Best Ph.D. and PsyD in School Psychology Degree Programs

If you’re interested in making a difference in the lives of kids, earning your doctorate in school psychology can be a fantastic way to achieve your career goals. As a school psychologist, you’ll get to work with students, teachers, and families, helping everyone learn the best way they can support your client.

You’ll likely serve as a jack of all trades when it comes to mental health issues with young people, addressing everything from depression and anxiety to learning differences. You may work in a single school, or you may work with an entire district, switching between schools throughout the week depending on district needs.

You may also have the opportunity to teach sessions in classrooms, helping students with their social-emotional learning goals. Here, we’ll explore what you can expect to learn from an online school psychology doctorate program, as well as the standard admission requirements for earning your doctorate in school psychology and becoming a school psychologist.

2026 Best Online Doctorate in School Psychology Programs

At Counseling Psychology, we understand the growing demand for flexible education in school psychology. Our comprehensive rankings of the best online doctorate programs provide aspiring professionals with critical insights into top virtual learning opportunities. These distance learning programs offer working educators and practitioners the chance to advance their careers without disrupting their current professional commitments. School psychologists play a vital role in supporting student mental health and academic success, making advanced education increasingly important. Our carefully evaluated rankings consider factors like curriculum quality, faculty expertise, student support services, and research opportunities. These online doctoral programs enable students to pursue advanced credentials while maintaining personal and professional responsibilities. Learn about our ranking methodology.

#1

Georgian Court University

Lakewood, NJ - Private 4-year - georgian.edu

Doctorate - School Psychology, Psy.D.

Online & Campus Based - Visit Website

Georgian Court University's online hybrid Psy.D. in School Psychology offers a dynamic educational pathway designed for professionals seeking advanced psychological training. The program provides two strategic entry routes: a comprehensive five-year track for bachelor's graduates and a streamlined three-year advanced standing option for certified school psychologists. Uniquely positioned without GRE requirements, students delve into intensive training focusing on assessment, intervention, and systemic change. The curriculum emphasizes evidence-based practices and social justice principles, preparing graduates to excel in diverse settings including schools, hospitals, clinics, and private practice. With flexible evening programming and substantial practicum and internship experiences totaling 1,920 clinical hours, students develop robust professional competencies.

• Hybrid and evening program delivery
• Cost: $1,070 per credit
• Two program pathways available
• 47-112 total credits
• 420 practicum hours
• 1,500-1,750 hour internship
• No GRE required
• High job placement rate
• Emphasis on social justice
• Faculty with diverse expertise

#2

Rivier University

Nashua, NH - Private 4-year - rivier.edu

Doctorate - Psy.D. in Counseling and School Psychology

Online & Campus Based - Visit Website

Rivier University offers a distinctive hybrid Psy.D. in Counseling and School Psychology program designed for mental health professionals seeking comprehensive doctoral training. Fully APA-accredited, this program uniquely blends counseling and school psychology principles through a practitioner-scholar model. Students experience an intensive five-year curriculum featuring rigorous academic coursework, multiple practicum opportunities, and a demanding 2000-hour internship. The program costs $1,275 per credit and provides flexible weekday evening schedules. Graduates are well-prepared for diverse psychological practice settings, meeting New Hampshire psychology licensing requirements and emphasizing empirically supported intervention strategies and professional development.

• APA fully accredited program
• Minimum 5-year doctoral program
• 60-130 total credit hours
• $1,275 per credit cost
• Practitioner-scholar training model
• Weekday evening course schedule
• Multiple practicum experiences
• 2000-hour internship required
• Meets NH psychology licensing requirements

#3

University of Southern Maine

Portland, ME - Public 4-Year - usm.maine.edu

Doctorate - School Psychology, Psy.D.

Online & Campus Based - Visit Website

The University of Southern Maine's online School Psychology Psy.D. offers a comprehensive doctoral training program uniquely designed to cultivate advanced professional competencies. Integrating hybrid learning formats, students engage in an intensive curriculum spanning 111 graduate credits with substantial practical experiences, including 600 hours of practica and a robust 1,500-hour predoctoral internship. The program emphasizes professional ethics, diverse assessment techniques, and targeted intervention strategies across educational and clinical environments. Notably, the program meets national certification standards and provides multiple professional credentialing pathways. While specific entrance exam requirements are not detailed, prospective students can anticipate a rigorous selection process focused on developing highly skilled school psychologists prepared to support students' academic and socio-emotional development.

• 111 total graduate credits required
• 600 hours of practica
• 1,500 hour predoctoral internship
• Multiple professional credentialing options
• Meets national and state certification standards
• Optional MS in Educational Psychology
• Hybrid program format
• Dissertation research required
• Professional ethics training included
• Diverse assessment and intervention focus

*IPEDS 2023 statistics, sourced from NCES. https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/

What Will I Learn in an Online School Psychology Doctorate Program?

Earning your Ph.D. or Psy.D. in school psychology online qualifies you for a number of jobs working with young minds, from serving school districts develop effective social-emotional learning curricula to helping students develop ways to reduce test anxiety. Typically, it takes about eight years to complete a doctorate program in school psychology online. You may need to go through a residency or internship program, which may add to the amount of time it takes for you to complete your doctorate.

As you work through your school psychology doctorate program, you’ll cover many topics, including:

• Child and adolescent psychopathology: In your psychopathology courses, you’ll learn about mental health issues that often affect children and adolescents, how to identify these conditions, and how to work with students and their families to create effective treatment plans that allow each of your clients to maximize their potential.

• Academic assessment and intervention: As a school psychologist, you’ll work to support students in the classroom. Often, this involves observing students working with their teachers and their peers and identifying issues that are holding them back. After completing assessments, you’ll work with students, teachers, and administrators to develop effective interventions that boost student achievement.

• Cognitive assessment: In your doctoral program, you’ll learn how to assess students’ cognitive abilities, allowing teachers to get the information they need to craft appropriate curricula.

• Research design and methods: As a school psychologist, you’ll have the unique opportunity to contribute to research in the field. In your research design and methods class, you’ll get the chance to explore how to create an effective study, and you’ll learn how to unpack complicated academic studies into actionable steps that you can put into practice with your students.

Admissions Requirements for a Doctorate in School Psychology

In order to gain admission to an online school psychology doctorate program, you’ll need to submit both your undergraduate and graduate transcripts. If you don’t have a master’s degree, you may be able to submit a combination of work experience and your bachelor’s transcripts. In some cases, you may need to have a minimum GPA in order to be considered for admission to a program. Your program may require that your undergraduate degree be in a related field, such as education, psychology, or sociology.

Many programs also require that you submit a statement of purpose explaining what you’d like to do with your career. You may also need to include letters of recommendation from your professors or work supervisors.

List of School Psychology Doctorate Degree Programs

Find an online or campus-based doctorate program in school psychology today – our state-by-state listings make it easy to find a great program near you.

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Joel Gill

Joel Gill is a writer with a background in psychology. He earned his Bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of California, Berkeley, and has a deep interest in the human mind and behavior. Joel's writing often explores themes related to mental health, relationships, and personal growth. When he’s not writing, Joel enjoys cycling, meditation, and spending time with his family.