School Behavior Specialist (SBS)
The Ed.S. Program in Educational Psychology
The Ed.S. in Educational Psychology was developed to enhance students' knowledge of human development, learning, and motivation as well as knowledge about behavior problems in the school setting that interfere with academic achievement. Students may pursue one of three Ed.S. programs (i.e., Learning Specialist, School Behavior Specialist, Gifted and Creative Education), each of which has distinct goals as detailed below. However, the core course requirements are the same for all programs.
A. Departmentally Required Courses for the Ed.S. Program in Educational Psychology
The department assumes that students have already taken some theory and measurement courses as a part of their M.A. or M.Ed. degree. If this is not the case, these courses will need to be added as part of the Ed.S program of study.
- Theory Foundation Course:
The Department requires Ed.S students to take one 8000 level theory course to be specified by the program area. - Statistics,Research Methodology and Measurement:
The Department requires Ed.S. students to take one 8000-level statistics, research methods or measurement level course to be specified by the program area.
B. Admission Requirements
Candidates for the Ed.S. program must have the minimum undergraduate grade point average and total GRE score required by the graduate school. Candidates are expected to have completed the M.A. or M.Ed. degree. Candidates' admission to the Ed.S.program, as administered by a specific program, is decided by the faculty of that program. A majority decision of the faculty is required, and a faculty member within the specialty program must agree to serve as temporary advisor.
C. Programs
Three programs are available:
- Learning Specialist Ed.S program, administered by the Applied Cognition and Development program;
- School Behavior Specialist Ed.S program, administered by the School Psychology program; and
- Gifted and Creative Education Ed.S program, administered by the Gifted and Creative Education program
School Behavior Specialist (SBS)
A. Introduction
Classroom teachers often say that while they are well-prepared to develop and deliver lesson plans, they have a need for more in-depth knowledge and training with regard to discipline issues and classroom behavior management. Thus, it is not surprising that classroom teachers cite discipline problems as their number one reason for leaving the teaching profession. The School Behavior Specialist (SBS) Ed.S. program was developed in response to the need for coursework targeted at student behavior problems that interfere with academic achievement. The student in the SBS program will take coursework that will aid them in identifying, classifying, and intervening with children who exhibit behavioral, social, and emotional difficulties. Because a broad knowledge of normal child development is an important prerequisite for those dealing with such difficulties, SBS students take several courses that aim to increase developmental knowledge in the educational context.
In the school context, the SBS could theoretically serve as a peer consultant to classroom teachers and provide aid in identifying the conditions giving rise to classroom behavior problems, developing individual- and classroom-level intervention plans, and interpreting assessment results. The SBS also could serve as an advisory member on the School Support Team (SST). The SBS would have expertise in deciding whether further evaluation from the school psychologist is necessary, preventing unnecessary referrals for special education or other special services. Thus, the SBS could serve as a bridge between classroom teachers and school psychologists.
Who might be interested in this program? Ideally, those admitted to the SBS program would be classroom teachers, school counselors, and school administrators who have at least 2 years of relevant experience. Because we expect students in the SBS program to be enrolled on a part-time basis, required courses are offered in the evenings and in the summer.
B. Required Coursework
Area A: Normal development
- EPSY 6010: Foundations of Human Development for Education
- EPSY 6060: Foundations of Motivation for Education
- EPSY 6080: Foundations of Cognition for Education
Area B: Assessment
- EPSY 6240: Child Psychopathology and Schooling (Spring)
- EDEC 7170: Evaluation of the Elementary School (Maymester, Neuharth-Pritchett) or EPSY 6470: Special Topics in Educational Psychology (Classroom Behavioral Assessment)
Area C: Prevention, remediation, and evaluation
- EPSY 6310: Prevention and Remediation of Classroom Behavior Problems (Fall)
- SPED 7230: Methods for Teaching Social Skills (Spring)
- SPED 8370*: Single-Subject Research Methodology in Special Education (Summer, Gast)
Note: courses in Area C must be taken in sequence
* SPED 8370 fulfills the Departmental requirement for an 8000-level statistics, research methods or measurement level course.
Area D: Consultation
- EPSY 7310: Consultation Processes in Educational Settings (Spring)
C. Requirements
The Ed.S. requires (a) 30 credit hours, or 10 3-credit courses, along with an oral or written exit examination during the student’s last semester or (b) 33 credit hours.
D. Deadlines for Admission
The School Behavior Specialist program faculty currently is accepting applications and making admissions decisions on a rolling basis. However, there are a limited number of slots available, and we expect these to fill quickly. Therefore, we encourage applicants to submit completed applications as soon as possible. The application is available on the graduate school web site. Please indicate in the Statement of Purpose that you are applying for the SBS Ed.S. program.
E. Contact
For more information, contact the coordinator of the SBS program, Dr. Michele Lease (mlease@uga.edu) or Demetrius Smith, the degree program assistant for EPIT (542-4257 or demetri@uga.edu).
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