Applying to the School Psychology Program

What are the requirements for admission to the school psychology credential program?

1. Completion of a bachelor's degree.
2. Completion of a master's degree in education or behavioral science.  If you do not have an earned master's degree, you will need to apply to be in the Joint Educational Psychology/School Pscyhology Program.
3. A GPA of 3.0 for the last 60 semester or 90 quarter units.  Official transcripts must accompany every application. We cannot obtain transcripts from other offices or departments within CSULB.
4. Three letters of reference from individuals who can attest to your potential, interest, activity, and past accomplishments relating to pursuing a school psychology credential.  Letters of reference must be accompanied by indicating whether the applicant waived his/her right.
5. Typewritten, double-spaced essay on either one of the following subjects. This is a written presentation of yourself as a prospective professional person (No more than 4 pages).

a.  PERSONAL STATEMENT

• Describe your educational background, interests, and skills.
• Describe how your past experience with family, friends, education, work, and leisure have contributed to your decision to select the field of school psychology.
• Describe your paid work and/or volunteer experiences relevant to your decision to pursue a career in school psychology.
• What other experiences and information have influenced your decision to select school psychology?
• Describe your perception of the roles and functions of school psychologists.

OR

b.  TOPIC ESSAY

Choose a problem facing public K-12 education today. You should choose an issue or topic that you have experienced first-hand. In choosing the topic, it is more important that you choose a topic that you are knowledgeable about rather than attempting to identify predominant issue(s) facing K-12 education.  Describe this challenge by including each of the following:

• Some of the factors that contribute to this problem;
• Possible methods for overcoming this challenge;
• Ways in which school psychologists may contribute to negotiating this and other challenges to positively affect K-12 education; and
• Draw upon any special training or experiences you have had in describing both the problem and the solution.  

5. Students applying to the Joint Educational Psychology/School Psychology program must submit official GRE scores to the Graduate Office. A combined score of 300 on the new GRE (or 1000 if taken before September 2011) on quantitative and verbal subtests is a minimum requirement.  The GRE Subject Test in Psychology is not required.  Applicants may choose to take the Writing portion of the GRE.  A score of '4' meets the requirement of passing the CSU Writing Proficiency Exam (WPE).
6. Candidates whose application appears to be a good match to the program will be selected for an in-person interview. These are individual interviews conducted by program faculty.  The purpose of the interview is to see you in an interactive situation. Please be prepared to verbalize your thoughts and ideas regarding the field of school psychology and education in general. You will be notified of the interview date and time via email.
    

What are the admission procedures?

Admission to the school psychology credential program requires two applications:

• Application to the school psychology program. This program only admits students in the Fall (application PDF**).
• Application to the University as a graduate student via CSU Mentor. Application to the University

Applications to the school psychology program are due January 25th for the following Fall semester.  Applications are only reviewed once per year, so there is no open enrollment in the program. 

SAVE THE DATE: School Psychology Program Interviews will be held Saturday, March 2, 2012 from noon-5:00 pm.  More information to follow.

Do I need to take the GRE?
Yes, if you are applying to the Joint Educational Psychology/School Psychology program. You do NOT need to take the GRE, however, if you have a master's degree and are applying to the school psychology credential program only.  A combined score of 300 on the new GRE (or 1000 if taken before September 2011) on quantitative and verbal subtests is a minimum requirement.

Do I need to take the Writing Proficiency Exam (WPE)?

No. The school psychology credential program does not require WPE scores for students with a masters degree in a related field. Students completing the Educational Psychology master's degree will need to pass the WPE as part of the master's degree program requirement.  However, if a student took the Writing portion of the GRE and received a score of '4' or above, he/she is exempt from taking the WPE.

How many applications do you accept?

Admission to the school psychology credential program is very competitive. We typically receive 70-100 applicants. Approximately 30 - 40 of those will be offered an interview, and 22 of those interviewed will be offered admission to the program.

What is your program looking for in a student?

The CSULB school psychology program is committed to diversity. There is no single prototypical student. Rather, faculty seek a diverse group of students whose unique experiences add to the curricula and instruction of the program. Public school experience, bilingualism, and/or experience with cultural and language minority youth are a definite asset to an applicant. A strong academic record such as good grades and GRE scores, and experience conducting research in educational settings will also increase your chances of being admitted to the program.

CSULB admits students of any race, religion, age, color, gender, disability, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin and is afforded all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at CSULB. CSULB does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, age, color, gender, disability, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational, admission, and employment policies, or any other programs administered by the University.
 
In addition to fully meeting its obligations of nondiscrimination under federal and state law, CSULB is committed to creating a community in which a diverse population can live and work in an atmosphere of tolerance, civility, and respect for the rights and sensibilities of each individual, without regard to economic status, ethnic background, political views, sexual orientation, or other personal characteristics or beliefs.

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