Admission Requirements

The department accepts only applicants who wish to be candidates for the PhD. Applicants are not admitted as candidates for the MA as a terminal degree. In addition to the Graduate College minimum requirements, applicants must meet the following program requirements:

• Baccalaureate Field No restrictions. Prior academic work must include coursework in psychology and statistics. It is preferred that students have laboratory coursework in experimental psychology and physical and/or biological sciences. 
• Grade Point Average At least 3.20/4.00 for the last 60 semester (90 quarter) hours of undergraduate work.
• Standardized Tests None.
• Minimum English Competency Test Score
  • TOEFL iBT 80, with subscores of Reading 19, Listening 17, Speaking 20, and Writing 21, 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 required from those who are familiar with the applicant’s training and ability. Information concerning an applicant’s research experience and ability is especially pertinent.
• Personal Statement Required. This should include information about how the applicant has prepared for graduate school in Psychology, research experience and interests, what the applicant would like to do as a research psychologist, and who the applicant would like to work with as a faculty advisor. There is no minimum or maximum length for the personal statement.
• Other Requirements Applicants must submit a document listing their previous quantitative training, such as grades earned in undergraduate (math, statistics, research design), independent research projects with statistical analyses (Capstone, thesis, publication). If applicants have taken the GRE and wish to report quantitative scores, they may be included in this document. Applicants must complete all forms contained in the department’s online application however, “Miscellaneous Academic Documents” are optional and not required for the application to be processed. 
• Nondegree Applicants Rarely accepted. Nondegree applicants must submit all credentials and meet the same admission requirements as degree applicants. The department only accepts nondegree applicants who have exceptional credentials and who desire to take a few specific courses for professional purposes. Nondegree students may not take teaching practicum or individual study courses. Nondegree students will not be admitted to the degree program at a later time.
• Deadlines Application deadlines for this program are listed on the Graduate College website.

Degree Requirements

Master of Arts

• Minimum Semester Hours Required 32.
• Coursework At least 9 semester hours must be in one of the four divisions. The exact program will be established by the area.

• Comprehensive Examination None.
• Thesis, Project, or Coursework-Only Options Thesis required. No other options are available.

Doctor of Philosophy

• Minimum Semester Hours Required 96 from the baccalaureate.
• Coursework The specific distribution of courses will depend on the student’s area of interest; students must complete the major in one of the four areas. Students may also choose to complete a minor area.

• Preliminary Examination Required; the examination depends on the major area of study.
• Dissertation Required.

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
• Gender and Women's Studies
• Latin American and Latino Studies
• Neuroscience
• Violence Studies