Department of Psychology

David King Hall, Room 2003
MSN 3F5, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030-4444

Dr. Deborah Boehm-Davis (Chairperson) Phone: 703-993-1398

Departmental Admissions Forms

Psychology M.A. Departmental Form

Psychology Ph.D. Departmental Form

The George Mason University Application is required for all applications and you can download it from the Office of Admissions website at http://admissions.gmu.edu/onapps.asp

Frequently Asked Questions by Psychology Graduate Applicants

Q. What address should I mail my application materials to?

Send your application materials with the application fee to:

College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Graduate Admissions Office, MSN 2D2
College Hall C119
4400 University Drive
George Mason University
Fairfax, Virginia 22030-4444

Applicants may also apply online from the Office of Admissions webpage at http://admissions.gmu.edu/grad/

Q. What are your application deadlines?

A. Ph.D. Programs:
* Applications for the Ph.D. programs in Applied Developmental Psychology and Clinical Psychology are due December 1, 2007.

* Applications for the Ph.D. program in Industrial Organizational Psychology are due on December 15, 2007.

*Applications for the Ph.D. programs in Biopsychology and Human Factors/Applied Cognition are due January 1, 2008.

M.A. Programs:
* Applications for the M.A. in School Psychology are due Janaury 15, 2007.
* Applications for the M.A. in Applied Developmental, Biopsychology, and Industrial-Organizational Psychology are due February 1, 2007.
* Applications for the M.A. in Human Factors/Applied Cognition (HFAC) are due March 15, 2007. Late applicants to the HFAC program will be considered on a space available basis.

Q. If my application is submitted past the deadline will I still be considered?
A. You may still apply. However, please note there are NO guarantees that faculty will consider late applications.

Q. What is the status of my application?
A. Graduate Admissions processes all applications. Students should contact them at (703) 993-2409 or email them at chssgrad@gmu.edu Graduate Admissions will only forward COMPLETE applications to the Department.

Q. Do you require the GRE General Test? What about the GRE Subject Test in Psychology? Where do I send my GRE Scores to?
A. The General GRE is required for all applicants. It must be no more than five (5) years old. The Clinical Ph.D. program recommends (but does not require) the Psychology Subject test in addition to the General test. If multiple tests have been taken, we look at the best scores overall. GRE scores are automatically sent to the College/University you choose on your registration form.

Q. How do I know if George Mason (or any other school) is the right school for me?
A. You should read the web pages thoroughly of the schools you are interested in attending. Find out as much information about the Department, their teaching methods, research philosophies, and overall attitudes towards scholarship and training as you can. It is particularly important that you identify your research/professional interests early and thoroughly review the current research interests of the faculty. If your research/professional goals do not match up well with a particular school, it is unlikely that you would be a good match for their program and ultimately become dissatisfied with your experience. Unfortunately, many students skip this part and we must decline admission to highly qualified students because their interests do not match those of the faculty.

Q. Does my application need to be submitted in one packet, or can my letters of recommendation be sent separately?
A. The Admissions Office prefers that you submit all your materials in one packet. However, they recognize that some recommendations will arrive separately. Any recommendations that have been sent directly to you should be forwarded to Admissions unopened with the signature of the recommender across the seal.

Q. What is GMU’s institution code?
A. Please use the number 5827 when asked for an institution or department code.

Q. I forgot to add something to my application, what do I do?
A. Immediately contact Graduate Admissions at (703) 993-2409 or email them at chssgrad@gmu.edu and let them know. Then mail the document ASAP. We encourage you to submit the missing documentation but want you to know that late application materials may affect your chances for admission.

Q. Are there any forms for Teaching Assistantships (TA’s) or Research Assistantships (RA’s)?
A. No. We assume all of our applicants wish to be considered for Departmental aid. Students should know that the majority of our money goes to the Ph.D. students with limited amounts going to the M.A. students.

Q. Do you require two (2) writing samples?
A. No. However, when writing the Goals Statement, share with us why you are interested in the program area and why you are interested in GMU. Write about your short term and long term goals and what you expect to accomplish within the next few years.

Q. My grades/scores are just below the requirements, should I still apply?
A. We encourage all interested students to apply. However, we do adhere to any stated minimum grade point averages and/or GRE scores. For specifics on these requirements, please visit the webpage that describes the program you are applying for.

Q. When will a decision be made on my application?
A. Here are the tentative deadlines regarding admissions applications. We will do our best to adhere to this schedule:

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