Master of Arts (MA) — Industrial-Organizational Psychology

Applying to the Master of Art Industrial-Organizational Psychology Program

To be considered for admission into the Industrial-Organizational Psychology (MA) program, you must apply online. Find the help you need with the admissions process from Graduate Admissions. 

If you are an international student, see below on this page and refer to International Graduate Students information about additional admission requirements, as well. 

Master’s degree admission requirements

For admission to this master’s degree program, the following are required:

• Online application and $50 processing fee
• A bachelor’s degree
  
  • The degree must be from a regionally accredited institution, with a minimum grade-point average of 3.0 in all undergraduate work.
  • Completion of at least one business, math, or social science statistics course from a regionally accredited institution.
  • Completion of at least two courses in psychology, from a regionally accredited institution. One course in business, political science, or sociology (completed at a regionally accredited institution) may be substituted for one of the two required psychology courses.
• Official transcripts
  
  • Official transcript(s) from any college or university that granted you a degree or degrees, and from any institution attended since that time.
• 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 295 (or 950 on the older version of the test) on the verbal and quantitative sections.
• Personal statement, typed
  
  • Demonstrating your writing and grammatical skills
  • Addressing your career objectives, personal qualifications, experience, and other insights as deemed appropriate by you
  • The rationale for seeking the degree and choosing to attend Seattle Pacific
• Letters of recommendation
  
  • Three letters with (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) a 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 master’s program depends upon recommendation by the I-O faculty and approval from the I-O chair.

The entire process is usually completed within twelve weeks after the final deadline date for applications.

Transfer of credit

If you have taken graduate coursework at a regionally accredited institution, you may be allowed to transfer up to 12 quarter credits.

You must provide applicable transcripts and/or syllabi. Each course must be at least three graduate quarter credits, equivalent to courses taught in the Organizational Psychology program at Seattle Pacific University and completed within seven years of admission. A minimum grade of “B” will be needed for transferred work. Any transfer-credit petitions should be submitted only after formal admission to the master’s program.

International students

In addition to the SPU general and the Industrial-Organizational Psychology program’s additional admission requirements listed above, 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.