Department of Psychology
Graduate Programs - Admission Requirements
Admission to thhgckgckghcl,hve graduate program in psychology is based on the evaluation of a student's capacity to successfully complete Master's level work. The graduate committee uses multiple criteria to assess an applicant's qualifications including coursework completed, grades, test scores, essays, and letters of recommendation. In addition, an applicant's professional interests and goals are evaluated in terms of the interests of the faculty and resources of the Department of Psychology. Separate evaluation of applicants are made for the M.A. general/experimental program and the M.S. School Psychology Program. Although many applicants meet our minimum admission requirements, we are limited in the number of positions available and some qualified students may not be offered admission.
Grade Point Average (GPA)
A four-year undergraduate degree is required for acceptance as a graduate student. A GPA of 3.0 or better in psychology undergraduate courses as well as a 3.0 overall undergraduate GPA are typically minimal expectations for successful applicants.
Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
All students are required to take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) for admission to CSU, Fresno. Students must submit scores for the General Test. The GRE General Test is considered an opportunity for applicants to demonstrate their potential for future academic success; total (Verbal + Quantitative) scores of 1000 or above are considered desirable. Successful candidates for the Masters Program will demonstrate scores at or near the criterion (560 or 60th percentile) at the time of application to the program. However, acceptance into the Masters Degree programs in the Psychology Department is based on multiple criteria and there are no absolute cutoff scores on either the General or Subject Test for admission.
Students should contact ETS for testing dates and locations. Failure to submit GRE scores on time is a major cause of rejection. Original GRE test scores from ETS must be submitted directly to the Division of Graduate Studies; a copy of your scores should also be included with your department application materials in order to ensure that you will be evaluated in the application process. Scores must be received in the Psychology Department office by the application deadline.
Undergraduate Course Entry Requirements for MA Program
The following courses are part of the undergraduate psychology major at CSU, Fresno. Students from other institutions or those holding a bachelor's degree in areas other than psychology should also have completed the following courses or their equivalents.
Applications
One course from the following:
Clinical Processes | Psych 160T |
Abnormal Psychology | Psych 166 |
Psychological Aspects of Physical Disability | Psych 169 |
Environmental Psychology | Psych 173 |
Family Counseling | Psych 175 |
Industrial Psychology | Psych 176 |
Behavior Modification | Psych 177 |
Basic Content Area
One course from the following:
Personality | Psych 154 |
Developmental Psychology | Psych 155 |
Social Psychology | Psych 134 |
Culture, Social Class & Development | Psych 178 |
History and Systems | Psych 182 |
Basic Processes Area
One course from the following:
Learning and Memory | Psych 121 |
Motivation | Psych 122 |
Sensation and Perception | Psych 124 |
Physiological Psychology | Psych 125 |
Cognitive Psychology | Psych 128 |
Undergraduate Course Entry Requirements for MS Program
All of the following:
Elementary Statistics | Psych 42 |
Research Methods | Psych 144 |
Psychological Testing | Psych 149 |
Biological Basis of Behavior | Psych 36 or 125 |
Human Learning & Behavior | Psych 136, 121, or 128 |
Learning & Memory | Psych 121 |
Cognitive | Psych 128 |
Developmental Psychology | Psych 155 |
Introduction to Counseling | Psych 174 |
Intermediate Statistics | Psych 143 |
Abnormal Psychology | Psych 166 |
Exceptional Children (recommended) | Psych 168 |
Applied Behavior Analysis (recommended) | Psych 170T |
Courses Completed at Other Institutions
The Graduate Committee of the Department of Psychology carefully evaluates all transcripts submitted from other institutions. The Graduate committee reserves the right to request documentation of coursework from applicants to determine that course's equivalency to CSU, Fresno Psychology courses. The following materials may be requested by the graduate committee A catalog description of the course containing the course content.
- A course syllabus or outline.
- A copy of the textbook(s) used in the course, or a complete bibliographic citation of the text(s).
- Copies of work completed in the course including examinations, papers, and any other work completed
International Students
In addition to fulfilling the above requirements, International Students
- Must possess the equivalent of a four year U.S. degree.
- Must present TOEFL scores of at least 550.
- Must have adequate financial support. The University does not typically have funds to assist international students. CSU, Fresno cannot offer scholarships, loans, or any kind of financial aid to entering international students.