1. How many
Graduate Programs in Psychology do you have?
We offer six
programs in Psychology, three M.A. degrees and three
M.S. degrees. The M.A. programs include emphases in
Developmental Psychology, Social Psychology, and
Psychological Research. The M.S. programs include
Clinical Psychology, School Psychology and
Industrial/Organizational Psychology.
We also offer
a third year School Psychology Pupil Personnel Services
Credential program offered jointly through our School
Psychology program and the
College of Extended Learning.
2. What
is the PPS Credential Program? Can I apply?
The PPS
Credential Program is the third-year internship program
for students who have completed their two-year Graduate
Program in School Psychology. Students from outside our
own program may also apply to the PPS Credential
Program, having already obtained a Graduate Degree in
School Psychology or other related field. There is a
set list of requirements you must have completed to be
admitted, which is listed on the PPS Credential Program
Application.
3. How many
applicants do you accept annually into each program?
Each program
accepts between ten and fifteen applicants per year.
4. How many
applicants do you get and how many do you accept each
year?
Between twenty
and two-hundred, depending on the program. We accept
between ten and fifteen per year, depending on the
program.
5. Can
I apply for Spring admission?
Only the
Developmental Psychology program accepts new students
for the Spring semester.
6. What
are the tuition rates for resident/non-resident students
and other associated costs?
For a
California resident full-time graduate student (at least
six semester units), tuition runs $2,235 per semester
other fees not included For full details, please
contact the Graduate Division (contact information below
or visit
http://www.sfsu.edu/prospect/fees.htm ).
7. Can
I hold a job during the program?
It really
depends on which program you’re applying to and how
flexible your job hours are. All of our graduate
programs are FULL TIME PROGRAMS. Some students work
part-time during the academic year.
8.
How many units will I be expected to take per
semester?
It ranges
between nine and eighteen, depending on the program.
Total semester units required for each program are
listed below:
Clinical
– at least 51 total semester units (two-year program)
Developmental – at least 30 total semester units
(two-year program)
Industrial/Organizational – at least 36 total
semester units (two-year program)
Research
– at least 35 total semester units (two-year program)
School
– at least 55 total semester units (two-year program)
PPS
Credential – at least 24 total semester units
(one-year program)
Social
– at least 33 total semester units (two-year program)
9. When
do you notify students regarding their admission status?
Application
review begins during the second week of March. At the
very soonest, applicants will be notified between April
15th and May 1st
10. I am unsure as
to which program I should apply to. Who can advise me
in this regard?
Dr. Julia
Lewis is the Graduate Coordinator. Each program also
has a specific Program Coordinator. Their contact
information is listed below.
11. I have
questions about your Graduate Program in Psychology.
Whom should I contact?
For admission,
application or prerequisite questions, you should
contact the Graduate Services Coordinator. For specific
program information, you should contact the appropriate
Graduate Program Coordinator. Their information is
listed below.
12.
Can you send me a Course Schedule or University
Bulletin?
No. You must
request these items from the SFSU Bookstore. Contact
information is provided below. You can also obtain the
Course Schedule and University Bulletin online at
http://www.sfsu.edu
13.
Can you send me Financial Aid information or
Housing information?
No. For
financial aid information, contact the Office of
Financial Aid. For housing information, contact Housing
& Residential Services (contact information provided
below).
14.
I was in a graduate program previously. Can my
previous units be transferred into your program?
No. As a
general policy, we do not accept transfer units into any
of our programs.
15.
Can I audit any graduate courses to get a feel
for the program?
This is up to
the individual professor’s discretion. You’ll have to
contact the professor to make sure. We don’t usually
allow it.
THE
APPLICATION PROCESS –
16.
What are the Department Application deadlines?
For fall
admission, the application deadline is February 1st.
For spring admission (Developmental Program only), the
application deadline is October 15th. These
deadlines apply not only to the Department Application,
but all associated Department Application materials as
well and the University Application.
17.
How many applications do I need to fill out?
You must fill
out one Department Application and one University
Application.
18.
Where can I get a Department Application?
You can
request one from the Graduate Services Coordinator via
phone or e-mail (my contact information is listed
below). Or it is available at our website,
http://bss.sfsu.edu/psych/ as an Adobe .pdf file.
19.
Where can I get a University Application?
You can
request one from the Graduate Division (their contact
information is listed below) or by applying online at
www.csumentor.edu/AdmissionApp/grad_apply.asp.
20.
Is there an application fee?
There is no
fee for submitting the Department Application. There is
a $55 fee for submitting the University Application.
There is a $150 fee for new applicants submitting the
PPS Credential Program Application. For re-applicants it
is $100.
21.
When should I submit my University Application?
The University
Application has the exact same deadline as the
Department Application: February 1st and
October 15th. The department encourages
you to submit it earlier than the February 1st deadline.
22.
Where do I send my Department Application and all
of its related materials?
Send them to
the Graduate Services Coordinator. Contact information
is listed below.
23.
Where do I send my University Application and all
of its related materials?
Send them to
the Graduate Division. Their contact information is
listed below.
24.
Can I send both my Department Application and my
University Application and all of their associated
materials to the same location?
No, you must
send all materials to their appropriate destinations.
Doing so will help ensure that all materials will be
received and processed on time.
25.
Can I be accepted by the Psychology
Department/Graduate Program if I have been denied
admission from the University?
No.
26. Do you accept
applicants conditionally?
Yes, generally
with completion deadline dates.
27. How can I find
out if my application is complete?
You should
contact the Graduate Services Coordinator by phone or
e-mail before the February 1st deadline,
preferably with ample time to replace something that
may/may not be missing. Contact information is listed
below.
28.
I received notification that my application is
incomplete. What gives?
Since the
Psychology Department does not send written notification
that your application is complete or incomplete, most
likely the written notification came from the Graduate
Division regarding your University Application. If you
have questions, they should be contacted.
29.
I am an International Applicant. Do I need to
fill out a special application?
You do not
need to fill out a special Department Application, but
you may need to fill out a special University
Application. Please contact the Graduate Division or
the Office of International Programs (contact
information is listed below).
APPLICATION
REQUIREMENTS / PREREQUISITES –
30.
What are the basic requirements for the
Department Application?
Your
Psychology Department Application should include all of
the following:
- the
completely filled-out application, including the
applicable coursework grid on the second page
- the
essay, responding to program specific questions
- at least
three letters of recommendation, ideally from a mixture
of academic faculty and/or employers
- one
official copy of all transcripts for any/all previous
college coursework
- official
GRE score report, sent from ETS-please request this in
advance
IMPORTANT: The
application should be sent as a complete package.
31.
Is there anything else I can/should turn in that
is not on this list?
You may turn
in your resume, curriculum vitae, any writing sample you
wish us to read, or anything else you think we should
have and use to evaluate your application.
32.
What are the basic requirements of the University
Application?
Among other
things, the University Application requires two official
copies of all transcripts for any/all previous college
coursework, and a statement of purpose. Please contact
the Graduate Division for further details.
33.
Do you accept late applications/application
materials such as letters, GRE scores, etcetera? Will
my application still be reviewed if items are late?
We do accept
late items. If your application has not already been
reviewed, we will include these items in the review.
However, the likelihood of your acceptance depends on
the timeliness of your materials. Individuals with
complete applications will be given priority.
THE ESSAY –
34.
The Department Application calls for an essay and
the University Application calls for a Statement of
Purpose. Can I turn in the same thing for both?
Yes, as long
as whatever piece of writing you submit for your
Department Application essay requirement answers the
program specific questions.
35.
Regarding the Department Application essay, is
it best to answer the questions individually or to
answer them all in one single essay?
This is up to
you.
36.
How long can/should the Department Application
essay be?
Seven pages or
less.
LETTERS OF
RECOMMENDATION –
37.
Is the Letter of Recommendation Form that comes
with the Department Application required? What if my
letter-writer just wants to write a letter?
The Letter of
Recommendation Form is optional; it can be used in lieu
of an actual letter. Either the filled out Letter of
Recommendation Form or a letter of recommendation will
do. Some letter-writers submit both the form and a
letter. However, whichever is sent, it must be an
original copy, including an actual signature.
38.
Should the letters of recommendation and/or
official transcripts be sent directly from their
respective letter-writers and/or universities? Or can I
pick up said items and send them myself?
Please include
your transcripts and letters of recommendation in your
Department application. The letters of recommendation
must be in sealed envelopes with a stamp or signature or
sticker of the letter-writer on the back of the
envelope, for security purposes.
39.
What happens if I don’t sign the Waiver on the
Letter of Recommendation Form? Will I be able to read
my letters after they are submitted to the Department?
No. No
applicant is allowed to read his/her letters of
recommendation once they have been submitted to the
department. At that point they become property of the
Psychology Department.
THE GRE AND
OTHER TESTS –
40.
Which programs require the GRE? The Writing
Assessment Portion? The Psychology Subject Test?
All of our
Graduate Programs in Psychology, including the PPS
Credential Program, require the General Portion of the
GRE, including Verbal, Quantitative and Writing
Assessment sections.
41.
How do I sign up for the GRE?
For
registration information, call the toll-free number
(800) GRE-CALL.
42.
How old can my GRE scores be?
Up to five
years old from the semester of enrollment noted on your
application.
43. What is
the GRE Institution Code for San Francisco State
University?
The proper
Institution Code is 4684.
44. What is
the Department Code for the Psychology Department?
There are
several different codes that will ensure your scores are
sent to the
Psychology
Department. Some are listed bellow:
2001- Clinical
2006- Developmental
2008- Industrial/Organizational
2010- Research
2015- Social
2099- School
45.
Can I get around the GRE requirement? I have
three PhDs, twelve toddlers at home and 15 years of work
experience.
No.
46.
Is the CBEST required for admission into the
School Psychology program?
No. The CBEST
is required for admission into the PPS Credential
Program, but not the general School Psychology Graduate
Program.
PREREQUISITES
–
47.
I am a returning student/non-Psychology major.
Do I need to take any coursework prerequisites?
Some programs
have prerequisites that are required for admission. The
ideal applicant will have all of the program-specific
coursework listed below completed. All courses must be
upper division (from a four-year university). The
course titles mentioned are SFSU specific.
Clinical
Psychology – Introduction to Psychology (PSY 200,
does not have to be upper division), Theories of
Personality (PSY 451-needs to be an upper division
course), Abnormal Psychology (PSY 452-needs to be an
upper division course) and any statistics coursework are
the required prerequisites. Additional courses
that are recommended are Developmental Psychology
(PSY 330 or 431), Introduction to Clinical Psychology (PSY
521), Cross Cultural Psychology (PSY 455,) Community
Psychology (PSY 525) and/or Psychology of the Family (PSY
441).
Developmental Psychology – any statistics
coursework, Experimental Psychology (PSY 497),
Learning/Cognitive Psychology (PSY 491/PSY 494),
Developmental Psychology (PSY 431).
Industrial/Organizational Psychology – at least
fifteen units of upper-division Psychology coursework,
in addition to a course in Intermediate Psychological
Statistics.
Psychological Research – any statistics coursework,
any research methods coursework, Experimental Psychology
(PSY 497)
School
Psychology - Introduction to Psychology (PSY 200,
does not have to be upper division), Introduction to
Clinical Psychology (PSY 521), Theories of Personality (PSY
451), Abnormal Psychology (PSY 452), Developmental
Psychology (PSY 431), Cross-cultural Perspectives in
Psychology (PSY 455), any statistics coursework, any
research methods coursework, Learning/Cognitive
Psychology (PSY 491/PSY 494)
PPS
Credential Program – see application, Previous
Coursework Evaluation Form
Social
Psychology – Social Psychology (PSY 440), any
statistics coursework, any research methods coursework
48.
Can I take these prerequisites at a different
institution?
Yes, you can.
However, you must make sure the course(s) you intend to
take are equivalent with our own. You can do this by
sending your Program Coordinator the official course
descriptions from the University’s handbook. At that
point we can verify whether or not the course(s) is
equivalent with our own. Also, please be sure the
institution is a four-year institution. These
prerequisites must be upper-division or in other words
junior-level or higher. It is impossible to take
upper-division courses at the junior college level.
49.
I am a returning student, I haven’t taken any of
these courses and I want to take them at SFSU. How do I
go about doing that?
There are two
ways: one is to go through the College of Extended
Learning, a.k.a. Open University. The benefit of this
is there is no University application process required.
The bad news is, it is a $215 per unit charge, and
seeing as how most of these classes are at least three
units, this can be rather expensive. The second way is
to apply to the University for a second Bachelor’s
degree in Psychology. You don’t actually have to go
through and complete the degree and this would allow you
to take any undergraduate courses in psychology that you
see fit. Sometimes this is more economical, as there is
a flat rate for either part-time (less than six units)
or full-time (more than six units) students.
50.
Are there any other Program-Specific
prerequisites I should know about?
Both the
Clinical Psychology program and the School Psychology
program have very specific applicable field experience
requirements. The Clinical Psychology program requires
at least one year of experience in a clinical setting,
and the School Psychology program requires at least one
year of experience in an institution such as a school or
other service-oriented setting.
OTHER
QUESTIONS –
51.
I need my transcripts/work experience to be
evaluated for PPS Credentialing. Can you review my
materials?
Only by
applying to the program can you receive an evaluation.
52.
Are there any other MFT programs on campus?
Yes. There is
an MS in Counseling that is offered through the
Counseling Department. They can be contacted at ( 415)
338-2005. Their program does not require the GRE, but
does include an application fee and a mandatory
orientation that occurs monthly between September and
December. Their website is: http://www.sfsu.edu/~counsel/web/students.htm.
53.
I submitted several application materials, but
then decided to withdraw my application. Can I have my
application materials back?
Generally we
do not return materials once they are submitted to us,
as once we receive them, they become property of the
Psychology Department.
Important Contact
Information:
Antonia Atilano,
Graduate Services Coordinator
Psychology Department
San Francisco State
University
1600 Holloway Avenue,
EP 301
San Francisco CA 94132
Tel. (415) 338-2711
Fax (415) 338-2398
E-mail:
aatilano@sfsu.edu
Graduate Division
San Francisco State
University
1600 Holloway Avenue,
ADM 254
San Francisco CA 94132
Tel. (415) 338-2234
E-mail:
gadmit@sfsu.edu
Office of
International Programs
Tel. (415) 338-1293
E-mail:
oip@sfsu.edu
Office of Financial
Aid
Tel. (415) 338-7000
E-mail:
finaid@sfsu.edu
Bookstore
(Catalog/Bulletin Ordering)
Tel. (415) 338-2665
Housing &
Residential Services
Tel. (415) 338-1067
For Faculty Office
hours, please see current department schedule
Dr. Julia Lewis,
Psychology Graduate Program Coordinator
Tel. (415) 338-7545
E-mail:
jmlewis@sfsu.edu
Office: EP 241
Dr. Julia Lewis,
Clinical Psychology Graduate Program Coordinator
Tel. (415) 338-7545
E-mail:
jmlewis@sfsu.edu
Office: EP 241
Dr. David Guard,
Clinical Psychology Graduate Program Coordinator
Tel. (415) 338-1440
E-mail:
dgard@sfsu.edu
Office: EP 235
Dr. Tom Spencer,
Developmental Psychology Graduate Program Coordinator
Tel. (415) 338-2613
E-mail:
tspencer@sfsu.edu
Office: EP 311
Dr. Christian
Wright, Industrial/Organizational Psychology Graduate
Program Coordinator
Tel. (415) 338-1465
E-mail:
cwright@sfsu.edu
Office: EP 509
Dr. Avi Ben-Zeev,
Psychological Research Graduate Program Co-Coordinator
Tel. (415) 405-2107
E-mail:
tbenzeev@sfsu.edu
Office: EP 327
Dr. Mark Geisler,
Psychological Research Graduate Program Co-Coordinator
Tel. (415) 338-6026
E-mail:
mgeisler@sfsu.edu
Office: EP 325
Dr. Diane Harris,
School Psychology Graduate Program Coordinator
Tel. (415) 338-7064
E-mail:
dharris@sfsu.edu
Office: EP 234
Dr. Marina
Abalakina, Social Psychology Graduate Program
Coordinator
Tel. (415) 405-3577
E-mail:
mabalaki@sfsu.edu
Office: EP 218
