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The  dual
major in school psychology and biological psychology
is designed for two groups of students:
- those who plan to pursue careers in school psychology
and who wish to master relevant aspects of the rapidly
advancing fields of behavioral neuroscience and
biomedical research, and
- those who wish to conduct clinical research on
biomedical aspects of behavioral disorders that
fall within the sphere of school psychology.
The biological component of the program emphasizes
basic biological mechanisms of behavior and biological
theories and treatments of behavioral and psychological
disorders in children (e.g., attention deficit/hyperactivity
disorder, learning disorders, mental retardation,
autism, depression, substance abuse, and eating disorders).
The school psychology component is a behaviorally
and ecologically orientated program with a strong
emphasis on practicum experience that trains students
to develop interventions for behavioral and academic
problems and prepares them for licensure in school
psychology. For the practitioner, the dual major seeks
to provide the knowledge needed to assess critically
biological theories and research, to evaluate the
efficacy and side effects of pharmacologic interventions,
and to enhance ability to communicate with parents,
teachers, administrators, and medical personnel regarding
biomedical aspects of behavioral disorders. For the
scientist, the program strives to inculcate a bio-behavioral
perspective for the purpose of stimulating innovative
research.
Students in the dual School Psychology/Biological
Psychology program are assigned a faculty advisor
from each area. It is anticipated that a student's
thesis research will have a primary or exclusive biological
orientation. Ideally, the dissertation research will
focus on a problem that lies at the intersection of
the two disciplines. Students must satisfy the curriculum
and general exam requirements of both areas. However,
it is possible to structure the program of studies
so that the dual major can be completed in a time
comparable to that required for the single major.
The faculty for the Biobehavioral School Psychology
specialty area may be found under Biological
Psychology and School
Psychology.For more information, please contact Dr. Baumeister.
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