The Effects of Doctoral Program Identifying Factors on Post-Graduate Work settings and program completion

Year: 2025

Issue: Vol. 41 Issue. 1

Journal Name: School Psychology Training and Pedagogy

Title: The Effects of Doctoral Program Identifying Factors on Post-Graduate Work Settings and Program Completion

Citation: Blake, J., Aspiranti, K., Hulac, D.M., King, B., & Arguello-Abramson, A. (2025) The Effects of Doctoral Program Identifying Factors on Post-Graduate Work Settings and Program Completion. School Psychology Training and Pedagogy, 41 (1), 19-26. 

Abstract: Graduates from school psychology doctoral programs have a variety of employment options. However, there is little known about training-based factors that may relate to these graduates’ employment decisions. Additionally, students cannot access these job opportunities without graduating. Understanding factors that affect student graduation time is important for trainers and prospective students alike. The current study examined if the program identifying factors, Carnegie designation, program approval/accreditation status, the university’s public or private school status, and degree offered affect where doctoral students are employed after graduation or how long it takes them to complete their programs. School psychology students’ post-graduate work setting data and student mean year to graduation were collected for the 2020-2021 academic year from the NASP website in March of 2022. Results indicated that graduates of doctoral-level school psychology programs take between 5 and 7 (M = 5.25) years to complete their programs. Time to graduation was significantly affected based on degree type. The majority of doctoral students are employed in non-school settings post-graduation; significant differences in employment location were found based on NASP approval/accreditation. Current findings have implications for trainers of school psychologists making programmatic decisions within their university contexts.

Keywords:  graduate outcomes, work settings, accreditation, program completion time, Carnegie classification

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