Pupil Personnel Service Credential: School Psychology Authorization

The PPS Program gives primary emphasis to helping public school pupils achieve academic success. The Psychology Department at SF State offers a one-year, 24-unit program leading to the State Pupil Personnel Services Credential with an emphasis in school psychology. This credential internship program is offered during the Fall and Spring semester only.

Application for Fall 2025 admission will open in October of 2024. More information to come.

School Psychology PPS Application

NOTE: In order to apply for the Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) Credential, you must already have a Master's degree in School Psychology. If you did NOT receive your MS in School Psychology from SF State, and you want to apply to our PPS credential program, YOU MUST GET EXTERNAL EVALUATION before you can apply to the program. No other degrees will be considered. 

For an external evaluation, please email Shasta Ihorn (sihorn@sfsu.edu) for external evaluation. This will also require a $150 fee.

Prior to admission to the PPS in School Psychology, the program determines that each candidate meets university requirements and demonstrates the following pre-requisites:

  • Possess the M.S. in Psychology from SF State with a concentration in School Psychology or a related master’s or doctoral degree from a comparable accredited graduate program, including all equivalent academic courses
  • Have completed a minimum of 720 hours of school-related experience supervised by a credentialed school psychologist
  • Comply with all standards of the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC) and the National Association of School Psychologist (NASP), including knowledge of growth and development, socio-cultural competence, biological bases of behavior, assessment, clinical intervention, comprehensive prevention and early intervention, consultation services, family school collaboration, school safety and violence prevention, learning theory and psychological foundations, legal and ethical standards, professional collaboration and coordination of services, instructional design, emergent technologies, the organization and operation of schools, models for the delivery of school psychology services and the roles and functions of school psychologists
  • Skill in cultural diversity competence, individual and group assessment, individual and group intervention, program planning and evaluation, collaborative consultation, wellness promotion, crisis intervention and clinical intervention, utilizing legal aspects, using community resources, research and evaluation methods, statistics and measurement and technology, legal, ethical and professional conduct
  • Complete all prerequisites and requirements for admission to the Pupil Personnel Services Credential: School Psychology Designation, including the passing of the California Basic Educational Skills Test (CBEST), and verification of the Live Scan fingerprint process (Certificate of Clearance)
     

The following courses are required for the Pupil Personnel Services Credential with a School Psychology authorization. Students enrolled in the M.S. in Psychology with a concentration in School Psychology at SF State are eligible for this Program, as well as are any outside applicants who hold an M.S. degree in School Psychology or other related field. 

Pupil Personnel Service Credential Course Requirements
  Professional Course Requirements Units
PSY 858 Conference to Accompany Psychology Internship 6
PSY 859 Psychology Internship 12
PSY 899 Special Study 3
BSS 803 Integrated and Collaborative Services for Children 3
  Minimum Total Units 24

Contact

Dr. Shasta Ihorn, PPS Program Coordinator

Email: sihorn@sfsu.edu