Psychology Department at San Francisco State University



Psychology Department • College of Behavioral & Social Sciences • San Francisco State University

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Undergraduate Program • Unit Requirements             • Graduation Requirements
• Graduation Form Online
• Course Descriptions           • Honors Program                  • Advising
• Peer Advising

Graduate Programs
• Graduate Application   • Graduate Program FAQ's
• Developmental, MA
• Psych Research, MA
• Social Psychology, MA
• Clinical Psychology, MS
• Ind/Organizational, MS
• School Psychology, MS
• PPS Credential Application

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• Psi Chi, Honor Society

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• SFSU class schedule • Research Laboratories
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• Test Library
• Psychology Clinic
• Links
• Subject Pool
• Office Hours

Graduate Programs in Psychology

Master of Arts/ Masters of Science

PDF Graduate Application

Word Document Graduate Application

The Psychology Department presently offers six master's degree programs. Three lead to the Master of Arts in Psychology with concentrations in Developmental, Psychological Research, and Social Psychology. Three areas of graduate study lead to the Master of Science in Psychology with concentrations in Clinical, School, and Industrial/Organizational Psychology. All of these programs have been designed to meet specific academic needs and to qualify students for further study and/or vocational goals.

Departmental Application Filing Dates

The programs in Clinical, School, Social, Industrial/Organizational, and Psychological Research accept applicants only for Fall semester entry. The Developmental program accepts for both Fall and Spring semester entry. Application deadlines are

February 1 for Fall semester entry

October 15 for Spring semester entry

International Students

Inquiries about specific University application procedures or deadlines for international students should be directed to International Admission at (415) 338-1293 or at Graduate Division, prospective international applicants http://www.sfsu.edu/~gradstdy/international-application-submission.htm

Graduate Record Examination (GRE) Requirement

All of the Psychology programs require the "general" portion (verbal, quantitative, and writing assessment) of the GRE. The GRE is designed to help graduate school admission committees assess the qualifications of the applicants. For information concerning the GRE, contact the Educational Testing Services at (510) 873-8000 or San Francisco States' Testing Center at (415) 338-2271 or online at http://www.sfsu.edu/~testing

The Application Process

It is very important to understand the application process. There are two parts which must be completed simultaneously. One, a University application must be filed with the Graduate Division. The University application can be obtained online at http://www.sfsu.edu/~gradstdy/ Questions regarding the University application can be directed to the Graduate Division at (415) 338-2234. Two, a complete Psychology Departmental application must be filed with the Psychology Department. The Departmental application can be obtained from the Psychology Office (Ethnic Studies & Psychology Building, Room 301), e-mailing a request to psych@sfsu.edu , calling (415) 338-2711 or downloaded at http://bss.sfsu.edu/psych/

Application Checklist

These materials go directly to:

Psychology Department (in one packet) Graduate Division

           □Departmental Application □ University Application

           □Transcripts of all Course Work   □ Transcripts of all Course Work

           □Answers to Essay questions Send to: Division of Graduate Studies

           □GRE Scores (Official Copy)            1600 Holloway Avenue

           □Letters of Recommendation               San Francisco, 94132

Departmental Application Instructions

1. The psychology department promotes a self-managed application process. In this process, the applicant is requested to collect and submit all required application materials together as one packet. This ensures a timely processing of materials. When this is not possible, the applicant is responsible for ensuring that any required missing materials are received by the Psychology Department before the deadline. Please complete the departmental application form and answer the appropriate questions for your program.

2. Distribute the three recommendation forms to person whom are acquainted with your academic qualifications.  ¹ Request their Signature (across the sealed flap of the envelope). Shortly before the deadline, contact your references to ensure that the letters are ready for you to pick up and mail in a complete packet. (Most useful are letters from professors in courses that are closely related to the program to which you are applying.)

3. Order a set of official transcripts from all of your undergraduate institution(s), including San Francisco State University, if applicable. (A second set of transcripts should be ordered for the University application, and sent to the Graduate Division.)

4. On the departmental application include your cumulative GPA from your degree granting undergraduate institution. Alson calculate your GPA from all undergraduate coursework in psychology (listed on the second page of the application). A+/A = 4.0, A-= 3.7, B+= 3.3, B= 3, B-= 2.7, C+= 2.3, C= 2, C-= 1.7, D+=1.3, D= 1, D-=.7, F= 0.

5. Request to have your official GRE scores sent to the department. To ensure you receive your scores in time for the application deadline, take the GRE test no later than the December prior to the deadline.

GRE Institution Code:

GRE Department Codes:

4684
                                       2001--Clinical
                                       2006--Developmental
                                       2008--Industrial /Organizational
                                       2010--Research
                                       2015--Social
                                       2099--School

TOEFL Institution Code:
4683

6. Send only a Complete Departmental application by regular mail directly to:

    Graduate Secretary (indicate which program you are applying to in parenthesis, e.g. Social, I/O, Clinical)
    Psychology Department, EP 301
    San Francisco State University
    1600 Holloway Avenue
    San Francisco, CA 94132-4168

Applications must be postmarked by February 1st

7. Include a self-addressed, stamped postcard if you would like us to inform you when we received your departmental application.

¹Applicants to the Clinical Program should include references who are familiar with your clinical experience

San Francisco State University

PSYCHOLOGY DEPARTMENTAL APPLICATION

FOR GRADUATE STUDY

SEMESTER ________YEAR_______

IMPORTANT! THIS IS NOT AN APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION TO THE UNIVERSITY. YOU MUST FILE A SEPARATE UNIVERSITY APPLICATION WITH THE GRADUATE DIVISION AT THE SAME TIME YOU FILE THIS DEPARTMENTAL APPLICATION AT http://www.sfsu.edu/~gradstdy/

Name:_____________________________________________________________

(Last Name) (First Name) (Middle Name)

Mailing Address:_____________________________________________________

(Street Number) (Street Name) (City/ State) (Zip Code)

Home Phone:___________ Work Phone:__________ Last 4 digits of SS#_________

E-mail: __________________________

THIS APPLICATION IS FOR:
(Please note: Separate applications must be filed for each program)
□ M.A. Developmental, Fall or Spring	□ M.S. Clinical, Fall
□ M.A. Social, Fall	□ M.S. School, Fall
□ M.A. Psychological Research, Fall	□ M.S. Industrial/Organization, Fall

Graduate Record Examination General Test ________ ____ ____ ____

Date Taken/ Scheduled Scaled Score:Verbal Quantitative Analytical Writing

Undergraduate Cumulative GPA (from degree granting institution): _____________________

Psychology GPA (computed from undergraduate psychology coursework listed on next page):______

Have you applied to this department before? ___ If "yes", semester and year_______

Are you a continuing graduate student at SFSU?________

If "yes", is your status: Classified___ Unclassified___ Date of enrollment_______

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES ATTENDED
Print names and locations of all, with most recent first.

INSTITUTION(S) CITY/STATE DATES ATTENDED MAJOR DEGREE GPA

PREVIOUS COURSEWORK IN PSYCHOLOGY
(Psychological Research Program applicants should list their experimental, research methods, and statistics courses first).

UNDERGRADUATE COURSES

COURSE TITLE DATE TAKEN COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY GRADE UNITS

GRADUATE COURSES

WORK EXPERIENCE
List paid or volunteer work experience relevant to your academic goals. You may attach a separate sheet. Note: applicants to the Clinical Program are required to also submit a current Curriculum Vitae (CV) with your application.

PLACEMENT SUPERVISOR RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUSIVE DATES

PSYCHOLOGY DEPARTMENTAL APPLICATION

ESSAY QUESTIONS

This essay portion of the departmental application should be typed, 12 point font, double spaced, and no more than 7 pages in length (on the top right hand corner include your last, first name and last four digits of your SS # ). Please answer the questions listed for the graduate Psychology program to which you are applying.

CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY and SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY

1. What are your professional goals?

2. Aside from your professional goals, describes what you consider to be the mainsprings(s) of your motivation; i.e., what is really personally important to you?

3.Please submit an autobiography so that we can more clearly get to know you as a person. We hope that this attempt will produce a meaningful confrontation with yourself and that the process of doing so will be worth the effort. In responding, it is important that you take a careful psychologically-minded perspective of your attitudes, life and goals. Your statement will be a central factor in the evaluation of your total application.

4. In addition to the essay which addresses the above points please include in your application a current Curriculum Vitae (CV; i.e., academic resume).

DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY

1. What are your professional goals and how would completion of the graduate Developmental Psychology program at SFSU facilitate achieving them?

2. Describe the area(s) of developmental psychology which you are most interested in and, briefly, how these interests emerged.

3. What research, publication, work, volunteer, or other experiences have you had which are related to your current interest in Psychology?

4. Describe one or more people or an experience which has influenced your life.

INDUSTRIAL/ORGANIZATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY

1. Aside from making the workplace better, why specifically are you interested in the field of Industrial/Organizational Psychology?

2. What areas of Industrial/Organizational Psychology are of interest to you and why? Please be specific.

3. Describe any educational, work, volunteer, or other experiences you have that demonstrate your abilities in the following areas:

a. Ability to analyze complex problems and think about innovative and creative solutions

b. Ability to work independently, set priorities and meet deadlines, and sustain performance and motivation on long term projects

4. What, if any, work experience has prepared you for a career in I/O? Please be specific as to how and why it has prepared you.

5. What are your areas of research interest and how do they align the research interests of our faculty?

6. What are your future educational and/ or career goals? Please be specific. Describe what you might be doing after getting your Masters degree.

7. What business trends do you think have the most potential for impacting the field of Industrial/Organizational Psychology and why?

PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH

1. What are your professional goals and how would completion of the graduate Psychology program at SFSU facilitate achieving them?

2. Describe the area(s) of psychology (Psychophysiological, Cognitive, Neuroscience, etc.) which you are most interested in and, briefly how these interests developed?

3. What research, publication, work, volunteer, or other experiences have you had which are related to your current interests in Psychology?

4. What would you say is the "mainspring" of your motivation as it applies to your academic and career goals?

SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY

1. What are your professional goals and how would completion of the graduate Psychology program at SFSU facilitate achieving them?

2. Please summarize your principle areas of in interest in psychology, and explain briefly how these interests developed.

3. Please describe experiences you've had that relate to your current interest in psychology--research, employment, volunteer activities, and others.

4. What is the motivation that underlies your academic and career goals?

5. Discuss your research interest. What areas of inquiry, objectives, methods, subject or respondent populations, and other aspects of the research process are most appealing to you? Why?

San Francisco State University
PSYCHOLOGY DEPARTMENTAL APPLICATION
Recommendation for Graduate Study
SEMESTER:________ YEAR:________
DUE DATE February 1st--Fall Entry October 15--Spring Entry		RETURN TO STUDENT:		In a sealed envelope with the Recommenders signature across the flap of the envelope

(This section to be filled out by applicant)
Name: _______________________________________________________________
(Last Name)		(First Name)		(Middle Name)
Mailing Address:________________________________________________________________________
(Street Number) (StreetName) (City/State) (Zip Code)
Phone number: (___)_________ E-mail:_____________________________________________________
Graduate Psychology Program (e.g. Social, I/O, Clinical...)________________________________
WAIVER
I hereby waive my right to view this recommendation in the Psychology Department Office. My signature implies my compliance with the complete confidentiality of this recommendation.
__________________________________
Applicant's Signature Date

The Department of Psychology would appreciate your frank evaluation of this applicant's ability for graduate study in Psychology at San Francisco State University. Feel free to go beyond the categories listed on the back of this form. Pertinent observations concerning the applicant's personality will be appreciated also. It is the Department's policy that applicants can review their admissions files and this recommendation unless the above waiver is signed by the applicant.
How long have you known the applicant?_____________________
In what capacity? Teacher?____ Supervisor___ Colleague____ Other______
(Please specify)
How would you classify your knowledge of the applicant? Extensive_______Fairly Good______Casual_____
GENERAL EVALUATION:
Signature:___________________________			Date: _____________________________
Name:______________________________			Institution:_________________________
Title:____________________________		Phone number:_____________		E-mail:_______________
To answer these questions, first identify the group to which you are comparing this applicant:
Your graduate students__, undergraduate students__, or another group (specify)___.
Compare the applicant to this group and rank him or her on the following scale, understanding that "top 50%" means the applicant outranks 50% of the comparison group and "top1 % " means he or she outranks 99% of the comparison group.
1. Based on grades, test scores, and any other indications how would you rank this student in academic ability?
Applicants Ranks Within the Top ___%: 50% 25% 10% 5% 1%
Comments:
2. How would you characterize this student with respect to research ability, taking into account any available evidence with respect to originality, theoretical interests, and drive toward scientific achievement?
Applicant Ranks Within the Top___%: 50% 25% 10% 5% 1%
Comments:
3. What is your estimate of this student's personal qualifications and potential for effective functioning as a professional psychologist after completion of a master's degree program?
Applicant Ranks within the Top___%: 50% 25% 10% 5% 1%
Comments:
4. How would you rate this student if he/she were being evaluated by you as a member of a selection committee?
Applicant Ranks Within the Top___%: 50% 25% 10% 5% 1% Comments:
San Francisco State University
PSYCHOLOGY DEPARTMENTAL APPLICATION
Recommendation for Graduate Study
SEMESTER:________ YEAR:________
DUE DATE February 1st--Fall Entry October 15--Spring Entry		RETURN TO STUDENT:		In a sealed envelope with the Recommenders signature across the flap of the envelope

(This section to be filled out by applicant)
Name: _______________________________________________________________
(Last Name)		(First Name)		(Middle Name)
Mailing Address:________________________________________________________________________
(Street Number)	(Street Name)		(City/State)		(Zip Code)
Phone number: (___)_________ E-mail:_____________________________________________________
Graduate Psychology Program (e.g. Social, I/O, Clinical...)________________________________
WAIVER
I hereby waive my right to view this recommendation in the Psychology Department Office. My signature implies my compliance with the complete confidentiality of this recommendation.
__________________________________
Applicant's Signature Date

The Department of Psychology would appreciate your frank evaluation of this applicant's ability for graduate study in Psychology at San Francisco State University. Feel free to go beyond the categories listed on the back of this form. Pertinent observations concerning the applicant's personality will be appreciated also. It is the Department's policy that applicants can review their admissions files and this recommendation unless the above waiver is signed by the applicant.
How long have you known the applicant?_____________________
In what capacity? Teacher?____ Supervisor___ Colleague____ Other______
(Please specify)
How would you classify your knowledge of the applicant? Extensive_______Fairly Good______Casual_____
GENERAL EVALUATION:
Signature:______________________________			Date: _____________________________
Name:_________________________________			Institution:_________________________
Title:_______________________________		Phone number:________________		E-mail:_______________
To answer these questions, first identify the group to which you are comparing this applicant:
Your graduate students__, undergraduate students__, or another group (specify)___.
Compare the applicant to this group and rank him or her on the following scale, understanding that "top 50%" means the applicant outranks 50% of the comparison group and "top1 % " means he or she outranks 99% of the comparison group.
1. Based on grades, test scores, and any other indications how would you rank this student in academic ability?
Applicants Ranks Within the Top ___%: 50% 25% 10% 5% 1%
Comments:
2. How would you characterize this student with respect to research ability, taking into account any available evidence with respect to originality, theoretical interests, and drive toward scientific achievement?
Applicant Ranks Within the Top___%: 50% 25% 10% 5% 1%
Comments:
3. What is your estimate of this student's personal qualifications and potential for effective functioning as a professional psychologist after completion of a master's degree program?
Applicant Ranks within the Top___%: 50% 25% 10% 5% 1%
Comments:
4. How would you rate this student if he/she were being evaluated by you as a member of a selection committee?
Applicant Ranks Within the Top___%: 50% 25% 10% 5% 1%
Comments:
San Francisco State University
PSYCHOLOGY DEPARTMENTAL APPLICATION
Recommendation for Graduate Study
SEMESTER:________ YEAR:________
DUE DATE February 1st--Fall Entry October 15--Spring Entry		RETURN TO STUDENT:		In a sealed envelope with the Recommenders signature across the flap of the envelope

(This section to be filled out by applicant)
Name: _______________________________________________________________
(Last Name)		(First Name)		(Middle Name)
Mailing Address:_______________________________________________________________________
(Street Number)	(Street Name)		(City/State)		(Zip Code)
Phone number: (___)_________ E-mail:_____________________________________________________
Graduate Psychology Program (e.g. Social, I/O, Clinical...)________________________________
WAIVER
I hereby waive my right to view this recommendation in the Psychology Department Office. My signature implies my compliance with the complete confidentiality of this recommendation.
__________________________________
Applicant's Signature Date

The Department of Psychology would appreciate your frank evaluation of this applicant's ability for graduate study in Psychology at San Francisco State University. Feel free to go beyond the categories listed on the back of this form. Pertinent observations concerning the applicant's personality will be appreciated also. It is the Department's policy that applicants can review their admissions files and this recommendation unless the above waiver is signed by the applicant.
How long have you known the applicant?_____________________
In what capacity? Teacher?____ Supervisor___ Colleague____ Other______
(Please specify)
How would you classify your knowledge of the applicant? Extensive_______Fairly Good______Casual_____
GENERAL EVALUATION:
Signature:______________________________			Date: _____________________________
Name:_________________________________			Institution:_________________________
Title:_______________________________		Phone number:________________		E-mail:_______________
To answer these questions, first identify the group to which you are comparing this applicant:
Your graduate students__, undergraduate students__, or another group (specify)___.
Compare the applicant to this group and rank him or her on the following scale, understanding that "top 50%" means the applicant outranks 50% of the comparison group and "top1 % " means he or she outranks 99% of the comparison group.
1. Based on grades, test scores, and any other indications how would you rank this student in academic ability?
Applicants Ranks Within the Top ___%: 50% 25% 10% 5% 1%
Comments:
2. How would you characterize this student with respect to research ability, taking into account any available evidence with respect to originality, theoretical interests, and drive toward scientific achievement?
Applicant Ranks Within the Top___%: 50% 25% 10% 5% 1%
Comments:
3. What is your estimate of this student's personal qualifications and potential for effective functioning as a professional psychologist after completion of a master's degree program?
Applicant Ranks within the Top___%: 50% 25% 10% 5% 1%
Comments:
4. How would you rate this student if he/she were being evaluated by you as a member of a selection committee?
Applicant Ranks Within the Top___%: 50% 25% 10% 5% 1%
Comments: