The School of Education at Brooklyn College
School Psychology Graduate Program

Bilingual School Psychologist 
Bilingual/Multicultural Specialization
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Bilingual Courses  Bilingual Internship  Language Proficiency  U.S. Citizenship

Room 0301D James
2900 Bedford Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11210
(718) 951- 5876
Graciela Elizalde-Utnick,
Program Coordinator

Program Overview

Students with bilingual proficiency can complete a School Psychologist Bilingual/Multicultural Specialization, leading to a certificate with a bilingual extension.  The School Psychologist Bilingual/Multicultural Specialization requires 66 credits, the 60-credit school psychologist sequence and two additional courses (3 credits each) emphasizing bilingual and multicultural issues.  Students are also required to do their fieldwork and internship in bilingual/multicultural sites with bilingual supervisors.  Students in the Bilingual/ Multicultural Specialization will need to demonstrate proficiency in both English and a second language by passing New York State tests.

Bilingual Courses

Ed.715.1 T. Multicultural Counseling and Consultation in School. Clinical skills necessary for pupil personnel services providers to work effectively with multilingual and culturally diverse populations.  This experience-based course will develop awareness of cultural, linguistic, and ethnic factors that influence and shape behavior and development.  Personal history, literature, and films will be analyzed in the contexts of acculturation and identity.  Current research and theoretical and applied knowledge in this field will be reviewed.  Students will integrate theoretical and applied knowledge in written assignments and presentations.

Prerequisite: Education 733X or 724.1T or equivalent.

    45 hours; 3 credits

Ed. 726.9 X. Assessment of Behavior IV.  Psychoeducational assessment of language-minority and culturally diverse children and adolescents.  Approaches to nonbiased assessment, including testing in the child’s native language, bilingual testing, adaptation of standardized instruments and techniques, and dynamic assessment.  Students will administer psychoeducational assessment batteries to language-minority individuals, interpret test data, and write reports.

Prerequisite: matriculation in the school psychologist program and Education 726.6X and 726.7X, and permission of the program head.

45 hours; 3 credits

Bilingual Internship

In addition to the requirements described in the Student Guide to Internship, the following requirements apply to students completing the Bilingual Specialization.  Bilingual students are expected to work in both English and the target language.  Students are required to spend 1,200 hours in a school or agency performing work related to school psychology.  At least 600 of these hours must be completed in an approved bilingual/multicultural setting.  At least 600 hours must be completed in a school setting.  This is a minimum requirement, and students are encouraged to log as many additional internship hours as may be feasible.  Field-based supervisors of bilingual interns must be fluent in the same target language as the interns.  Field-based supervisors must be employed by the agency in which they supervise the intern.  The bilingual supervisors must possess a bilingual extension and permanent state certification as a school psychologist.

Language Proficiency

Bilingual students must pass the New York State Bilingual Education Assessment (BEA) administered by the New York State Education Department.  The BEA is required of candidates seeking a bilingual extension to a certificate.

U.S. Citizenship

The New York State Education Department (NYSED) generally requires that individuals who are not U.S. citizens file a Declaration of Intent with Immigration and Naturalization Services in order to be eligible for provisional certification.  However, U.S. citizenship is typically required for permanent certification. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the NYSED for current requirements for certification regarding U.S. citizenship.

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The School of Education
Brooklyn College/CUNY
2900 Bedford Avenue / Rm. 2111 James / Brooklyn, NY 11210

Updated March 2008 / Brooklyn College School of Education
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