Application Procedure for the M.A. and M.S. Program

In preparation for the department application, please prepare the following documents.

1. In addition to transcripts submitted to the university in Step 3, you will need to upload pdf versions of your Transcripts for EVERY College-Level Institution you have ever Attended (unofficial OK). Please note the university requires official transcripts but you may upload official or unofficial transcripts for the department application. If you only have a hard copy, please scan your transcripts to a PDF. When scanning your documents, keep the size of document as small as possible by selecting black and white (not color) and a medium resolution (not the highest or best resolution). Please ensure that your transcript is readable. If you choose to upload an unofficial transcript, keep in mind that copying and pasting your transcript information from a university website may yield an unformatted, illegible transcript. In that case you will need to upload an official transcript. If your transcript is not legible, your application will not be considered. If transcripts are missing, your application will not be considered.
2. Statement of Purpose. This is a good opportunity to tell us why you would be a successful student in our graduate program. The statement of purpose should be independently written and reflect your personal writing style. This part of your application is a chance for you to make an authentic connection with our faculty and program values. Faculty mentors read these statements to get a better sense of how your unique experiences and program goals match their research activities. Our programs also emphasize independent writing development for completing research and coursework requirements to develop your critical thinking. Submissions that are generated with AI are discouraged, as they may be generic and makes it difficult for your application to stand out and showcase your unique experiences and strengths. Getting advice or assistance from others (including software) on readability with minor spell-checking or copy edits is acceptable.

   Please include information about your background relevant to your planned graduate study, areas of discipline that are of particular interest to you (and why based on your past preparation and long-term professional goals), why you are specifically interested in San Diego State University’s program (including faculty mentor preferences and how their research program fits with your interests), and any other information relevant to the selection criteria outlined below (3 double-spaced pages or less).

   1. Academic Preparation – Strong applicants need to have a foundational knowledge in basic psychological science, including quantitative methods, research design, and scientific writing.
   2. Scholarly and Research Potential – Strong applicants show research potential to complete a thesis project. Prior research experience and/or strong potential in forming testable research hypotheses is excellent preparation for this goal.
   3. Awards, Leadership, and Service – Strong applicants are leaders and good citizens in their respective fields. Applicants may demonstrate leadership and/or good citizenship within the research domain (e.g., awards for scholarship, obtaining independent research funding) or may demonstrate leadership in other non-research domains that conceptually tie to their research interest (e.g., advocacy for marginalized groups).
   4. Non-Cognitive Factors –  Strong applicants show evidence of factors that may indicate likelihood for success in an academic career (e.g., grit, persistence, passion, overcoming barriers, flexibility, collaboration, openness to feedback, commitment to mentorship, adaptability, integrity, taking ownership, conscientiousness, time management, focus)
   5. Alignment with Program – Strong applicants demonstrate research interests that are consistent with faculty with the program. Although applicants may not be perfect matches for an individual faculty, we adopt a mentorship model for lab-based research training and a reasonable match with faculty interests is critical to provide an adequate training environment.