Applying to the Industrial-Organizational Psychology Programs
To be considered for admission into the Industrial-Organizational Psychology (PhD) program, you must apply online. Find the help you need with the admissions process of the program of your choice through Graduate Admissions.
Admissions checklist requirements:
If you are an international student, also refer to International Graduate Students information about additional admission requirements.
Doctoral degree admission requirements
For admission to this doctoral program, the following are required:
- Online application and $75 processing fee
- A bachelor’s degree, minimum
- From a regionally accredited institution, with a minimum grade-point average of 3.0 in all undergraduate work.
- A minimum of one statistics course in business or social science.
Three courses in psychology must be completed (at a regionally accredited institution) prior to admission to the program. One course in business, political science, or sociology (completed at a regionally accredited institution) may be substituted for one of the three required psychology courses.
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Graduate record exam (GRE) scores are optional.
- We consider applications holistically, weighing academic preparedness, interpersonal skills, and research skills. If submitted, GRE scores will be considered as an additional item to all other application materials.
- The recommended overall GRE score is a 300 (or 1100 on the older version of the test) on the verbal and quantitative sections.
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Personal statement
- Demonstrating your writing and grammatical skills.
- Addressing career objectives, personal qualifications, experience, and other insights as deemed appropriate by you.
- The rationale for seeking the degree and choosing to attend SPU
- Three letters of recommendation
- (1) One from a person who has experienced you in a professional setting (i.e., a current or former employer); (2) one academic reference from a former professor or instructor; and (3) one personal recommendation (not a family member).
Admission process
The Admissions Committee of the Industrial-Organizational Psychology program will conduct a preliminary screening process.
- Finalists will be invited to come to campus for personal interviews.
- Admission to the doctoral program depends upon recommendation by the I-O faculty and approval from the I-O program director.
The entire process is usually completed within eight weeks after the final deadline date for applications.
Transfer of credits
Students who have taken graduate work at a regionally accredited institution may be allowed to transfer up to 12 quarter credits, and students who have been granted a master’s degree from a regionally accredited university in psychology, organizational psychology, business administration, or a related field may be allowed to transfer up to 30 credits. A maximum of 20 credits may be transferred toward the elective requirement.
You must provide applicable transcripts and/or syllabi for any course you wish to transfer. Each course must be at least three graduate quarter credits, equivalent to courses taught in the Organizational-Psychology programs at Seattle Pacific University, and completed within seven years of admission. A minimum grade of “B” will be needed for transfer work. Any transfer-credit petitions should be submitted only after formal admission to the doctoral program.
International students
In addition to the SPU general and the Industrial-Organizational Psychology program’s additional admission requirements, international students must also submit:
- An official confidential affidavit of financial support covering the first year of intended enrollment. Without this document, SPU cannot issue an I-20 immigration form.
- Students holding undergraduate or graduate degrees from colleges, universities and/or seminaries located outside the U.S. are expected to have their transcripts evaluated by a professional credential agency. Such an evaluation is required before an application for admission to SPFC can be granted and before any graduate credits taken elsewhere can be applied to a SPFC degree.
- If you earned an undergraduate degree in a country other than the United States, or your degree is in progress, an official course-by-course credential evaluation must be submitted from a NACES member-recognized credential service. Acceptable credential services include, but are not limited to, World Education Services (WES) and Foundation for International Services (FIS).
- In addition to the evaluation report, we also require official transcripts and diplomas to be submitted, in English. International applicants are responsible for all costs associated with this service.
- English language proficiency: If you do not speak English as your first language, you must also submit scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). A minimum score of 600 on the TOEFL paper or 250 on the TOEFL-CBT, or 100 on the TOEFL-iBT is required. ACE scores will not be accepted.