1. BA/BS in any subject from an accredited institution, with a total undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher

2. Completion of one semester in the following: General Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, English Composition, and Statistics

   1. All prerequisite courses must be completed with grades of "B-" or better.

   2. Those with a BA/BS in Psychology with a minimum total undergraduate GPA of 3.0, or a graduate degree in Psychology with minimum total GPA of 3.3, are exempted from this requirement.

3. Three (3) professional letters of recommendation will be required as part of the application packet. These letters should come from individuals who can speak to the applicant’s ability to succeed academically at the graduate school level, or succeed in a clinical setting. Requirements for the letters of recommendation are as follows:

   1. One (1) letter must come from a professor, preferably of a psychology or closely related course.

   2. All letters must be written on official letterhead, dated, and signed by the letter writer.

   3. No personal references will be accepted.

CNU College of Psychology does not accept transfer credits from other degrees or institutions.

The CNU College of Psychology uses PsychologyCAS, a centralized application portal for graduate psychology programs. All applications materials must be submitted through the PsychologyCAS portal. PsychologyCAS can be accessed by clicking here.

For information about tuition and financial aid, please visit this page.

For any questions regarding the Psy.D. program, its admissions requirments, or the application process, contact that admissions department at psyadmissions@cnsu.edu

The Fall 2026 entry application cycle is now open! Applications are accepted and evaluated on a rolling basis. Offers of admission are made until available spaces are filled.

The Psy.D. program at the College of Psychology is designed to be completed in 5 years. Students will be in residency at California Northstate University, full-time, for their first 4 academic years. During the 5th year students will attend internship (students may elect to do a 2-year, part-time internship). Because internships can take place anywhere in the country, there are no in-class course requirements for the 5th year and students are not expected to attend University functions.