Admission Requirements

Applicants are considered on an individual basis. Transcripts of all undergraduate and any graduate work must be submitted. In addition to the Graduate College minimum requirements, applicants must meet the following program requirements:

• Baccalaureate Field No restrictions. Previous coursework in psychology preferred.
• Grade Point Average At least 2.75/4.00 for the final 60 semester (90 quarter) hours of undergraduate study and a 3.00/4.00 grade point average for all postbaccalaureate or graduate coursework combined.
• Tests Required None.
• Minimum English Competency Test Score
  • TOEFL iBT 80, with subscores of Reading 19, Listening 17, Speaking 20, and Writing 21 (Note: Total score is higher than the sum of the subscores), OR,
  • IELTS Academic 6.5, with 6.0 in each of the four subscores, OR,
  • PTE-Academic 54, with subscores of Reading 51, Listening 47, Speaking 53, and Writing 56.
• Letters of Recommendation Three letters of recommendation are required.
• Personal Statement This required statement must address the applicant’s previous experiences working with youth, specifically work with youth in urban contexts, as well as professional and scholarly goals.
• Admission Deadlines Application deadlines for this program are listed on the Graduate College website.

Degree Requirements

In addition to the Graduate College minimum requirements, students must meet the following program requirements:

• Minimum Semester Hours Required 32 beyond the baccalaureate: at least 9 hours must be at the 500 level, excluding independent study and thesis courses. At least 24 hours must be earned as a degree candidate at UIC.
• Only 400- and 500-level courses can be applied to the degree. Credit toward the degree is only given for courses in which a student received a grade of A, B, C, CR, or S.
• Coursework

Coursework for Applied Strand Track

Coursework for the Thesis Track

Other Requirements 

• Comprehensive Examination None required.
• Culminating Experience Required.
  • Culminating Experience for the Applied Strand (7 hours): Required: EPSY 518 and EPSY 528. Students in the Applied Strand earn 7 hours and complete a minimum of two semesters of fieldwork in a youth service organization or an approved program aimed at promoting positive development among youth. The student’s advisor should approve the fieldwork site prior to work beginning at the site. As part of the two-semester course sequence, students will complete a comprehensive professional practice portfolio related to their fieldwork and developed in conjunction with their advisor. Students are required to present their portfolio to their professional practice community at the culmination of EPSY 528.
  • Culminating Experience for the Thesis Strand (5 hours): In accordance with Graduate College guidelines, students electing to complete a thesis must earn a minimum of 5 hours in thesis research (EPSY 598). Students earning 5 hours may write a literature review of publishable quality on a chosen thesis topic or conduct a secondary data analysis to explore a research question related to a chosen thesis topic. Students who elect to conduct an original study on chosen thesis topic must complete 8 hours of thesis research. Once the student has completed all graduation requirements and is in good academic standing, s/he must defend the thesis before a committee appointed by the dean of the Graduate College on the recommendation of the student’s department or program. Not more than one fail vote by the committee is allowed for approval of the thesis.

Interdepartmental Concentrations

Students earning a graduate degree in this department may complement their courses by enrolling in select concentrations after consulting with their graduate advisor. Interdepartmental concentrations available for this degree include:

• Black Studies
• Survey Research Methodology
• Violence Studies