School Psychology
APA Accredited Program
The School Psychology PhD Program was established in the 2018–19 academic year. The Program received initial accreditation by the American Psychological Association in 2021 and is currently fully accredited through 2036.
Internship Placement
Students in this program are regularly matched with APPIC internships with a 100% success rate. Most students have also been matched with APA-accredited internships.
Community Building
Enrollment in the USU PhD program requires full-time, in-residence participation by all students. Students entering the program typically spend 4-5 years on campus, engaging in didactic, research, and clinical training activities.
Program Benefits
For approved programs of study, your tuition is fully covered and you will be awarded an assistantship with a monthly stipend. Assistantships include research, clinical, and teaching experiences, allowing you to expand your academic skillset.
School Psychology Faculty
Sara Boghosian
Clinical Assistant Professor I Combined Clinical/Counseling & School Psychology Specializations
Gregory Callan
Associate Professor I Director of Training for School Psychology EdS Specialization
Lora Israelsen
Clinical Assistant Professor I Combined Clinical/Counseling & School Psychology Specializations
Gretchen Gimpel Peacock
Professor | Executive Director of the Sorenson Legacy Foundation Center for Clinical Excellence
Erik Reinbergs
Assistant Professor - School Psychology Specialization
Tyler Renshaw
Professor | Emma Eccles Jones Dean’s Scholar | Director of Training for School Psychology PhD Specialization
Application Requirements
We are now accepting applications for Fall 2027.
- Dr. Gregory Callan
- Dr. Erik Reinbergs
- Dr. Tyler Renshaw
Submit the following to the School of Graduate Studies:
- Application
- CV
- Three Letters of Recommendation
- Unofficial transcripts from all previous schools. Official transcripts will be required if accepted into the program
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Please provide a personal statement (500–1000 words) that addresses the following:
- What personal history or experiences have motivated you to pursue a PhD in psychology?
- Given there are many fields in psychology, why are you specifically seeking a PhD in school psychology?
- Why would you like to join our school psychology PhD program here at USU? Specifically, which faculty/labs are you interested in working with and why?
- If you were to join our PhD program, what contributions would you bring/make toward improving or expanding the work we do in the field of school psychology?
- What are your career goals and ambitions related to the field of school psychology?
Admission Criteria:
- GPA for the last 60 credits taken of 3.0 or higher
- Fit with a current faculty member affiliated with the specialization
- Substantial background in psychology
School Psychology Labs
The Self-Regulated Learning Lab | Greg Callan
Just before, during, and after learning or performing askill, individuals have the opportunity to engage several processes and beliefs that can facilitate more efficient skill development and/or performance. For example, setting goals, planning, using a variety of strategies,self-monitoring, and reflecting after performance can all help an individual learn and perform better. In addition, these processes influence and are influenced by motivational beliefs. Collectively, these processes are part of a system referred to as self-regulated learning (SRL). This research lab examines the development of innovative measurement tools to examine these processes, the development of interventions to foster SRL, and how educators and school psychologists can support the development of SRL. We have completed research within several domains such as mathematical problem solving, test taking, creativity, and reading.
The Suicidology Lab | Erik Reinbergs
The Suicidology Lab at USU researches suicide and its prevention—including aspects of assessment, treatment, public health, and more. We have a particular focus on youth and young adult populations. Suicidology is a dynamic, interdisciplinary field that overlaps with many areas of psychology, psychiatry, social work, public health, sociology, legal studies, philosophy, applied statistics, and more. It also touches many related areas of study within health service psychology, including non-suicidal self-injury, mood disorders, behavior therapies, borderline personality disorder, and crisis states. We believe the overarching goal of this work is to help people build lives worth living.
School Mental Health Lab | Tyler Renshaw
The big idea driving our work in the School Mental Health Lab is that schools should be community hubs for mental health services; not just for kids, but also for educators and parents and families. We believe schools should offer both prevention and treatment, and should balance reducing suffering with improving wellbeing. Most importantly, we believe school-based services are integral to promoting mental health equity. The lab has three main lines of research:
- Validating brief rating scales for assessing key mental health variables, including suffering and wellbeing indicators.
- Evaluating the effects of simple mindfulness interventions with students, teachers, and parents.
- Systematically reviewing the effects of interventions that involve mindfulness (e.g., CBT, ACT, DBT, & SEL) with youth and caregivers.
Disclosure of Educational Requirements for Licensure by State
The PhD specialization adheres to APA accreditation standards and prepares students for entry into the profession of health service psychology with an emphasis in school psychology. The EdS Program adheres to NASP training standards and prepares students for entry into the profession of school psychology. Given the varied and changing requirements across jurisdictions, we have not determined and cannot assure that graduates will meet all requirements for licensure in all states or territories. Students are encouraged to become familiar with relevant state licensing laws and discuss their curricular plan with their major professor and specialization director.
This specialization meets requirements for licensure as a psychologist in Utah.
USU has not determined if the specialization meets requirements in: AK, AL, AR, AS, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, GU, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MP, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, PR, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UM, VA, VI, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY.
Accreditation
The School Psychology PhD Program was established in the 2018–19 academic year. The Program received initial accreditation by the American Psychological Association in 2021 and is currently fully accredited through 2036. See student admissions, outcomes, and other data for this specialization. Answers to questions regarding accreditation and related standards are available through APA: 
Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation
American Psychological Association
750 First Street NE
Washington, DC 20002-442
202-336-5979
Visit APA’s website