School Psychology Core Courses (21 Hours)

Required for the Master’s degree are as follows:

• PSYC 714 - Psychoeducational Assessment of Children I
• PSYC 715 - Psychoeducational Assessment of Children II
• PSYC 716 - Selected Topics in Psychoeducational Evaluation
• PSYC 701 - Behavioral Assessment and Intervention with Children and Youth
• PSYC 832A - Practicum in School Psychology
• PSYC 832B - Practicum in School Psychology

General Psychology Courses (12 Hours)

• PSYC 709 - Basic Quantitative Methods in the Analysis of Behavioral Data I
• PSYC 710 - Basic Quantitative Methods in the Analysis of Behavioral Data II

General Purpose

Completion of the master’s thesis is designed to assist students in becoming competent behavioral scientists. There are three specific objectives for this project: (1) provide an early introduction to research methodology and research applications; (2) provide support and knowledge that will help in the preparation and completion of a doctoral dissertation; and (3) demonstrate the role of school psychologists in the discovery of new knowledge.

Description of the Project

This research requirement will involve a completed data-based project conducted in conjunction with a research committee, and written following the guidelines of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. The thesis must also meet all Graduate School requirements.

Scope of the Project

A variety of research approaches are acceptable for this project, including but not limited to:

• applied and basic experimental designs
• quasi-experimental designs
• survey data and methods
• archival data analysis
• meta-analysis of an area of research
• program evaluation
• qualitative analysis
• single-subject and small-sample designs

Implementation

New students will be oriented to thesis and dissertation research requirements in PSYC 832A . Students are encouraged to select their thesis and dissertation chairs and committees based on their individual research interests and career plans.

Regardless of the goal or the content of the thesis, the nature and scope of the project should be such that the student completes the project before the beginning of the third year. The student should develop a concise project prospectus (including a brief overview and description of the methodology; see below) no later than the beginning of the third semester so that the thesis committee can evaluate in a timely fashion whether the proposed project is in the student’s best interest.

The student should recognize that progression from lower to higher level courses, practica, assistantships, and other requirements is contingent upon satisfactory progress in research activities, including the thesis.

Composition of the Thesis Committee

The thesis committee must have two faculty members. At least one member must be from the core School Psychology area faculty. The second member of the committee can be either another School Psychology faculty member, another Psychology faculty member, a faculty member from another USC department, or a qualified person from a local school or agency, provided that he or she has been approved by the Graduate School in advance. Generally, students choose a thesis chairperson with whom they wish to conduct their research; together, the student and chairperson then select the second committee member.

The Thesis Prospectus

All students must submit a written proposal, describing the research they plan to conduct (see Dissertation Guidelines for further description of the components). The proposal must be approved by the student’s committee before the student may proceed with the study. In addition, approval to conduct research with either human participants or animal subjects must also be secured from the University Institutional Review Board (IRB) before the student may begin the study approved by the committee. Your committee will decide if a formal prospectus meeting should be held.