Clinical Psychology, Child/Adolescent Psychology Concentration (MA)

Admission to our programs is competitive. As such, we look for applicants who demonstrate a high level of preparedness for graduate training. Criteria required for admission are listed below:

• A bachelor’s degree in psychology
  • For students with non-psychology undergraduate degrees, we require a minimum of 12 undergraduate credits in psychology or a closely related field, including a course in statistics and an experimental/research methodology course.
  • If you do not have the required number of psychology credits, email the program directly at gradclinical@montclair.edu to review your transcript to determine what courses may be needed to fulfill the undergraduate requirements. These courses can be taken at Montclair State or another university
• Minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0*
  • *Applicants with a GPA between 2.7 and 3.0 will be considered for admission, though 3.0 and above is recommended. Applicants with a GPA below 2.7 will not be considered for admission. 

The Office of Graduate Admissions requires the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor’s degree in order to be eligible to apply for a graduate program. Applicants with non-U.S. degrees, please visit the International Applicants page to review the U.S. degree equivalency information.

In order to make applying for graduate school as seamless as possible for you, we have
created an application checklist. This checklist can be a reference point for you during the
application process to ensure that you have a comprehensive understanding of the steps
needed to apply, as well as all of corresponding supplemental materials for your specific
program of interest.

• Application Deadline: For Fall semester admission only. Priority Deadline: March 15th. Applications to the Master of Arts program in Clinical Psychology that are completed by March 15th, including all required supplemental materials, will receive priority review. All priority candidates will receive an admission decision by April 15th. Applications completed after the priority deadline will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the program is full.
• Submit Online Application: Please create your online account and submit your application by following the general application instructions and pay (or waive) the non-refundable $60 application fee. Once this step has been completed, the online portal will allow you to upload your supplemental materials.

The following is a list of the supplemental materials that will accompany your application for the Clinical Psychology, Child/Adolescent Psychology Concentration (MA) program:

• Transcript: One from each college attended.
• Essays/Personal Statement
  • Articulate clearly, concisely, and in specific terms your relevant academic, research, and psychology-related experiences and interests.
  • Please describe the way you foresee the child/adolescent concentration aiding your future educational and/or career goals.
  • Finally, you may also highlight any additional strengths that will make you an excellent candidate for our program, as well as explain any areas of relative weakness in your application (e.g., if your GPA is below the recommended minimum or your performance in a course was suboptimal).
• Letters of Recommendation: Two letters of recommendation, preferably from faculty familiar with your work.
• Sample of written work related to the field(s) of psychology, particularly in your desired area of concentration. This might be a paper written for a previous course, an original research project summary, or some other original writing that was prepared and completed prior to this application process.
• Curriculum vitae/resume
• GRE General Test scores (optional if your overall GPA is 3.3 or greater)

• Interview: All applicants who are selected to proceed to the next stage of the admissions process following review of their applications, must complete an admissions interview with program faculty. The Psychology Department will hold pre-selected interview days for the MA in Clinical Psychology and School Psychology Certification programs.

  At this time, interviews are conducted virtually via Zoom with two faculty members and/or the Director of the Clinical MA Program.

  After signing up for an interview date, candidates will receive a follow-up email on behalf of the Psychology Department from gradclinical@montclair.edu confirming the interview date and providing additional information. Admissions interviews provide the admissions committee with the opportunity to learn about each candidate’s background,  interests, and goals, as well as assess each candidate’s readiness for graduate study. Overall, prospective students must be evaluated positively by faculty on their potential for clinical placement and written communication. Of note, prior to the virtual interview, candidates will be provided with written material about the program.

• Applicants with non-U.S. degrees, please visit the International Applicants page to review the US degree equivalency information.

Students must complete 36 credits. Most students complete the MA program in two years of full-time study. Please note that students must complete all coursework (aside from PSYC 510) prior to enrolling in PSYC 680. For more information, please visit the Clinical Psychology, Child/Adolescent Concentration (MA) program listing in the University Catalog.

If you have any general questions regarding the application process and requirements, please email or call us:
Office of Graduate Admissions
Email: graduate@montclair.edu
Telephone: 973-655-5147
Fax: 973-655-7869

If you have specific inquiries regarding your program of interest, please contact the Clinical Psychology, Child/Adolescent Psychology Concentration (MA) Program Coordinator:

*During the summer months, there will be a rotating department chair available to answer your inquiry. Click to find the updated summer chair for this program.*

Program Coordinator: Jessica Spat-Lemus
Office: Dickson Hall
Email: spatlemusj@montclair.edu