General Information for Graduate Programs
Invitation to Graduate Applicants
Thank you for considering applying to the California State University, Fresno, Master's degree programs in Psychology. We have included a description of Fresno State, the Department of Psychology, the facilities and resources available for graduate students, and the courses and requirements for the Master's degree programs in Psychology. (Click here for employment opportunities for advanced psychology degree holders).
We offer three Master's programs in Psychology. The Master of Arts (M.A.) program is oriented toward individuals who intend to teach at the community college level or who intend to eventually pursue a doctoral degree at another university; this program requires a minimum of 30 semester hours. The Master of Arts with an option in Applied Behavior Analysis (M.A.-ABA option) meets the degree, coursework, and experience requirements needed in preparation for national certification as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA); this program requires a minimum of 44 semester hours. The Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) program has an emphasis in School Psychology; this program requires a minimum of 76 semester hours and is a terminal degree program for those pursuing careers in School Psychology.
Students in the Ed.S. program are required to spend one full day a week during the first year and one and a half days a week the second year at a school site in practicum. The third year of the program is spent in internship at a school site. Students in the M.A.-ABA option program are required to complete a minimum of 1,000 contact hours of practicum over the two years of the program.
Admission to the graduate program is competitive. Due to the number of applicants we typically do not admit unclassified graduate students to our program. The acceptance to applicant ratio varies significantly from year to year.
We hope that the materials on the web site will help you make an informed choice about your graduate education. For further information, please contact the following Coordinators:
Lorin Lachs, PhD
Coordinator of the M.A. Psychology (General/Experimental)
Graduate Committee Chair
Graduate Advisor
Amanda Adams, Ph.D.
Coordinator of the M.A. Psychology - option in Applied Behavior Analysis
Marilyn Wilson, Ph.D.
Coordinator of the Ed.S. School Psychology
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