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 |
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Shadow and/or interview at least one school psychologist |
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Research the field online via www.nasponline.org |
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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 |
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Research experience with a professor or graduate student |
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Talk to current graduate students in the school psychology program |
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Attend recruitment events |
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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 1st to begin the program the next fall.
- 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
- 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.
- 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.
- All students must submit their scores on the Graduate Record Examination.
- 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.