EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Doctor of Psychology (Psy. D.) in School Psychology,
University of Colorado Denver
Description: The School of Education and Human Development (SEHD) at the University of
Colorado Denver proposes to offer a Doctor of Psychology (Psy. D.) degree beginning in fall
2014. This four-year, interdisciplinary professional degree program will prepare graduate
students for careers as school psychologists capable of providing the best mental health services
and support for all students in their schools and districts. The Psy. D. program will expand upon
and replace the existing Educational Specialist (Ed. S.) program in School Psychology currently
offered by the SEHD. When the Psy. D. program is in place and all students currently enrolled
in the Ed. S. who do not want to switch to the Psy. D. have graduated, the Ed. S. will be
discontinued.
Duplication: There are currently 14 School Psychology Psy. D. programs in the United States.
The vast majority of these programs are in the northeastern part of the country and only 3 are
offered by public institutions (Rutgers; SUNY Albany; Southern Maine). There is no other Psy.
D. program in School Psychology in the state of Colorado nor in the Rocky Mountain region,
Workforce Demand: According to the U.S. Department of Education there are approximately
550 licensed school psychologists in Colorado. According to the U.S. Department of Labor,
Bureau of Labor Statistics the field of clinical counseling and school psychologists is projected
to grow by 21.9% during the 2010-2020 decade. The employment growth rate in Colorado is
projected to match that predicted for the nation. Moreover, there has been a documented
shortage of school psychologists in the state of Colorado and there are many open positions
currently available. Graduates of the current SHED Ed. S. in school psychology program have a
100% hire rate. All of our program’s graduates have obtained a job in the public schools
following graduation and many are hired even before they graduate. There is no indication that
this trend will change if the Ed. S. program is replaced with a Psy. D. program.
Student Demand: Despite a 100% hire rate for our graduates for the last two years, the Ed. S.
program has experienced declining application numbers and enrollment. According to the
National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), as well as informal surveys, this is
currently a trend experienced by School Psychology specialist programs both in Colorado and
across the country with programs reporting declines of 30%-50%. Nationwide, the number of
specialist level programs in school psychology has decreased while the number of Psy. D.
programs in School Psychology has grown from 6 at the beginning of 2011 to 14 today.
Doctoral programs in School Psychology are attractive to potential students for a variety of
reasons. Graduates of doctoral programs earn higher salaries in the school setting than do
individuals with specialist degrees. An additional advantage of the Psy. D. degree is that doctoral
level school psychologists have additional professional opportunities including teaching in
higher education and licensure by the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) to
practice as a psychologist privately or in clinical settings.
Student Enrollment and Graduation Projections: The Psy. D. program proposes to enroll a
cohort of 16 new students, plus some students from the Ed. S. program who transfer to the Psy.
D. program by adding the additional required courses, practica experience, and the capstone
project. In the first year, the program expects six students will engage in this 'bridge' pathway
and in the second year, the program expects eight students will take advantage of this. As far as
impact to the total headcount, this adds six students in year 1, 14 students in year 2 and 8
students in year 3. At full implementation the program projects to have 56 students distributed
throughout the four years of the program. Students from the Ed.S. program who transfer into the
Psy. D. program during year 1 (AY 2014-15) will graduate in the second year of the program and
by year 4 a steady graduation of 13 students per year should be attained.
Program Headcount, FTE, and Graduates
In-state Headcount
Out-of-state Headcount
Program Headcount
In-state FTE
Out-of-state FTE
Program FTE
Program Graduates
Year 1
2014-15
Year 2
2015-16
Year 3
2016-17
Year 4
2017-18
Year 5
2018-19
15.0
7.0
22.0
14.1
7.7
21.8
0.0
37.0
7.0
44.0
31.0
7.7
38.7
6.0
44.0
7.0
51.0
35.3
7.7
43.0
8.0
49.0
7.0
56.0
37.3
7.7
45.0
13.0
49.0
7.0
56.0
37.3
7.7
45.0
13.0
Full
Implemen
-tation
49.0
7.0
56.0
37.3
7.7
45.0
13.0
Instructional Delivery Methods, Physical Capacity and Needs: Coursework will be delivered
in face-to-face, on-line and hybrid formats. The face-to-face classes will be held in the evenings
and on weekends to accommodate the needs of working students. The space assigned to the
existing Ed. S. program can meet the needs of the Psy. D. program.
Budget Summary:
Estimated Program Expenses and Funding Sources
Year 1
2014-15
Operating Expenses
1 Faculty
2 Financial Aid specific to program
3 Instructional Materials
4 Program Administration
5 Rent/Lease
Laboratory & Other Operating
6
Costs
7
Subtotal Operating Expenses
Program Start-Up Expenses
8 Capital construction
9 Equipment Acquisitions
10 Library Acquisitions
11
Subtotal Program Start-Up Exp.
TOTAL PROGRAM EXPENSES
Enrollment Revenue
12 General Fund: State Support
13 Cash Revenue: Tuition
14 Cash Revenue: Fees
Other Revenue
15 Gifts/Donations
16 Program Reallocation
17 Research Grant Support
18 Other Revenue
TOTAL PROGRAM REVENUE
TOTAL PROGRAM SURPLUS/DEFICIT
Year 2
2015-16
Year 3
2016-17
Year 4
2017-18
Year 5
2018-19
Full Implementation
31,392
0
0
0
0
34,912
0
1,000
0
0
37,992
0
1,000
0
0
40,192
0
1,000
0
0
40,192
0
1,000
0
0
40,192
0
1,000
0
0
4,306
4,979
4,008
13,417
8,317
8,317
35,698
40,891
43,000
54,609
49,509
49,509
0
0
0
0
35,698
0
0
0
0
40,891
0
0
0
0
43,000
0
0
0
0
54,609
0
0
0
0
49,509
0
0
0
0
49,509
0
42,822
1,806
0
65,556
2,479
0
104,061
4,008
0
111,111
4,067
0
111,111
4,067
0
111,111
4,067
0
19,234
0
0
63,862
0
23,754
0
0
91,789
0
24,334
0
0
132,403
0
35,884
0
0
151,062
0
30,784
0
0
145,962
0
30,784
0
0
145,962
28,164
50,898
89,403
96,453
96,453
96,453
Faculty and Instruction. Total instruction costs at full enrollment are $40,192.
Financial aid and Student support. Students will pay the tuition to obtain the professional
credentials. The current Ed. S. program has a 100% hire rate for graduates and the Psy. D.
expects the same level of placement for its graduates. The program will help students who have
a demonstrated financial need to seek and receive aid from gift sources or from federal loans.
Instructional Materials. Expenses of $1,000 per externship are included.
Laboratory and Operating Costs. Initial marketing efforts, plus accreditation costs are included.
Library Acquisitions. No additional library materials are required.
Cash Revenue, Tuition and Fees. Tuition revenue is based on the new student enrollment and
current FY 2013-14 rates. The tuition revenue available only reflects the courses in addition to
those required in the Ed. S. degree. The tuition revenue in the first year is attributed to the
'bridge' pathway of Ed. S. students who transfer to the Psy. D. and begin taking additional
courses. At full enrollment, tuition is estimated at $111,111. The college collects instructional
program fees to support advising, technology, test protocols, and assessment instruments. The
current fee for the services is $2.96 per credit hour plus $88.50 per term for students in education
plans. This budget only counts the fee collected for the additional coursework beyond the Ed. S.
which is 12 credits in the third year and 4 credits in the fourth year. Fee-funded expenses are
included in the laboratory and operating expense budget line above.
Program Reallocation. The school will dedicate existing resources to help cover costs associated
with instruction, marketing, accreditation, and externship support costs. This totals $35,884 in
the year of anticipated accreditation site visits and $30,784 each year thereafter.
Concluding Remarks: This is a unique program leading to a Doctor in Psychology (Psy. D.)
degree that meets student and workforce demand. The program will prepare students for
employment as school psychologists and also to practice as a psychologist privately or in clinical
settings. This Psy. D. program will expand upon and replace the existing Educational Specialist
(Ed. S.) program in School Psychology currently offered by the SEHD. The curriculum builds
upon the existing expertise in the CLAS and the SEHD as well as the strong partnership between
these two schools/colleges. The bulk of the curriculum can be delivered with existing courses
and the program does not require additional classroom or office space.