Many students looking to add an advanced degree in psychology to their resume may be thinking about finding work in the counseling or social services fields. Now, the Beeghly College of Education at Youngstown State University (YSU) in Ohio has added a specialty program designed to help fill what is being called a critical need for school psychologists in the state. The program, which is the first-of-its-kind ever offered at YSU, also includes a 1-year paid internship in a public school district, paid for by the State Department of Education. Audrey Ellenwood, program director and professor in Beeghly College, said school psychologists are in short supply not only in Ohio, but across the U.S. "YSU's program is one of a small number in the United States that will focus on low-incidence disabilities, which can include blindness, deafness, and autism in addition to the more typical training in high-incidence disabilities, such as speech and language impairments and learning disabilities," Ellenwood noted. Students will earn 2 degrees including a master of education in intervention services and an specialist degree in school psychology. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that job opportunities for clinical and school psychologists are expected to grow by 12% through 2018. |