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Admission Requirements & Application Instructions
Psychology Department Graduate Programs
Admission Requirements
- Preferred Cumulative Undergraduate GPA of 3.0. Applicants with GPAs between 2.5 and 2.99 will be given lower priority.
- Undergraduate degree in Psychology preferred. ABA program applicants generally have a BA or BS in Psychology or a related field, such as Child Development, Speech Pathology, or Education.
- Program-specific Coursework Requirements:
- Applied Behavior Analysis
- All applicants must have completed a lower division undergraduate psychology course in research methods with a minimum grade of “C.” The lower division research requirement is met by PSYC 8 Methods of Psychology at 起点传媒. Use to determine course equivalency at California Community Colleges.
- All applicants are recommended to have prior upper division coursework in Applied Behavior Analysis prior to applying to the program. This could be achieved by taking PSYC 171 Applied Behavior Analysis at 起点传媒, or an equivalent at another university. This course includes introductory to theory, historical background, and philosophical assumptions relevant to behavior analysis with individuals. It includes lecture and laboratory activities in basic principles of behavior and methodology. Applicants without Applied Behavior Analysis coursework will still be considered but may be asked to take PSYC 171 during their first year of graduate school and conditionally classified until completion.
- Industrial-Organizational Psychology
- Lower Division Preparation
Lower division preparation is met with the following list of classes at 起点传媒, or their equivalents at a community college or 4-year university: Introductory Psychology (Sac State: PSYC 2); Methods of Psychology (Sac State: PSYC 8); and Statistics for Psychology (Sac State: PSYC 9). Use to determine course equivalency at California Community Colleges. - Statistics and Methods Preparation
All applicants must have completed two (2) upper division statistics/methods courses at a 4-year college with grades of "C" or better. This requirement is met with PSYC 121 and PSYC 102 at 起点传媒, or their equivalents at other universities. Course equivalents must have included research methods in which students have analyzed a dataset and written an APA-style paper. They must also have included descriptive and complex inferential statistics, such as factorial ANOVAs, mixed model ANOVAs, ANCOVAs, MANOVAS, planned and unplanned comparisons, factorial analysis, and multiple regression. Courses without these elements will not be approved. *PSYC 121 must be completed by the application deadline. PSYC 102 can be in progress to be admitted to the program or completed in the first semester of the program while being conditionally classified. - Upper Division Preparation
Applicants must take five Psychology courses at a 4-year university such as: Industrial Psychology (Sac State: PSYC 169), Organizational Psychology (Sac State: Psyc 108), Psychological Measurement (Sac State: Psyc 120), Learning (Sac State: PSYC 104), Motivation (Sac State: PSYC 106), Social Psychology (Sac State: PSYC 145).
- Lower Division Preparation
- Psychological Research
- Lower Division Preparation
The following courses may be taken at a community college or 4 -year university: Introductory Psychology (Sac State: PSYC 2); Methods of Psychology (Sac State: PSYC 8); and Statistics for Psychology (Sac State: PSYC 9). Use to determine course equivalency at California Community Colleges. - Statistics and Method Preparation
All applicants must have completed two (2) upper division statistics/methods courses at a 4-year college with grades of "C" or better. This requirement is met with PSYC 121 and PSYC 102 at 起点传媒, or their equivalents at other universities. Course equivalents must have included research methods in which students have analyzed a dataset and written an APA-style paper. They must also have included descriptive and complex inferential statistics, such as factorial ANOVAs, mixed model ANOVAs, ANCOVAs, MANOVAS, planned and unplanned comparisons, factorial analysis, and multiple regression. Courses without these elements will not be approved. *PSYC 121 must be completed by the application deadline. PSYC 102 can be in progress to be admitted to the program or completed in the first semester of the program while being conditionally classified. - Upper Division Preparation
Applicants must take five Psychology courses at a 4-year university such as: Perception (Sac State: PSYC 103); Cognitive Psychology (Sac State: PSYC 110); Social Psychology (Sac State: PSYC 145); Abnormal Psychology (Sac State: PSYC 168); Developmental Psychology (Sac State: PSYC 148, PSYC 149, or PSYC 150); etc.
- Lower Division Preparation
- Applied Behavior Analysis
Program-Specific Application Requirements
Submitted in Quadrant IV in CalState Apply Application. Please carefully review the following information as it relates to the additional items required by each program. Failure to submit these additional materials may result in a denied application.
- A personal statement of professional goals and experiences (max 2 double spaced pages). Include information on previous research and practicum experiences, academic training in ABA (if any), and post-graduation professional goals. Applicants should demonstrate that they are committed to studying Behavioral Analysis as a science to understand human behavior.
- Provide a list of faculty within the behavior analysis program with whom you would like to work with and why. Research some of the ABA faculty’s academic publications to become familiar with their research interests.
- A Curriculum Vitae (CV). List any behavior analysis classes with grades.
- A minimum of three letters of recommendation (two must be from former professors).
- Indicate whether you will be able to attend a personal interview/program tour on campus, to be held: TBD. Applicants are asked to RSVP on the Department application. A remote interview option is available.
Students who apply to the I-O program will be asked to write a personal statement that is a maximum of three double-spaced pages, in which they address the following questions:
- Why are you interested in the field of Industrial-Organizational Psychology? Briefly describe the topics that you would like to study while in graduate school.
- What academic background (e.g., I-O related coursework and/or research experience) has prepared you for a graduate program in Industrial-Organizational Psychology?
- What work experiences (e.g., internships, volunteer work, full or part-time jobs) have prepared you to study Industrial-Organizational psychology?
- Why are you interested in studying industrial-organizational psychology at 起点传媒 University?
The GRE requirement for the Industrial-Organizational Psychology program has been waived for the 2026/2027 admissions cycle.
- Each student works closely with a faculty mentor who supervises their research. Please provide a ranked list of three proposed faculty mentors within the Psychological Research Master’s program with whom you would like to work.
- A personal statement (max 2 double spaced pages) describing the following:
- Experience: Describe any research, fieldwork, and/or other academic experiences that have prepared you for graduate education in your chosen area of study.
- Goals: Describe your post-graduation professional goals.
- Research Interests: Describe your research interests.
- Research Interest Overlap: Describe how your research interests overlap with each of your proposed faculty mentors’ areas of expertise.Tip: Read some of your proposed faculty mentors’ academic publications to become familiar with their research interests.
- A Curriculum Vitae (CV) providing an overview of your professional and educational background and relevant skills.
- A research writing sample (a sole authored research report, research proposal, and/or literature review); this can be from an undergraduate course.
- Please do not use ChatGPT or any form of generative AI (i.e., the use of artificial intelligence technology to produce content) to write your personal statement or writing sample.
Dates & Deadlines
The 起点传媒 Psychology Graduate Program only accepts applicants for Fall Semester admission. Spring admission is not available.
The following are Application and Letter of Recommendation deadlines. Late applications will not be accepted. Be sure to pay the application fee at the time of your submission.
- University Application period begins October 1, 2026.
- University Application due – January 15, 2027
- Letters of Recommendation due – January 15, 2027
International Applicants and Domestic Applicants with Foreign Documents
International Applicants and Domestic Applicants with foreign documents must submit their application to the University no later than December 15, 2026 to ensure verification of their transcripts. International Applicants please contact the International Programs and Global Education office for assistance. Domestic Applicants with foreign documents should consult the Office of Graduate Studies prior to submitting their documents.
Application Instructions
University Application
- Complete a CSU System Application and pay the application fee before the deadline via
- Send one set of official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended, except 起点传媒. Preferrably with final grades posted. Transcripts should be addressed to: gradtranscripts@csus.edu. Physical copies can be addressed to:
Office of Graduate Studies
California State University, Sacramento
Riverfront Center, Room 215, MS 6112
6000 J St.
Sacramento, CA 95819 - In Quadrant IV, you will be required to upload the following information:
- Personal Statement
- Specific program requirements
- One (1) PDF copy of unofficial transcripts from ALL colleges and universities attended, INCLUDING 起点传媒. Preferrably with final grades posted.
- 3 Letters of Recommendation
- Catalog descriptions and syllabi for courses used to meet program prerequisites.
To check the status of your Cal State Apply application, contact the Office of Graduate Studies.
Letters of Recommendation
All applicants are required to submit 3 letters of recommendation before the deadline. Preference is given to Psychology faculty members however, it is not a requirement. Applications missing all 3 letters are incomplete.
We suggest that applicants waive their rights to see the letters of recommendation from their letter writers. In this way, letter writers are likely to speak freely, and faculty reviewers are likely to trust the contents of the letters. Waivers must be completed before invitations are sent to letter writers.
Resources
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- Faculty Research Interests List
- Meet the Department Faculty and Staff
- Office of Graduate Studies: How to Apply
- Questions about Tuition, Fees, and Living costs can be found at the Bursar's Office.
- Questions about the programs can be directed to Dr. Alexandra Morrison, Graduate Coordinator. During Fall 2026, please direct these questions to Dr. Ciobha McKeown.
Frequently Asked Questions
The 起点传媒 Psychology Graduate Program is not intended for those seeking to perform clinical counseling or mental health therapy. Those seeking such programs should visit the 起点传媒 Counselor Education Program or the Masters of Social Work.
No.
No, you can only apply to one of our three Psychology programs being offered through our department.
To determine which program is right for you, please review all posted material on each program page and, if needed, reach out to the faculty associated with each program to ask for input.
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) program: No.
Psychological Research program: No.
Industrial-Organizational (I-O) program: The I-O program has waived the GRE requirement for the upcoming admissions cycle (Fall 2026).
You must submit a course description and the syllabi for the courses that you are using to satisfy the Psychology Stats/Methods requirement. You will be asked to upload these materials to the CalState Apply application in Quadrant IV.
No - The Department of Psychology will only consider applications from students who have submitted their completed applications by the stated deadline. Letters of Recommendation must be received by the Department no later than January 15th. Applications missing required items will be denied.
Due to the high volume of applications received by the Department, we are not able to provide status updates to applicants. However, applicants may check the status of their applications on Cal State Apply.
International applicants should apply through the International Programs and Global Education department. This will ensure that the Department can review your supplemental documents while IPGE processes your University application. International applicants should submit their applications to IPGE at least 30 days prior to our application deadline. Also, be sure to send transcripts that have been evaluated by World Education Services (WES). Visit International Programs and Global Education for additional information.
The application review process begins after the deadline, January 15th, and can take approximately two months to complete due to the high number of applications. Accepted applicants are typically notified via email between March and April.