SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY PROGRAM APPLICATION INFORMATION

FRESNO STATE

 

Prerequisites for the School Psychology Program

Applicants to the School Psychology Program should take the following classes or equivalent courses at another university as undergraduates or prior to admittance to the program.  These classes may be taken as a part of the Undergraduate Major where applicable. In some cases work experience may substitute for coursework.

 

Critical Courses and/or Knowledge (One course in each area is preferred)	Suggested Fresno State Courses – Similar courses from other universities are acceptable
Learning and/or Memory	Psych 136 – Human Learning & Behavior Psych 121 – Learning & Memory Psych 128 – Cognitive Psychology
Child Development	Psych 155 – Developmental Psych Psych101/ CFS 39 – Child Development Psych 102 – Adolescent Development
Statistics	Psych 42 - Introduction to Statistics
Research Design	Psych 144 - Research Methods
Abnormal Psychology	Psych 66 - Abnormal Psychology
Applied Behavior Analysis	Psych 172 - Applied Behavior Analysis
Tests and Measurement	Psych 149 - Psychological Testing
Recommended Courses and/or Knowledge	Suggested Fresno State Courses – Similar courses from other universities are acceptable
Counseling	Psych 174 - Introduction to Counseling Psych 175 – Family Counseling
Biological Basis of Behavior	Psych 36 or 125 – Psychopharmacology, Neuropsychology
Exceptional Children	Psych 169 – Psych of Disability SPED 120 – Intro to Special Education
Recommended Experiences
Shadow and/or interview at least one school psychologist
Research the field online via www.nasponline.org
Volunteer or paid experience with children, such as working with afterschool programs or  summer recreation programs, as a special education aide, behavior therapist, or group home counselor, tutoring, substitute or fulltime teaching experience
Research experience with a professor or graduate student
Talk to current graduate students in the school psychology program
Attend recruitment events
Meet the school psychology faculty

 

Additional Information

For further information on the School Psychology Program, it is recommended that potential applicants schedule an appointment with the program coordinator. 

Marilyn S. Wilson, Ph.D., NCSP

559-278-5129, marilynw@csufresno.edu

 

ADMISSION PROCEDURES

Applications are only accepted one time per year for the School Psychology Program.  All application materials must be received by February 1^st to begin the program the next fall.

1. All applicants are required to complete applications for the Department of Psychology and the Graduate Admission Office.  These are available through www.calstate.edu/apply and  http://www.fresnostate.edu/csm/psych/degrees-programs/graduate/application.html
2. One official copy of transcripts of all previous undergraduate and graduate work is sent to the graduate admissions office; send an unofficial copy with the department application.
3. At least three letters of recommendation are required from people who are familiar with the applicant’s previous academic work.  Letters of recommendation for applicants to the School Psychology Program should also include comments related to their ability to work closely with people in the human services area.  Letters should be on letterhead stationery and are submitted directly from the recommender to the Department of Psychology via the department online application.
4. All students must submit their scores on the Graduate Record Examination.  
5. Applicants to the School Psychology Program must also submit scores from the California Basic Educational Skills Test (C-BEST). 

Courses Completed at Other Institutions

The Graduate Committee of the Department of Psychology carefully evaluates all transcripts submitted from other institutions.  The Graduate Committee reserves the right to request documentation of coursework from applicants to determine that course’s equivalency to CSU, Fresno Psychology courses.  The following materials may be requested by the Graduate Committee:

1. A catalog description of the course containing the course content.

2. A course syllabus or outline.

International Students

In addition to fulfilling the above requirements, International Students must possess the equivalent of a four year U.S. degree, must present TOEFL scores of at least 79-80 (paper-based=550), and must have adequate financial support.  Please refer to the webpage

http://www.csufresno.edu/issp/ for more information.

Personal Interviews

Complete application packages are screened by the Psychology Graduate Committee.  Selected applicants are invited to participate in interviews held on campus, or by Skype if an on-campus interview is not convenient for candidates.  Those selected  will be interviewed by at least two faculty members. Interviews will be scheduled in early March and interviewees will be notified of admission decisions one to two weeks after interviews.

Note:

The school psychology program at Fresno State operates on a cohort model, with approximately 10 students admitted each year.  It is a fulltime program with most courses offered during the day. . The first two years include coursework and practicum in the schools; the third year is a fulltime internship in the schools. Summer and online courses are not typically available.