Department of Psychology
5500 University Parkway
San Bernardino, CA 92407-2397
Main Line: (909) 537-5570
Fax: (909) 537-7003
Dear Applicant:
Attached is the information packet you requested concerning the Psychology Graduate Programs at
California State University, San Bernardino. Enclosed you will find all the information, procedures
and forms necessary to complete applications for admission to the University and to the Psychology
Department.
PLEASE NOTE: Acceptance to the University DOES NOT constitute acceptance into a Psychology
Graduate Program.
FALL 2012 DEADLINES
M.A. Child Development
M.A. General Experimental
M.S. Industrial/Organizational
M.S. Clinical/Counseling
March 1, 2012
April 2, 2012
March 1, 2012
February 1, 2012
PROGRAM PREREQUISITES
These prerequisites (or their equivalents) are required upon entrance to each program:
M.S. Industrial/Organizational
M.S. Clinical/Counseling
Introductory Psychology
Psychology Statistics OR Applied Business Statistics
Experimental Psychology
Introductory Psychology
Psychology Statistics
Experimental Psychology
Personality OR Introduction to Psychotherapy
Abnormal Psychology
The following courses (or equivalent) are recommended:
Management & Organizational Behavior
Industrial Psychology/Human Resources Mgmt.
Tests and Measurements
M.A. Child Development
Introductory Psychology
Psychology Statistics
A course in Child Development
In addition, applied experience in counseling/helping
environments.
M.A. General Experimental
Introductory Psychology
Psychology Statistics
Experimental Psychology
Graduate students will be required to pass (or to have passed) the upper-division
writing requirement before being fully classified into a graduate program.
For more information refer to the current CSUSB Catalog of Programs.
Department of Psychology
5500 University Parkway
San Bernardino, CA 92407-2397
Main Line: (909) 537-5570
Fax: (909) 537-7003
Thank you for your interest in the M.S. Clinical/Counseling Psychology Program at California
State University, San Bernardino. The M.S. Clinical/Counseling Psychology Program provides a rich
and rigorous clinical training experience.
During the first year of the program, students enroll in clinically-relevant academic coursework,
and they begin seeing clients with intensive supervision from the clinical faculty. During the second
year, students work 20 hours/week as counselors in local community mental health centers while they
complete their coursework on campus.
To culminate the degree, students select either a thesis option or a comprehensive exam option,
which prepares students for the Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) licensing exam. Graduates use
the M.S. Counseling degree to either obtain the MFT license (and engage in clinical practice) or as a
stepping stone to further doctoral training or pursue other human relations positions.
Please note the following important points about the Psychology M.S. Clinical/Counseling
Program:
1.
Completion of the M.S. degree and specified coursework meets the basic educational
requirements for the California Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) License. Also
required for this license are 3000 supervised clinical hours. At least 2250 of these hours
must be obtained after completion of the M.S. Degree. Our program provides
approximately 250-400 pre-degree hours toward this requirement.
2.
All of the following undergraduate courses must be completed before you can be
classified as an M.S. student; you can be IN THE PROCESS of completing the courses
at the time you apply.
Introductory Psychology (PSYC 100)
Statistics (PSYC 210 - this must be completed before PSYC 311)
Experimental Psychology (PSYC 311)
Personality (PSYC 385) or Introduction to Psychotherapy (PSYC 386)
Abnormal Psychology (PSYC 390)
3.
CSUSB Graduate students are be required to pass (or to have passed) the upper- division
writing requirement before being fully classified into a graduate program unless an
earlier completion is specified for a particular program. Refer to the most current
CSUSB Catalog of Programs for further information.
The California State University
Bakersfield  Channel Islands  Chico  Dominquez Hills  East Bay  Fresno  Fullerton  Humboldt  Long Beach  Los Angeles  Maritime Academy
Monterey Bay  Northridge  Pomona  San Bernardino  San Diego  San Francisco  San Jose  San Luis Obispo  San Marcus  Sonoma  Stanislaus
4a).
The program is a full-time day program. Most students will complete the program in two
years, although some elect to take extra time because of family/work.
b).
Most M.S. classes are scheduled between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on Monday,
Wednesday and Friday.
c).
All first-year students who have been formally accepted into the Psychology M.S.
Clinical/Counseling Psychology Program must minimally enroll in the Marriage and
Family Skills Course (9 hours per week) and at least one additional academic course per
quarter (4 hours per week).
5.
Admission to California State University, San Bernardino as an Unclassified Postbaccalaureate student does NOT constitute admission to the Psychology M.S.
Counseling Program. To gain admission as a classified student in the M.S. Program you
must submit a separate psychology department application, to the Psychology
Department. Completed applications (including transcripts, a personal statement of
career goals, which should include your interest in counseling and your experience in
psychology, and 3 letters of recommendation) must be in the Psychology Department
before February 1 if you are to be considered for admission in September. We DO NOT
admit students at any other time of the year, so it is especially important that you adhere
to all application requirements and deadlines. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE for
monitoring your application and for ensuring that your application is complete. If you
have questions about the status of your application, please check with the graduate
secretary.
6.
We accept 12-15 students each year from approximately 50-75 completed applications.
Acceptance is based on MULTIPLE CRITERIA, including your academic record (we
rely most heavily here on grades in your most recent coursework), your Statement of
Purpose, reference letters, prior life experience and knowledge of and/or experience in
the mental health field, and results of a personal interview (if selected) which assesses
your interpersonal skills and affords you the opportunity to tell us about yourself and
your interest in counseling psychology. GRE scores are NOT required to apply to the
program, although your scores may be submitted to supplement your application.
We are pleased that you are interested in our program and hope that the information contained
herein will answer your questions. However, if you have any additional concerns please contact the
department office at (909) 537-5570 to speak with the graduate secretary or obtain office hours for the
clinical faculty.
Sincerely,
Dr. David Chavez
Director, M.S. Clinical/Counseling Psychology Program
The California State University
Bakersfield  Channel Islands  Chico  Dominquez Hills  East Bay  Fresno  Fullerton  Humboldt  Long Beach  Los Angeles  Maritime Academy
Monterey Bay  Northridge  Pomona  San Bernardino  San Diego  San Francisco  San Jose  San Luis Obispo  San Marcus  Sonoma  Stanislaus
MSCC APPLICATION PROCEDURE
Applying for admission is a two-part process:
Part One: Applying to the University
Part Two: Applying to the Psychology Department
All applicant materials must be received by Graduate Admissions and the Psychology Department by the appropriate deadlines to be guaranteed
consideration for 2012 admission. It is your responsibility to check with the psychology department regularly to verify the status of your file. All
applicants whose files are completed by the appropriate dates will be reviewed and considered for admission into a program. Late applicants may be
considered if there are openings.

PART ONE: Applying to the University
1.) Complete the University Application for Graduate Admission available at www.csumentor.edu (there is a $55 fee to apply to the university).
The department strongly suggests that students apply to the university at least a month in advance of our deadline to allow sufficient time for
the university to input you into the system and generate essential paperwork for your file.
If you are an unclassified graduate student or currently enrolled in another graduate program at CSUSB, you must file a change of program
form with the graduate admissions office in lieu of the university application.
If you will be applying to more than one graduate program on campus, please contact the Graduate Admissions office at (909) 537-5030 to
submit additional PART B sections of the university application.
2.) One official copy of transcripts from each college and university you have attended, regardless of whether you received a degree.
Please note that you do not have to request CSUSB transcripts if you are a current student or alumni.
Please allow at least one month for your transcripts to be sent to the University. Graduate Admissions must evaluate your transcripts before
issuing a Graduate Credit Summary. Your file is not complete without this summary.
Mail to:
GRADUATE ADMISSIONS OFFICE
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY SAN BERNARDINO
5500 UNIVERSITY PARKWAY
SAN BERNARDINO CA 92407-2397

PART TWO: Applying to the Psychology Department
Send the following Materials to:
GRADUATE SECRETARY
DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY SAN BERNARDINO
5500 UNIVERSITY PARKWAY
SAN BERNARDINO CA 92407-2397
1.) A copy of your university application for graduate admission.
 After submitting your application online, you will be given a receipt; please print this page and include it in your application as proof of
applying to the university.
2.) One copy of (unofficial) transcripts from each college and university you have attended, regardless of whether you received a degree.
3.) Psychology Department Information Form
4.) Statement of Purpose
1-2 page typewritten description of your preparation for graduate study, goals for the graduate training program and professional aspirations
following receipt of the Master's Degree. (The statement used for the University Application is not sufficient.)
5.) Three (3) letters of recommendation
At least two letters should come from instructors who know the quality of your academic work and can make relevant comments on your likely
success in a graduate Psychology program.
 Letters must be sent directly from the recommender or received in a sealed envelope with the recommender’s signature over the seal.
6.) Graduate Record Examination (GRE) Scores are:
 NOT REQUIRED when applying to psychology graduate programs, but may be included to enhance your application, particularly for nonpsychology majors or to compensate for a GPA below 3.0.
Thank you for your interest in our Graduate Programs!
For further information, please refer to the current CSUSB Catalog of Programs.
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, SAN BERNARDINO GUIDELINES FOR
THE GRADUATE WRITING REQUIREMENT
1.
CLASS. Show successful completion of an upper division expository writing class with at least a grade of “B,” within the
past seven years. At CSUSB the current expository writing class is Education 306, English 306, Humanities 306,
Management 306, Natural Science 306, or Social Science 306.
2.
CHALLENGE EXAM. Pass the WREE writing exam. The test is given each quarter. Call (909) 537-5041 for
information and registration materials.
3.
DEMONSTRATION OF PROFESSIONAL WRITING. Requests must include a cover letter in which the applicant
explains how the item or items meet the WREE Criteria,* a waiver of University Regulations form, and include one of the
following for review:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
Dissertation or Master’s Thesis from another university
Student must submit a signed copy of the thesis or dissertation and a copy of their transcript showing completion
of the degree.
Senior Project, thesis or research project completed at another university
The document must demonstrate knowledge of the style guide of the discipline and show evidence of summary,
synthesis, analysis, research and the proper citing of sources. Students must submit a catalog description of the
course and a copy of their transcript showing completion of the course for which the project was written.
Upper-division and graduate writing courses taken at another institution
Students must submit a copy of their transcript and a catalog description of the course. The catalog description
must indicate that the course is required research-based writing. If the description does not, then students should
provide the syllabus or a paper written for the course. RESEARCH PAPERS WRITTEN FOR CSUSB
GRADUATE COURSES ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE.
Published scholarly articles
The article should show evidence of analysis/synthesis and documentation of sources. Unacceptable: articles
written for such things a community newspapers and club, church or job newsletters which show no evidence of
research-based analytical writing.
A major study or report written as a part of the student’s job responsibilities
The report must demonstrate the elements of summary, synthesis, analysis, research and the proper citing of
sources. Unacceptable: report which show no clear evidence of authorship and/or the student’s contribution to
the project.
Upper-division writing requirement (UDWR) tests taken at other CSU’s
CSUSB accepts only three UDWR tests as equivalent to our WREE and 306: those from CSU Fresno, CSU
Sacramento, and San Diego State University. At many other CSU’s, the UDWR test is a minimum proficiency
test or asks for impromptu, personal experience, non-text-based writing.
Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT)
Students who score 5.0 or higher on the writing portion of the GMAT may waive the Graduate Entrance Writing
Requirement.
Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
Students who score 5.0 or higher on the writing portion of the GRE may waive the Graduate Entrance Writing
Requirement.
(Approved by the Graduate Council, 4/23/08)
Please Note:
Submissions cannot be work that is currently in progress. Creative writing (poetry, short
stories, novels), either in manuscript or published form, is not acceptable. Alternatives to
any of these options must follow the standard waiver process and be submitted to a
subgroup of the WREE/306 Committee for review utilizing the regular waiver process.