Albany CAS - HELP!

[tmlansin]

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Hi everyone,

I am graduating with my BA in Psychology and Health & Human Services this May. I had an interview for the School Psychology Psy.D. program in the beginning of March, and have been waiting to hear back ever since. I just heard back today - a rejection from the PsyD program but an acceptance into the CAS program, which is the Certificate for Advanced Studies. This would certify me to become a school psychologist. However, this was not my intention... I want to eventually become a child psychologist, working with children with internalizing disorders. I need guidance/help and I have talked to my research lab supervisor and multiple PhD students at University at Buffalo and I was wondering if anyone on this website had any feedback/advice. I am devastated because the Albany PsyD was my last hope - I applied to 8 PhD programs and was rejected from all of them except a few masters acceptances. I really was hoping to go right for my PhD, because of the funding. Would taking a year off and then reapplying in the Fall be more beneficial than this CAS program?! HELP PLEASE.

Thank you!

 

[bcliff]

Hi everyone,

I am graduating with my BA in Psychology and Health & Human Services this May. I had an interview for the School Psychology Psy.D. program in the beginning of March, and have been waiting to hear back ever since. I just heard back today - a rejection from the PsyD program but an acceptance into the CAS program, which is the Certificate for Advanced Studies. This would certify me to become a school psychologist. However, this was not my intention... I want to eventually become a child psychologist, working with children with internalizing disorders. I need guidance/help and I have talked to my research lab supervisor and multiple PhD students at University at Buffalo and I was wondering if anyone on this website had any feedback/advice. I am devastated because the Albany PsyD was my last hope - I applied to 8 PhD programs and was rejected from all of them except a few masters acceptances. I really was hoping to go right for my PhD, because of the funding. Would taking a year off and then reapplying in the Fall be more beneficial than this CAS program?! HELP PLEASE.

Thank you!

I thought you were way off base with this post, when you said that this CAS program at SUNY/Albany's would allow you to become a school psychologist. I was under the impression that the only way to become a psychologist of any kind was to earn a PhD or PsyD in psychology. I just looked up SUNY's page though, and it seems that you are correct:

The University at Albany, State University of New York offers a program in School Psychology which leads to a Certificate of Advanced Study (CAS). The CAS is minimally a three-year, 73 credit-hour training program. Students admitted to the program are eligible for the MS in Educational Psychology and Methodology and students intending to apply for New York State certification as a school psychologist must receive the MS in addition to the CAS in School Psychology.

I would recommend you seek a terminal masters degree (social work, counseling, etc.) and seek licenusre (LPC, LCSW, etc.), this will allow you to see patients, bill insurance, etc. and will save you the time and $$$ associated with a PsyD. I don't know much about this CAS/MS situation, so I can't make any recommendations on whether or not you should accept the offer, but I am very leery of people with masters degrees being licensed (certified?) as psychologists.

 

[WisNeuro]

Also, the CAS may only work for NY, and would likely limit your career options should you wish to eventually move.

 

[coldsweat]

I'll echo the sentiment of another poster that a master's degree and seeking licensure as a LPC or LCSW would likely be the best route to your goal (working with children with internalizing disorders) if you can't gain admission into a doctoral program. I don't understand why you would even consider doing a CAS degree if your goal is not to work in the schools - that's exactly what the degree is designed for.

 

[mcvcm92]

If you don't have a major interest in working primarily in the school system, don't do a school psychology masters or doctoral program. A clinical psychology doctorate program (or maybe school-clinical combined) with a child emphasis sounds like it would best fit what you want to make for your career.

 

[bcliff]

I would only recommend the PhD route if the OP is at least open to pursuing a research/academic career; otherwise I don't think the extra years of training (compared to an MSW) is really worth it.