Admission Requirements

Application/Admission Requirements

Admission to the School Psychology Program (SPP) is based on a comprehensive review of all application materials. The SPP gives strong consideration to the statement of purpose, letters of recommendation, relevant work and/or life experiences, performance in prior undergraduate and graduate coursework (GPA), and scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Admissions decisions are based on selecting outstanding applicants who demonstrate great promise for not only completing their degree, but for becoming competent professionals as well.

Minimum requirements for the Education Specialist (EdS) degree: An earned bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or a comparable degree from an international institution. Applicants must have a minimum grade average of “B” for all upper-division undergraduate work and scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) that are acceptable to the SPP. These scores are used in the context of a holistic credential review process. Exceptions to the above requirements are made only when these and other criteria, including letters of recommendation, are reviewed by the academic unit, recommended by the College, and approved by the Dean of the Graduate School.

Minimum requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree: An earned bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or a comparable degree from an international institution. Applicants must have a minimum grade average of “B” for all upper-division undergraduate work and scores on the GRE of at least 151 Verbal (440 on the old scale) or at least 150 Quantitative (530 on the old scale). These scores are used in the context of a holistic credential review process. Exceptions to the above requirements are made only when these and other criteria, including letters of recommendation, are reviewed by the academic unit, recommended by the College, and approved by the Dean of the Graduate School.

Formal review of applications by the SPP begins in January for admission the following fall semester (that begins in August).Completed applications are due to the SPP by December 15th. Applicants are encouraged to submit application materials to the UF Graduate School by November 15th to ensure review, as a limited number of applicants are admitted each year.

In a typical year, 12-14 students (EdS and PhD combined) are admitted to the program. Approximately half of the students in each entering class are pursuing a doctoral degree. Admission to the SPP is competitive. In recent years, less than one-fifth of those applying to the SPP have been admitted. Individuals with undergraduate majors in psychology or education are considered to be best qualified for admission to the SPP. Relevant professional and life experiences are also considered positively in the application process. The course of study assumes the knowledge of psychology that one would acquire in most undergraduate psychology programs. Students are expected to be familiar with developmental psychology, learning theory, abnormal/personality theory, and statistics/experimental design. Applicants who do not have a background in psychology are expected to take these courses prior to admission to the SPP or early in the course of graduate study. Coursework taken to meet such prerequisites is not counted towards the graduate degree. Undergraduate courses taken prior to or during a student’s course of study do not satisfy graduation requirements.

The University of Florida does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, national or ethnic origin, religious preference, disability, or sex, in the administration of educational policies, admissions, financial aid, employment, or any other University program or activity.