Admission to graduate study in the department is competitive. Most graduate students in the department are at some point involved in providing direct mental health services as part of their practicum and internship experiences. As a result, the department has a policy that requires all applicants to consent to criminal background checks. Admission to graduate study in the department requires that students submit the following:
- Graduate Studies Application for Admission to Graduate Study and Non-Refundable Application Fee of $35.00 for domestic students or $60.00 for international students - apply online
- Department Application and Non-Refundable Application Fee of $40.00 (this is in addition to the Graduate Studies application fee) payable to Department of Psychology and Counseling
Once the student has been accepted, additional fees are required to cover the cost of criminal background checks. The student's acceptance status will be considered "conditional" until the background checks. The student's acceptance status will be considered "conditional" until the fees have been paid and the criminal background check has been completed.
- Costs:
- Domestic students with one last name – no additional fees.
- Domestic students who have more than one last name (maiden name, married names, nicknames or other names used) - $18.00 per last name.
- International students - must pay the actual cost of the criminal background check for the student’s specific country.
- PSU Disclosure and Authorization Form
- Personal Statement of Career Goals (describing your background, professional/educational goals, and specific program area of interest at PSU)
- Three Completed Professional Recommendation Forms (At least one reference should be from a teacher or academic advisor who can speak on behalf of your academic performance. References from friends, relatives, neighbors, ministers, personal physicians, and personal counselors are not acceptable. References from employers, teachers, or academic advisors are preferred.)
- All Official Degree Statement Transcripts
- 79 IBT, 6.5 IELTS total band score (no score lower than 5.5), 53 PTE, or Duolingo 110 (no section score under 100 for students whose primary language is not English)
- Overall Undergraduate GPA of 3.0
Advanced Graduate PlacementA student with at least a 3.7 cumulative grade point average and a psychology major at Pittsburg State University or Missouri Southern State University can apply for Advanced Graduate Standing. This application can be submitted during the semester in which the student will complete 90 credit hours. The student must still complete all the requirements for the Bachelor's degree in Psychology.