience toward the Ed.S. in School Psychology. A passing score on the PRAXIS exam is required for national certification by the National Association of School Psychologists, Massachusetts Department of Education state professional licensure in school psychology, and licensure as an Educational Psychologist by the State Board of Examiners in Mental Health and Allied Professionals. Students must submit their official scores on the School Psychology PRAXIS exam directly to the School Psychology Program. Students are encouraged to take the school psychology PRAXIS exam before or during the first semester of their internship year.
Ed.S.: Portfolio in School Psychology. Students are also required to submit a professional portfolio as part of the capstone experience toward attaining the Ed.S. in School Psychology. The portfolio is completed throughout the internship and submitted to the seminar instructor. Additional information regarding the portfolio is found in the Field Work/Internship section of this Handbook.
Program Director: Melissa Pearrow, Ph.D. at melissa.pearrow@umb.edu
