Charles Sturt to deliver NSW school psychologist training

Rural and inner city schools need psychologists and Charles Sturt Uni has been engaged by the NSW Department of Education to design and deliver an online training program to expand the school psychologist workforce.

Course Director – Professional Programs in the Charles Sturt School of Psychology Assoc Prof Tim Hannan said, “The purpose of the new course is to equip teachers with the applied psychology skills to work as school counsellors with children and young people in schools.

“The Master of Psychological Practice (School Psychology) is a two-year course that delivers graduates an integrated program of psychological studies at fourth- and fifth-year levels, with a specialisation in school psychology.”

Following completion of this program, graduates will be eligible to undertake a sixth year of supervised practice internship approved by the Psychology Board of Australia; on completion of this subsequent internship program, they will be eligible to apply for general registration as a psychologist.

Hannan said, “The Department of Education has significantly expanded the school psychologist workforce in recent years, in recognition of the increasing need for suitably qualified staff to support the mental health and wellbeing of students throughout the state.

The Charles Sturt School of Psychology offers a suite of undergraduate and postgraduate programs both on campus and online, which permit students to gain or upgrade their qualifications at each level of study.

In addition, with the support of the NSW Department of Education, from 2021 Charles Sturt will be offering a one-year Master of Professional Psychology (School Psychology), a qualification dedicated to the training of fourth-year graduates in school psychological practice for employment in rural and remote areas.