Applying for Acceptance into the

MASTER OF ARTS - PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH

MASTER OF SCIENCE - HUMAN FACTORS

MASTER OF SCIENCE - INDUSTRIAL/ORGANIZATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY

Degree Programs in Psychology

    An applicant for the M.A. degree in Psychological Research (MAPR), or the M.S. degree in either the Human Factors Option (MSHF) or Psychology - Industrial/Organizational Option (MSIO), must be accepted for admission by both the Department of Psychology and the Enrollment Services Office of the University.  The MSIO program accepts students for the Fall only; the MA-PR and MSHF programs accept students for Fall semesters, and may accept for Spring (Spring acceptance determined on a year to year basis - please check back for announcement). 

    If your bachelor's degree is not in Psychology, please refer to the Conditionally Classified applicaton information. 

    The deadlines for submitting application, transcripts and Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores to the Psychology Department for the Master's programs are listed below, based upon the particular program (target deadlines are recommended to allow for notification of missing items).  University deadlines vary each semester -- please check with the Office of Enrollment Services for the appropriate university application deadline.

                              Psychology Department Master's Program Application Deadlines 
(The Department Application Deadlines have changed and may still do so due to the State Budget Crisis - please use Suggested Target Deadlines to be assured of making the program deadlines)

                                      *recommended to allow for notification of missing items

*** SPECIAL ALERT! ***
There will be NO Spring 2010 special admission application, due to the CSU Chancellor's cancellation of all new admits for Spring 2010, including graduate programs (announced 7/9/09). 

Steps for Acceptance to the Psychology Department

1.  The GRE
    Take the Verbal, Quantitative and Analytical Writing ("General" test) sections of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and have the scores sent directly to the Psychology Graduate Coordinator, using the appropriate GRE codes.  (The Subject test is not required; however, the score will be reported if taken.)  Sign up for the GRE early; reservations must be made for the test at least three to four weeks before the test date and your scores are not sent to you or the department for approximately two to five weeks after you have taken the test.  For dates of GRE tests given in your geographical area visit the GRE web site at: http://www.gre.org.  The CSULB GRE codes are: institution 4389, department 2016.  (Please note: you must designate the institution recipient as a graduate program for the codes.)

2.  Department and University Applications
    Apply to the Psychology Department Graduate Advisor for admission.  Applicaton forms are available through the links below in a print-only format.  Please Note: you must also apply to the University itself (www.csumentor.edu).
    MAPR: You are eligible to apply if you have completed an undergraduate major in Psychology that includes four specific prerequisite courses, or a major in another field with 24 units of upper division psychology that includes four specific prerequisite courses (listed in the application/information packet, on the MA-PR Program information web page, and as one of the on-line application forms).  Three CSULB Psychology MAPR faculty members who have agreed to considering mentoring incoming MAPR students as lab space allows must be listed on the department application, section D.
    MSHF: You are eligible to apply if you have completed an undergraduate major in Psychology that includes three specific and one or more suggested prerequisite courses, or a major in another field with 24 units of upper division psychology that includes three specific and one or more suggested prerequisite courses (listed in the application/information packet, on the MSHF Program information web pages, and as one of the on-line application forms).   
    MSIO: You are eligible to apply if you have a bachelor's degree in psychology or equivalent and have completed at least four of the five prerequisite courses (listed in the application/information packet, on the MSIO Program information web pages, and as one of the on-line application forms).  If your degree is in another area and you do not have 24 units of upper division psychology, you must complete 15 of the 24 units before becoming eligible to apply to the department.  If accepted, you would be required to complete the remaining 9 units the first year in the program.
    University Application: Must be filed online via the www.csumentor.edu web site at least a month prior to the deadline of the above graduate program to which you are applying, as this is the only way for us to receive your GRE scores (ETS no longer sends paper reports to CSULB).  International Students: Please contact the  Center for International Education (CIE) for university application instructions.

3.  Official Transcripts
    Have official transcripts of all your college-level work sent directly to the Graduate Coordinator.  You will have to send a second set of these transcripts to the Office of Enrollment Services in order to be admitted to the University (see MA/MS Department Application Check Sheet for full addresses).
    Please note: your two sets of transcripts must be sent separately, one set to Enrollment Services and one to the department.  (Do not have two sets sent to the Psychology Department -- the Office of Enrollment Services will not accept transcripts once the envelope is opened.)  It is required that you apply for admission to the University at the same time you apply to the department.  Separate applications are required.  There is an application fee for the University.  There is no fee for application to the department.  Consult the Office of Enrollment Services to learn application deadlines for the University.  You may apply to the University via the following web site: www.csumentor.edu (please be sure to use the CSU Graduate application for the correct academic year). 
    International Students: please be sure to contact the Center for International Education for university application procedures (web site www.csulb.edu/centers/cie/; email via the site).

4.  Letters of Recommendation
    Submit three letters of recommendation from faculty members who are familiar with your academic work to the Psychology Department (materials submitted to the Office of Enrollment Services will not be released to the department).  Please note that the MSIO program has its own, separate recommendation form.
    Graduate application tips: Letters

5.  Statement of Purpose
    Submit a statement of academic and professional goals to the Psychology Department (materials submitted to the Office of Enrollment Services will not be released to the department). 
    Graduate application tips: Statement 1; Statement 2.
 

Selection Criteria

    Satisfactory performance on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) for both verbal and quantitative portions of the aptitude test is expected.  In recent years the average combined total for the entering class has been about 1100, with individual scores ranging from 850 to 1400.
    A GPA of approximately 3.4 for the last 60 semester units (90 quarter units) as well as for all psychology units completed is considered minimum to be competitive.
            ( GPA Calculator; list of additional GPA calculators)
    Applicants are advised to take the GRE by December for fall admission.  Admissions are on a competitive basis and students who are not selected may be advised to take courses in the department as a conditionally classified graduate student in order to make up deficiencies in key areas or to demonstrate competency in work at the graduate level.
    The department encourages minority students, out-of-state students and foreign students to apply.  The selection committee carefully weighs qualitative as well as quantitative factors in making its admission decisions.  Particular attention is directed at selecting students with the motivation, as well as the intellectual skills, to pursue a career in academic psychology.

APPLICATION FORMS
(DEPARTMENT APPLICATION ONLY)

A print-only version of the Psychology Masters Programs application is made available here. Click on each form listed below, print it out, and complete.

• Department Application Cover Sheet
• Department Application Form (required)
• Recommendation Form for MAPR and MSHF programs (three required)
• Recommendation Form for MSIO program (three required)
• GPA Computation Form (required)
• MA-Psychological Research Prerequisite Form (required for MAPR applicants)
• MS-Industrial/Organizational Prerequisite Form (required for MSIO applicants)
• MS-Human Factors Prerequisite Form (required for MSHF applicants)
• MAPR Faculty Mentor List (required for MAPR applicants - section D of department application)
• Graduate Assistantship Application Form (optional)
• SC-1 Form (required for Graduate Assistantship)
• MA/MS Department Application Check Sheet
• MSIO Course Information Sheet
• Graduate School Application Tips Sheet

If you experience difficulties in printing the above documents, please make sure that your web browser is a recent version and that you are using Acrobat Reader 5.0 or higher (available by clicking on the "Get Acrobat Reader" icon below).  If still experiencing difficulties, try selecting "Print as image" on print dialogue box (see image below).

Helpful links 

Psychology Graduate Advisor  
   Contact information, office hours

CSULB Campus Tours 

    Link to Adobe to download Acrobat Reader (free - needed to access PDF documents)

Other Related CSULB Master's Programs
    Educational Psychology 
        Counseling Programs (including MFT, School Counseling)
    Master of Social Work  

Graduate School Tips
    GRE  ( www.gre.org)

    Letters of Recommendation

    Statement of Purpose 1  
    Statement of Purpose 2 

    PsychGrad.Org  
        Resources and recommendations