Admission Requirements

There are seven basic requirements to be met before one can be considered for admission:

1. A bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in the U.S. or proof of equivalent training at a foreign institution.
2. A satisfactory grade-point average (GPA) particularly during the last two years of college and in any graduate study previously undertaken. Although the minimum required GPA for the Graduate and International Admissions Center is 3.0, the Department will consider applications with lower GPAs.
3. GRE (Graduate Records Examination) General Aptitude Test--The General Test is composed of verbal, quantitative, and analytical writing sections. The average combined (verbal and quantitative) GRE score for doctoral students has been 1250. The average score for master’s students has been 1150.
4. Three letters of recommendation especially from professors who are familiar with the applicant's academic performance and potential.
5. Resume or Vita, with a recommended length of no more than 3 pages. The resume or vita should include: post-high school education; relevant work or volunteer experience (indicate amount of time); honors received; research experience; conference presentations; publications.
6. Statement of Purpose Essay describing the applicant's interests and commitment to the goals and curriculum of the area of specialization to which admission is sought. It is recommended that the Essay address not only the applicant’s personal and academic background but also his/her academic and professional goals.  If the applicant has a specific area of research interest or wishes to work with a specific member of the Educational Psychology faculty, the essay should address those topics as well.  Profiles of EDP faculty and their research interests can be found under the EDP Faculty Directory on this website.
7. Adequate subject preparation for advanced study in educational psychology. An undergraduate major or master's-level specialization in psychology is not required, although 12 hours of course work in the social sciences or education, including courses in statistics and measurement, is prerequisite to graduate study. If they are lacking adequate background, newly admitted students may be required to complete prerequisites.