Ph.D. preparation can be distinguished from EdS preparation in the greater breadth and depth of coursework. Students in the Ph.D. track are required to complete twelve (12) credit hours in an area of specialization. This coursework usually is taken during the student’s third and/or fourth year in the School Psychology Program (SPP).

An area of specialization is equivalent to a “minor” in other professional preparation programs. The area of specialization represents the successful completion of coursework that would enable the Ph.D. candidate to develop expertise in a specified and coherent academic area selected in consultation with their advisor. This area should be relevant to theory, research, and practice in school psychology.

Many students have found it helpful to design an area of specialization by first identifying their professional goals after obtaining the Ph.D. For example, students who wish to pursue academic careers may design an area of specialization that would enable them to master the knowledge base in their anticipated research area. Students who are interested in pursuing clinical careers may design an area of specialization that would enable them to master the knowledge base pertaining to a particular subpopulation with which they envision working.

Courses that comprise the area of specialization may be taken from a variety of departments at UF. These courses must be graduate-level courses. Some graduate-level specialization classes are offered within the SPP or other sections within the Department of Educational Psychology. Other specialization area courses have been taken in other departments within the College of Education (i.e., Special Education, Teaching and Learning, Counselor Education, and Educational Leadership). Other classes may be taken outside the College of Education (e.g., Psychology). It is crucial that students meet regularly with their academic advisor during the process of designing a specialization area. Advisors are particularly useful for helping students to design specialization areas that are not too narrow (which results in a paucity of available courses) and not too broad (resulting in a lack of focus). Listed below are examples of specialization areas designed by recent Ph.D. candidates: Advanced Quantitative Methods, Advanced Child Development, Counseling Theories and Methods, Early Childhood Assessment/Interventions, Family Involvement in Education, Multicultural Issues in School Psychology, Neuropsychology of Learning Problems, Reading Disabilities, Theories of Intelligence.