The School Psychology program prepares students for licensure eligibility as a psychologist with both the N.C. Department of Public Instruction and the N.C. Psychology Board. Students who intend to live and work in other states are responsible for checking the licensure requirements in those states.
School of Education Licensure Information »
NCDPI Licensure for School Psychologists »
Licensure Process
To earn licensure, candidates must:
- Successfully complete all School Psychology coursework and internship requirements; and
- Meet all UNC Graduate School requirements for degree completion
Graduates may apply for licensure upon program completion by completing one of the following licensure paths:
Licensure for Practice in North Carolina Schools
You will apply for your license using the NCDPI website for licensure. Contact the Clinical Partnership and Licensure Managers in the Office of Student Affairs for assistance.
Licensure for Practice in Schools Outside of North Carolina
You may find it advantageous to obtain licensure in North Carolina prior to seeking licensure outside the state. This is not necessary, but often helpful. Send any forms the program needs to complete to the Program Support Specialist. Make sure you include all the information that is specific to you (i.e., graduation date, locations of field work). Be sure to indicate if the form is returned to you or to an agency. Please provide an addressed envelope if you are sending us a form to complete and return.
Licensure for Independent Practice in North Carolina
The program submits a letter on your behalf. You are to write to the Program Support Specialist to request that the letter be sent, and you are to provide your graduation date as well as any other information requested of you. The Program mails the letter directly to the NC Psychology Board.
Licensure for Independent Practice Outside of North Carolina
Prepare all materials for the state where you are requesting licensure. Send to the Program Chair c/o (care of) Program Support Specialist any information that the program needs to document, complete, and/or sign. Again, include an addressed envelope with the location where the form is to be sent.
National Certification as a School Psychologist
To qualify for national certification, a school psychologist must meet established standards of the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP): Standards for Training and Field Placement Programs in School Psychology, Standards for the Credentialing of School Psychologists, Standards for the Provision of School Psychological Services, and Principles for Professional Ethics.
Go to the NASP website and obtain the materials the program is to complete. Complete and send to the Program the section that needs to be completed. Make sure to include any information specific to you, including all relevant internship locations. This form is mailed back to you to be included with your materials. You must have completed at least 600 hours of school experience in an official externship, or previous graduate-level school-based experience to obtain NCSP 15 status. This internship must be identified on your transcript. If you entered the program with a master’s in school psychology, and a completed master’s internship, the university where this was completed should complete this information for you.
Certification Requirements
- Coursework Requirement: Completion of 60 graduate semester hours of study through an organized program of study that is officially titled “School Psychology.” At least 54 graduate semester hours must t have been exclusive of credit for the supervised internship experience.
- Internship: Successful completion of a 1200-hour internship in school psychology, of which at least 600 hours must be in a school setting or a pre-internship setting. The internship must be recognized through institutional (transcript) documentation.
Note: At this time UNC-Chapel Hill may or may not be able to advise whether a program meets requirements outside of North Carolina. Prior to enrolling in a degree program, please discuss this important topic with the program of interest.
Testing and Assessment
In addition to completing your coursework, School Psychology students will need to achieve passing scores on licensure tests. School Psychology students should consult their Handbook for current North Carolina licensure testing requirements.
PRAXIS: All doctoral students are required to take and pass the School Psychology PRAXIS (5403) examination and submit passing scores to the School of Education. (Both total scores and subtest scores should be submitted.) Several books and other sources of information are available for preparing for the PRAXIS (see NASP website, books, sample tests.
The passing score for the UNC School Psychology Program, for the total examination, is the same as the National Certification of School Psychologists standard. If the student does not pass, the faculty will advise on remedial work, prior to the time the student retakes the examination. The PRAXIS examination is considered a summative evaluation of doctoral students. Not only is the PRAXIS test a requirement of the program, but it also is required to apply for your NCSP (National Certified School Psychologist) credential.