Master of Science in School Psychology - Specialist, UAA

09/04/2026

📣 We’re Hiring! Assistant Professor of School Psychology

Applications are now open for an Assistant Professor of School Psychology at the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA)! 🎓

Our MS in School Psychology program has recently achieved NASP Candidacy Status, marking an exciting milestone in the growth and development of our program. We’re looking for an outstanding colleague to join our amazing faculty team and help us prepare the next generation of school psychologists to serve students, families, and schools across Alaska. 🏔️

This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to developing and strengthening Alaska’s school psychology workforce while working with a collaborative faculty team committed to preparing culturally responsive, highly skilled school psychologists.

👉 View the position announcement and apply:
Assistant Professor of Psychology – UAA Job Posting

Come join us in preparing school psychologists for Alaska’s diverse communities and schools! 💙🏔️

The Department of Psychology at the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor of School Psychology. The primary teaching responsibilities will be in the M.S. in School Psychology - Specialist program, recently approved for NASP Candidacy Status....

08/25/2026

🎉 Welcome, Cohort 2! 🎉

It’s time to officially welcome our newest students to the program! Our Cohort 2 students just wrapped up an exciting on-campus orientation weekend and are ready to jump into their first week of classes. 📚✨

We’re so excited to have you join us and can’t wait to see all that you accomplish as you begin your journey toward becoming school psychologists! 🧠💙

Welcome to the program, Cohort 2! 🎓

06/15/2026

Looking for a summer group for your teen? Co-Lead by a School Psychologist and a UAA School Psychology graduate student, these coping skills groups are going to be fantastic for teens to learn and practice coping skills!

06/02/2026

In case you missed our talk about the role of School Psychologists in Alaska, you can listen here!

Join host Anne Hillman to learn more about school psychology in Alaska.

05/19/2026

Tune in to Alaska Public Media’s Line One at 10:00 AM on Wednesday, May 20 to hear faculty and students from the UAA School Psychology program discuss the important role of school psychologists, school psychological services across Alaska, and the new UAA Master of Science in School Psychology Specialist program.

Join the conversation and learn more about how school psychologists support students, families, and schools throughout Alaska!

https://alaskapublic.org/programs/line-one/2026-05-20/school-psychology-in-alaska-line-one

05/01/2026

The UAA Master of Science in School Psychology – Specialist Program is excited to be part of the Alaska Science of Reading Symposium 2026.

Our faculty and students are attending the symposium, learning about new research findings, and connecting with educators, school leaders, families, and community partners who care deeply about student learning and success.

School psychology and literacy are deeply connected. School psychologists help schools use assessment, data, consultation, and intervention planning to better understand and support students’ academic, behavioral, and social-emotional needs.

At our booth, attendees can learn more about:

• Alaska’s first graduate-level school psychology training program
• the role of school psychologists in MTSS and student support
• supervised training opportunities for UAA school psychology students
• the expanded pediatric services at the UAA Psychological Services Center
• opportunities for school-age volunteers to participate in supervised assessment sessions
• how future school psychologists are being prepared to serve Alaska schools
We are grateful for opportunities to connect with educators, families, school leaders, and community partners who care deeply about student learning and success.
If you are attending the symposium, stop by and say hello!

📘 Learn more about our program:
👉 https://www.uaa.alaska.edu/academics/college-of-arts-and-sciences/departments/psychology/academic-programs/graduate/ms-school-psychology/index.cshtml

〽️ Sign up for our monthly information session to learn more about our program:
✔️ https://docs.google.com/.../1FAIpQLSfRn4tbUjooGv.../viewform

ScienceOfReading Literacy MTSS StudentSupport SchoolMentalHealth Assessment GraduateTraining AlaskaEducation FutureSchoolPsychologist

04/27/2026

People often know they are interested in school psychology, but are less sure what graduate training in the field actually includes.

School psychology training goes far beyond one skill area. Students develop knowledge and practice across multiple domains that help them support children, families, and schools in meaningful ways.

In training, school psychology students build skills in areas such as:

• psychological and psychoeducational assessment
• interpreting data to guide decisions and student support
• academic, behavioral, and social-emotional intervention
• consultation and collaboration with educators, families, and multidisciplinary teams
• understanding how mental health, behavior, development, and learning can affect school adjustment and academic performance
• multi-tiered systems of support and problem-solving
• counseling and other direct supports for children and adolescents
• ethics, professional judgment, and responsible practice
• connecting research, data, and practice in real school settings

At UAA, our Master of Science in School Psychology – Specialist Program prepares students through coursework, supervised practice, and applied learning experiences that help them grow into thoughtful and effective school psychologists.

This kind of preparation matters because school psychologists work at the intersection of psychology, education, and student support.

📘 Learn more about our program:
👉 https://www.uaa.alaska.edu/academics/college-of-arts-and-sciences/departments/psychology/academic-programs/graduate/ms-school-psychology/index.cshtml

〽️ Sign up for our monthly information session to learn more about our program:
✔️ https://docs.google.com/.../1FAIpQLSfRn4tbUjooGv.../viewform

04/21/2026

Student Spotlight at the Behavioral Sciences Conference of the North

We are proud to share that Ella MacRae, an MS School Psychology student, presented at the Behavioral Sciences Conference of the North at UAA.

Her presentation focused on:

The Alaska Integrated MTSS Needs Assessment and Alaska I-MTSS Consortium: Finding Out What Schools Need

Faculty mentors:
Rachel Brown-Chidsey and Jennie Knutson

This work reflects an important part of graduate training in school psychology. Strong preparation includes not only coursework and supervised practice, but also opportunities to engage with research, think critically about systems of support, and contribute to conversations that matter for schools.

Presenting on topics like MTSS helps students strengthen skills in:

• connecting data to school needs
• thinking at the systems level
• communicating ideas clearly to professional audiences
• linking research, practice, and student support

We are proud to see our students contributing to conversations about how schools can better meet student needs across Alaska.

📘 Learn more about our program:
👉 https://www.uaa.alaska.edu/academics/college-of-arts-and-sciences/departments/psychology/academic-programs/graduate/ms-school-psychology/index.cshtml

〽️ Sign up for our monthly information session to learn more about our program:
✔️ https://docs.google.com/.../1FAIpQLSfRn4tbUjooGv.../viewform

BehavioralSciencesConferenceOfTheNorth GraduateTraining StudentResearch MTSS StudentSupport AlaskaEducation FutureSchoolPsychologist

04/21/2026

Many prospective students ask what makes someone a strong fit for graduate training in school psychology.

While there is no single path into the field, faculty often look for applicants who show:

• a clear interest in supporting children, adolescents, families, and schools
• an understanding that school psychology combines psychology, education, and collaboration
• readiness for graduate-level learning, reflection, and professional growth
• interest in assessment, intervention, consultation, and data-based decision-making
• strong communication and collaboration skills
• professionalism, responsibility, and follow-through
• curiosity about how academic, social, emotional, behavioral, and mental health needs affect student functioning in school
• a commitment to ethical practice and thoughtful problem-solving
• a desire to contribute meaningfully to school systems and student support services

Strong applicants do not all come from the same background. Many enter school psychology from education, psychology, counseling, behavior support, special education, or related fields.

What matters most is not having one perfect background — it is showing readiness to grow into a profession that requires strong skills, sound judgment, collaboration, and commitment to students and schools.

The **Master of Science in School Psychology – Specialist Program** at the **University of Alaska Anchorage** is designed for students who are ready to deepen their training and broaden their impact in schools and communities across Alaska.

📘 Learn more about our program:
👉 https://www.uaa.alaska.edu/academics/college-of-arts-and-sciences/departments/psychology/academic-programs/graduate/ms-school-psychology/index.cshtml

〽️ Sign up for our monthly information session to learn more about our program:
✔️ https://docs.google.com/.../1FAIpQLSfRn4tbUjooGv.../viewform

04/19/2026

We are proud to share that students from the Master of Science in School Psychology – Specialist Program presented at the UAA Student Research & Creative Scholarship Showcase.

Two posters presented this year included:

• Project SPeCC: Summer Psychoeducational Community Clinic and PSC
Presented by Ella MacRae, MS School Psychology Student, and Malia Russell, BA Psychology Student

• Frontiers of Student Support: School Psychology in Alaska
Presented by Heather Charton
Advisor: Hattie Harvey

Participation in events like this reflects an important part of graduate training in school psychology. Strong preparation is not only about coursework and supervised practice, but also about engaging with research, thinking critically, and communicating ideas clearly to others.

Experiences like this help students strengthen skills in:
• research and inquiry
• connecting evidence to practice
• professional communication
• poster presentation and scholarly dissemination
• reflecting on issues that matter in schools and student support services

We are proud to see our students representing the program in a university-wide academic setting and contributing to the culture of scholarship at UAA.

📘 Learn more about our program:
👉 https://www.uaa.alaska.edu/academics/college-of-arts-and-sciences/departments/psychology/academic-programs/graduate/ms-school-psychology/index.cshtml

〽️ Sign up for our monthly information session to learn more about our program:
✔️ https://docs.google.com/.../1FAIpQLSfRn4tbUjooGv.../viewform

StudentResearch ResearchShowcase StudentScholarship EvidenceBasedPractice StudentSupport MentalHealthInSchools AlaskaEducation FutureSchoolPsychologist