• Statement of purpose
• Resume/curriculum vitae
• Three letters of recommendation
• Transcripts (one from each institution attended)
• The GRE is not required for the fall 2021 application cycle *
• Official TOEFL/IELTS scores (international applicants only) *

The statement of purpose should be 500-1,000 words. It should summarize your skills and experiences that are relevant to your particular area(s) of interest in graduate study in psychology. Discuss experiences that led you to this field of study. Address the fit between your objectives and the graduate training offered at Georgia State (including the fit with the faculty member(s) with whom you would most like to work). Describe what you would like to be doing three to five years after you receive your Ph.D.

The resume or CV should summarize your academic, research, clinical and other relevant experiences.

Previous research experience and, in the case of the Clinical and Community programs, relevant applied experience are evaluated favorably in the admission process.

Although an undergraduate major in psychology is not required, applicants are expected to have a background in psychology that includes a minimum of four courses. Two courses that cover psychological statistics and research methods are required. Two additional junior- or senior-level psychology content courses are also required. The Clinical program recommends a course in abnormal psychology or psychopathology as one of the content courses. An introductory psychology course cannot be counted as one of the four required courses.

* Institutional code 5251 should be used for reporting GRE and TOEFL scores.

Because the work of community psychologists, by its nature, is collaborative and interdisciplinary, we offer a flexible curriculum that provides a strong grounding in the foundations of the field and opportunities for students to expand their knowledge and skills in relevant disciplines. In consultation with their advisors and depending on the concentration (community, community-clinical, M.P.H./Ph.D.) and career paths they wish to pursue, students may choose additional coursework in psychology and/or other disciplines. Across the concentrations we offer, all students must complete:

• 12 hours of departmental core courses in Statistics, Research Methods, Ethics, and the History of Psychology
• 9 hours of core courses in community psychology, including Introduction to Community Psychology, Issues of Human Diversity and advanced (qualitative or quantitative) methods
• 9 hours of community practicum (internships in the community to gain experience and core competencies)
• 6 hours of community psychology electives that align most closely with students' career goals and an additional 6 hours of electives inside or outside of the psychology department
• Research and thesis/dissertation hours and directed readings (varied number of hours)
• A masters thesis
• A comprehensive general exam to qualify for candidacy for the Ph.D.
• A doctoral dissertation

Students are offered a monthly stipend during their first four years of graduate school as long as they remain in good standing with the department by maintaining the required GPA and meeting departmental responsibilities.

The level of support for incoming students is determined when they are accepted. No separate financial application procedure is required. All support includes a tuition waiver. Beginning students may also make an application to the University’s Office of Financial Aid (404-413-2400) for non-departmental sources of aid, such as loans and university-provided scholarships.

• About half of our graduates pursue careers in practice. This may include consulting with human service organizations, program evaluation, program development and management, and (for graduates from the community-clinical concentration) clinical practice.
• About one in four of our graduates pursue careers in government or public health agencies, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• About one in four of our graduates pursue careers in academia, as tenure track professors, lecturers, or research faculty.

Learn more about our training.