Educational psychology

Application for graduate work

Download this form as a [.doc] or [.pdf] document.

Please refer to the Web application instructions specific to the track to which you are applying. It is your responsibility to complete this application correctly and submit it by the application deadline. Late or incomplete applications may not receive full consideration.

Submit this application (and accompanying materials) to the appropriate office; addresses are listed in the Web instructions and at the bottom of this application form.

I. Personal data

Date of application ___________________ 

Proposed entrance date ____________ / _____________ (Semester / Year)

Name
Last (Family), First,  Middle or Maiden

Present address
Street address, City, State, Zip, Country

If you will be leaving this address on a known date, please list that date _______________

Telephone number at present address ________________ (Area code / Number)

Fax number _____________________ 

E-mail address ______________________________________

Soc. Sec. Number _________________________

Permanent address
Street address, City, State Zip, Country

Telephone number (where a message will always reach you) ________________ (Area code / Number)

II. Track to which you are applying

You must list Educational Psychology as the major and specify the track on your Graduate School application for admission.

NOTE: If you are applying to more than one track, you must complete a separate Graduate School and program application for each. Failure to do so will result in a delay in the review process.

III. Education 

List any honors, awards, fellowships, or scholastic distinctions you received in college.

To what other graduate schools are you applying at this time? (Include other majors or departments at the University of Minnesota as well.)

If you have spoken to or corresponded with a member of the University of Minnesota faculty regarding your application, please give that individual's name.

How did you learn about our graduate program?

What articles, term papers, theses or reports of experimental investigations have you written? List their titles below. (If you wish, you may submit such materials in support of your application; a stamped, self-addressed envelope must be enclosed if you wish these materials returned.)

Are you certified to teach? If so, in which subjects and states?

IV. Related experience and employment history

If you have held a research assistantship, teaching assistantship, fellowship, or traineeship, please specify type, school, and dates. 

Other employment (list most recent position first)

Please describe your experience or special expertise in any of the following areas: audio-visual, computer programming, counseling or advising, electronics, organization and administration, public relations, research design, statistics, teaching, technical or creative writing, other relevant experience.

V. Grade point average

Calculate your undergraduate grade point average below. Convert each quarter credit to 2/3 semester credits if you have credits under both systems. If your school uses a grading system other than A, B, C, D, F or N (for example, assigning plus or minus grades), compute your grade point average on a separate sheet using the system of grades in effect at your school.

In the same manner, please calculate your grade point average for: 

Your final two years as an undergraduate ______

Your work in education (excluding student teaching) ______

Your work in psychology (excluding general psychology) ______

Your work in your undergraduate major if it was not education or psychology ______

Name of undergraduate major if it was not education or psychology ______

Your graduate GPA, if any ______

Your graduate major _________________________________________

VI. Test scores

Consult the informational materials for the track you have selected to determine which test(s) is required for that program. If you have not yet taken the required test(s), indicate the date you plan to take the test in the "test date" space and send a photocopy of your score report when you receive it.

Graduate Record Examination

Test date: ______________ 

General (Aptitude): _____ Verbal _____

Quantitative _____ Analytical Writing _____ 

Written Subject (Advanced): _____

Name of advanced test taken _______________________________________

English Language Proficiency Examination (TOEFL)*

Test date: ______________ 

Section 1 _____ Section 2 _____ Section 3 _____ Total Score _______

*Alternately, we accept results from the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and the Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB).

VII. Course abstract

List below all course work in psychology, education, educational psychology, and statistics/measurement that you have taken, being sure to include courses in progress or courses that you plan to take before entering graduate school.

List below all courses you have taken or will take that are related to your proposed graduate major, including mathematics, biological sciences, natural sciences, social sciences, computer programming, and so on.

VIII. Applicant statement

Counseling and student personnel psychology (CSPP), psychological foundations of education (Psy F),  quantitative methods in education (QME), and special education (SpEd): 
Enclose with your application a typewritten statement (not to exceed three double-spaced pages) outlining your interests and professional goals. This statement is an integral part of your application and will be weighted heavily in its evaluation. You should include, minimally, the following points: How did you become interested in educational psychology? What specific factors have led you to apply to Minnesota for this specialization? From whom have you received encouragement to continue work in educational psychology? What do you consider to be your outstanding strengths and weaknesses? Please mention specific skills, special talents or aptitudes. What aspects of or specific problems in your area of specialization interest you most at this point? What kinds of educational psychology work do you see yourself doing seven or eight years after you get your degree? Please describe briefly any participation in research, applied educational psychology, or employment which might be relevant to your application. Please sign this statement.

School psychology (SchP): In addition to resume, enclose with your application a typewritten response (not to exceed three double-spaced pages) to the following question:

Identify a critical problem facing contemporary schools in America or another country. What do you think are the social, political, and/or economic factors that are contributing to this problem? What specific solutions might you propose to tackle the problem?

Also, in a separate statement (not to exceed two double-spaced pages), explain why you are interested in the profession of school psychology and what has influenced your decision to apply to the University of Minnesota. Additionally, we want to know why the U of M educational psychology—school psychology is a particularly good match for you.

These statements are an integral part of your application and will be weighted heavily in its evaluation. Please sign these statements.  If relevant, identify a faculty member with whom you would most like to work.

IX. Letters of recommendation

SpEd/CSPP/SchP: List below the names of the three persons to whom you have given the recommendation forms—be sure to fill in the required information on each form.

PsyF/QME: You must input the names and contact information for each recommendation provider in your Graduate School online application in ApplyYourself.

Check instructions for specific requirements of the program for which you are applying.

1.

2.

3.

X. Student status

PLEASE CHECK ONE:

___ I will be a part-time student (not applicable for CSPP or SchP) 

___ I will be a full-time student (6 or more graduate credits per semester continuing to completion)

XI. Financial aid information

Please describe your plans for financing your graduate studies, indicating any unusual circumstances in your case which should be brought to the attention of the review committee.

Would you accept an offer of admission if no financial aid were available?

___ would not accept     ___ could accept

If you have discussed financial assistance with any member of the University of Minnesota faculty, please give that individual's name.

The departmental application materials are used for both admission and financial support consideration including, but not limited to, fellowships and assistantships. Please rank (with a "1" indicating your top choice) your preferences for the types of financial assistance listed below.

Signature

Date

¹ If you are applying to more than one track, you must complete a separate Graduate School and program application for each. Failure to do so will result in a delay in the review process.

The University of Minnesota is committed to the policy that all persons shall have equal access to its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, or sexual orientation.

Mail application and accompanying materials to the appropriate address below:

University of Minnesota Graduate School diversity statement

(Mission Statement, University of Minnesota Board of Regents Policy, adopted: 1/14/94)

Philosophy: The University of Minnesota is founded in the belief that all people are enriched by understanding, is dedicated to the advancement of learning and the search for truth; to sharing of this knowledge through education for a diverse community; and to the application of this knowledge to benefit the people of the state, the nation, and the world.

Purpose: In all of its activities, the University strives to sustain an open exchange of ideas in an environment that embodies the values of academic freedom, responsibility, integrity, and cooperation; that provides an atmosphere of mutual respect, free from racism, sexism, and other forms of prejudice and intolerance; that assists individuals, institutions, and communities in responding to a continuously changing world; that is conscious of and responsive to the needs of the many communities it is committed to serving; that creates and supports partnerships within the University, with other educational systems and institutions, and with communities to achieve common goals; and that inspires, sets high expectations for, and empowers the individuals within its community.

The Graduate School and Educational Psychology Department embrace the University of Minnesota’s position that promoting and supporting diversity among the student body is central to the academic mission of the University. A diverse student body enriches graduate education by providing a multiplicity of views and perspectives that enhance research, teaching, and the development of new knowledge. A diverse mix of students promotes respect for, and opportunities to learn from, others with the broad range of backgrounds and experiences that constitute modern society. Higher education trains the next generation of leaders of academia and society in general, and such opportunities for leadership should be accessible to all members of society. The Graduate School and its constituent graduate programs are therefore committed to providing equal access to educational opportunities through recruitment, admission, and support programs that promote diversity, foster successful academic experiences, and cultivate the leaders of the next generation.

October 2006